"Have you lost your mind???" [Archive] - Marine Corps

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:16 PM

That seems to be the question I keep getting. I'm in the process of working my way back into at least the Marine Corps Reserves. I left the Marine Corps Reserve as a Corporal in 1988, then left the IRR as a Sgt in 1990. Planning on going back to a rifle platoon as a Sgt as soon as I can get my SRB, pass a PFT, and interview at any units that would bother. I just turned 40 in November.

This is usually the response when I tell my friends and family:

them: "Have you lost your mind??"

me: "not as far as I know"

them: "You know that you'll be called up, right?"

me: "so you mean I'll actually have to do my job?"

them: "so your ok with losing that VP position you have and all that income and taking an over $30,000 pay cut?"

me: "ummmm..... yeah, if thats what needs to happen...."

them: "Are you crazy?"

me: "Maybe"

So, what do you all think? Am I crazy? Am I just being irresponsible in being ok with going back to an almost poverty level of income?

Sgt. Smitty

01-07-05, 03:21 PM

Man did you ever leave youself open in this one.........LOL.......if that's what you really really want to do then...ooooorrrrrrraaaaahhhh for you. Smitty

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:24 PM

hehe! Well, I'm looking for absolute brutal honesty here, nothing more, nothing less. I guess money isnt as important as it used to be. I'll hate not having, but I'll like not sitting at a desk in this insane civilian corporate world.

yellowwing

01-07-05, 03:24 PM

No you ain't crazy. I'd think that platoon sergeant would be much more rewarding that "AVP of Asset and Contract Managment".

I hated the corporate life, very inefficient. That's why I work for myself nowadays. If things get FUBAR, I know who to blame.

Get Some Jarhed, train like hell!

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:25 PM

Thanks yellowwing! Yeah, civilians are usually pretty stupid in the way they operate, especially with all the damn SoCal "political correctness" nonsense.

Namvet67

01-07-05, 03:27 PM

No you are not crazy. Borderline maybe. I'm sure you must have a good reason for doing this. 40 years old? Established career? Well, if you think you can do it after all those years....good luck

B A Hall

01-07-05, 03:27 PM

Jarhead I was tryin to get back in also but my hearing aint what it use to be.I would give anything to go to Iraq.

JAG5150

01-07-05, 03:28 PM

Man you gotta do what your heart tells you to do, not what everybody else wants you to do.

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:32 PM

I hear ya BA!!

Maybe I do have some secret desire to get into the sandbox? Not sure whats behind this three year obsession I've had with the Corps lately but I cant deny it anymore. I figured Reserve would at least give me a chance to see what I'm missing and a chance to see if I could handle all the bull that even the Corps will certainly serve my way. (Yeah, thats right, there's even a level of crap that everyone deals with in the Corps! Remember?? :p )

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by gbudd
No you are not crazy. Borderline maybe. I'm sure you must have a good reason for doing this. 40 years old? Established career? Well, if you think you can do it after all those years....good luck

haha!!!

Normally, that would be an issue. But I did compete in Bodybuilding and until about two years ago was one of those huge knuckleheads in the gym bragging about how I did reps on the legpress with over 1100 pounds. Strangely enough, my body bounces back pretty quickly. I've already started running too (hate it!!! It's why I got out in 1988!). I'll get a 1st Class PFT or die trying!

Not really so sure there is a "good reason" for doing this, other than the fire in my gut telling me thats where I belong.

USMC-FO

01-07-05, 03:37 PM

Hell no you're not crazy !! What you are is a Marine and "Semper Fidelis" has meaning that no civilian will EVER understand.

Frankly I am envious of you ! Sadly I am on the down side of 60 nearing 61.....and 40 years removed from active duty. But if I could I would go in a missed heart beat--have lots of those!

Good luck !

Namvet67

01-07-05, 03:43 PM

Ok Jarhead...that is reason enough for me. Don't you think the Corps should give you some extra rank for life experience....say S/Sgt? Keep us posted...your local newspaper needs to know about this. Carry on Marine

Jarhed

01-07-05, 03:48 PM

Thanks gbudd, not sure they'll just give up a SSgt to me, but if I do end up going back to Reserve (Or regular), I'll be beating the door down on WO as much as possible. I wanted to be an officer when I started college way back in 1982 but couldnt wait and went to the Reserve to serve while I was in college. Well, beer, freshman girls, ...... the rest is history. Didnt actually graduate until 1994 (broken college time too).

Not sure about the newspapers, I'm no hero, just a corporate slob who's tired of the civilian world and wouldnt mind blasting the life out of a hadji.

JAG5150

01-07-05, 03:55 PM

Aren't we all a little touched in the head to begin with, we are all Marines

Namvet67

01-07-05, 04:01 PM

Yep

Jarhed

01-07-05, 04:03 PM

USMC-FO, you just pushed a HUGE button! Never really thought of it that way. Perhaps even considering the response of the lifer-civilian types is pointless anyway?

JAG5150, yeah I think you may be right!! :banana:

B A Hall

01-07-05, 04:08 PM

Good Luck Jarhed and Semper Fi heading to the house I have one of my truckers & his wife comming got to make a beer run.

B A Hall

01-07-05, 04:09 PM

Good Luck Jarhed let us know how it turns out SEMPER FI!!!!!!

Jarhed

01-07-05, 04:14 PM

Absolutely will!!!

Still waiting for my SRB on CD. Going to request again cause my first (two) request was in early November.

Timber

01-07-05, 04:35 PM

Semper Fi and good luck. I have the same feeling you have just hard decision with little ones.

mrbsox

01-07-05, 04:55 PM

'FIND A JOB THAT YOU LOVE, AND YOU'LL NEVER WORK AGAIN'

Does that sound crazy to anybody ????

I wish you all the luck in the world. If I hadn't found my 'dream girl' 14 years ago, I'd probably be back in.

The CO knows what the Corps means to me, but I passed the torch some 25 years ago (been out a quarter century... Fk I'm old). She is now my number one concern.

Follow your heart, and you'll never have a reason to be sorry.

HardJedi

01-07-05, 04:58 PM

you MIGHT be crazy, but it has nothing to do with getting back in. hell, If I was physically able to go back, I sure as hell would. who care about money and stuff? ( besides the people I owe it to anyway)

Jarhed

01-07-05, 05:01 PM

Originally posted by Timber
Semper Fi and good luck. I have the same feeling you have just hard decision with little ones.

I hear ya! I got a little one with me and one in Pennsyltucky. As long as I could feed, clothe and shelter them, I'm happy.

Toby M

01-07-05, 05:20 PM

Ultimately you have to answer to your own conscience so do what ya gotta do...

Jarhed

01-08-05, 01:05 AM

Yeah, your right Toby, HardJedi I think I am in fact crazy, but you are correct in that it really doesnt mean squat. I do like toys, nice clothes and cars, but I cant have em cause the wife just spends way too much anyway. Maybe it's time to put her on a diet (both nutritionally and financially) and get the hell back in.

Jarhed

02-25-05, 03:27 PM

Wow,

Just called the PSR. He said all I have to do is get to my target weight so he can submit for a physical. I thought the ball was in his court, it's in mine. haha

Lost 7 pounds so far, down to about 199, need to get to 176. He says that I'll get a physical within 3 days of notifying him of my proper weight. I'm gonna do something drastic. Cut down most of my calories so I can at least get the process started. Then I'll rebound by about 10 pounds and will continue this South Beach diet thingy to get to 176 permanently.

He's still confident that they'll let my old ass back in a Reserve unit, so I'm goin for it! Meanwhile, I still have the ANG Warrant Officer program in my back pocket if I fail (I NEVER fail!!).

woodman

02-25-05, 11:39 PM

jarhead,

you said you use to bodybuild so i'm assuming that most of your weight is muscle. It's worth a shot to see if they will water weigh you. The official height weight standards use to say that weight can be waived if you are under a certin body fat %. I spent 3 years getting weighed in the tank. height weight chart had my proscribed weight as 176 also but I never weighed less than 195 and at that weight I was anemic. It may save you time putting your body through the south beach.

Jarhed

02-26-05, 12:43 AM

Really?

I didnt think they would do that. I even asked him about caliper tests and he said "negative". I'm probably a point or two up on the bodyfat, but I'm even bringing that down like crazy. I eat very little carbohydrates now. Just steak, chicken, eggs, a little 100% whole wheat bread and some occasional veggies. I'm confident that by the time I get down to about 189, my bodyfat percentage will pretty much qualify me. Also working on building up my neck girth, since thats in the measurement for bodyfat.

jo1753

02-26-05, 03:21 AM

Jarhed......... I'll do my best to make this short...

I have a cousin whos 55 yrs old. He just retired from the ploice force. a couple yrs ago with 22 yrs on the force.

He went into the military back in the 60's then after one hitch active he went to the reserves........for the last 30 some odd yrs. Well..............his guy at 55. decides he wants to change his daily diet to rag-head stew.

So in doing so he up and volunteers for duty in the sand box. Spends X amount of time there and gets pretty badly banged up . He spent several mo's At Walter Reed. And now hes home.

Jarhed......................if he can do it @ 55 ...........buddy I'd say if your feel your in good enough shape......................More power to you..!!! And let me thank you for not only the service your thinking of doing.............But your past service as well....Semper-Fi

God Bless the Corps.

woodman

02-26-05, 03:37 AM

Well jarhead I'm not certain how things are right now but it can be done. Don't let one PSR have the final say. keep looking for those other " avenues of approach". You have to be a pain in their azz to get it. go to the MEPS and talk to as many Navy Docs as you can. talk to everyone else you can until you exhausted all resourses. believe it or not until I got cleared for it I was under written orders NOT to lift weights or wrestle. good luck

Jarhed

02-26-05, 11:27 PM

Dont worry Woodman, they are going to have to arrest me for stalking, and so will every Marine Reserve unit within a day's drive from me. I dont give up easy. I change my mind, but I dont give up. When people tell me something is not possible, I keep going at it til I'm either successful, or arrested.

The PSR working with me seems to be very positive about it, although he does wonder exactly why the hell I want to get back in. My guess is that he's on is first or second enlistment with no broken time. Those of us with broken time know the deal. Those of you who have never gotten out of the Corps, cannot possibly understand.

We all know the dreams, the feeling of failure when you watch the news and see Marines in Iraq, the guilty feeling of being unfaithful when you see a Recruiter step out of his car in blues, the feeling of missing your family when you drive by two Marine Corps bases during a drive down the 5 freeway on your way to Tijuana to get drunk, the feeling of regret when you realized that you had it made in the Marine Reserve, but put your bodybuilding career ahead of what was supposed to be a long and fruitful Career in the Marine Corps, something you dreamed about since you were in 8th grade.

How does one explain that to a PSR in an hour or so face to face meeting? How does one just shut off that feeling of needing to be in uniform when I can go to the gym and pound myself silly under a bench press, or under over 450 lbs on a squat rack, or under 1200 pounds on a leg press? As an able bodied, trained determined Marine, why shouldnt I volunteer that energy and youth to serve my country in the Corps? How does one explain the fact that I could not wear any hair style longer than a high and tight for the past 23 years since I left Parris Island?

Semper Fi brothers, I'm comin back, one way or the other!!!

woodman

02-26-05, 11:55 PM

Jarhead,
If I can help in any other way let me know. I know exactly how you feel. The day I got out iraq invaded kuwait and I had to sit and watch friend after friend ship out. Had alot of guilt and ened up leaving the CA pd I was with and moving back to colorado To convince myself I made the right move. Two line of duty injuries make doing what your doing impossable so I envy you a little.

Semper Fi

outlaw3179

02-28-05, 02:52 PM

I think its cool that your going back in ...just remember the Corps you left back in 88 is definetly the not the same club youre going back into now. Find a unit thats coming over to Iraq, get some and then see what you think . Youll have a good time, but dont burn any bridges in the civillian side.

Semper Fi

:marine:

Jarhed

02-28-05, 03:20 PM

Originally posted by outlaw3179
I think its cool that your going back in ...just remember the Corps you left back in 88 is definetly the not the same club youre going back into now. Find a unit thats coming over to Iraq, get some and then see what you think . Youll have a good time, but dont burn any bridges in the civillian side.

Semper Fi

:marine:

Yeah, I'm sure it's a different world now. I saw things change quickly in the 8 short years I was in. I welcome the change! I've been following very closely the changes that have happened in the years since. The weaponry, the uniform, the vehicles, etc... Have a few friends that just got out and a couple still in and they give me the skinny on some of the weirdness going on now.

I figure whatever I end up doing, I'll be in a Reserve unit to begin with (since it's too late for me to get Active). If we get activated, cool. It'll be a change from the pencil pushing bull**** I'm doing now. No burning any bridges, but if given the opportunity, I'd go back in the Corps full time ANY day. I can always get another civilian job if I'm forced out. Never had a problem with that. My degree and my resume' will see to that.

BHABIT

02-28-05, 04:29 PM

Jarhead...

I would give up that and more to be back in greens...at least I'd know where I stand and who's coming at me!

Semper Fi!!!

jo1753

03-01-05, 08:49 AM

I'd say do it...........if thats right where your heart is then let it be done. Marine don't worry about who may or not think you lost your mind..........S*it Bro.... Let the Corps worry about that when you go to Meps.

Jarhed..........I know we've scraped or locked horns on a couple threads.......!!!....... 4 me np.......no biggie really...!!!

I totally agree with you......when you say.........and this is not a quote,by the way...... Hey i'm X yrs old and still in good physical condition. I should be a great value to my Corps and country.

Heck bud...........i'm envious of you to be honest. I only wish I could put the uniform on again and fight along side my kid right now. But the truth be known........ I'm to da*n old. I was to old 10 yrs ago. Like I mentioned in an earlier post on this thread. Sir I take my cover off to you, and guys like yourself. Who won't say die.............. Thats the Marine within you trying it's best to once again come to the surface.

And for that I salute you..!!!

Semper-Fi

God bless the Corps

Jarhed

03-01-05, 09:43 AM

Thanks Jo!!!

Really though, it's not me that deserves a salute, it's Marines like you who DIDNT abandon the Corps and who served in Vietnam helping to write the colorful history of the Marine Corps. We can lock horns, thats ok. We are allowed to disagree on political things. But we do agree on the important ones: that is being a Marine is a lifetime marriage, not just a fleeting job that spans a couple years.

No matter how much any Marine denies it, you will never shake that fire in your belly. Too old? haha!! I scoff at that!!! NO Marine, even the Commandant can convince me that I'm too old to do the job given to me in the Corps! Yeah, I'm a little more bruised up, but thats mostly from being under a squat rack or trashing my knees on a leg press. More tired? Yep, you bet! But hell, I LOVE a challenge!!!

Fact is, I have something to give. I've given all I could to my wife, she still doesnt appreciate it. I've given everything I could to my son, now I want to give him more. I want to give him a good example, I want to help give him the security to live as he wishes. I've been to other countries as a kid and as an adult, just as you all have. I know damn well that this country is well worth defending against any camel-humping, sandal wearing, baby killing, towel head asshat who wants to cause harm to any American! They wanna kill someone? They should come kill me! Cause I'm DAMN sure going to kill them!

I'm telling you guys, the Corps is not impossible to return to. The PSR would not spend this much time with me getting paperwork together, emailing me PT events, charts for height/weight/bodyfat etc if he didnt think I had a snowball's chance in hell of getting my uniform back on! He has inspired me just with his positive attitude and committment to providing me all of the information I need! And the regular recruiter invites me to run PT with the DEPS twice a week.

NEVER GIVE UP

jo1753

03-01-05, 11:50 AM

Jarhed............only the words Semper-Fi....could fit in here

God bless the Corps

CplCrotty

03-01-05, 01:57 PM

Jarhed - You have to let me know what happens. Know this - you've got my support, for what it's worth. My track record is about the same as yours - Marine Corps Reserve from '82 -'88, "broken track record" in college, but finally graduating, wanted to go PLC but got caught up with girls, car payments, apartments, etc., etc.
What are they telling you regarding passing the PFT, i.e. the minimum for a 40 year old?
I'd be there right with you. What's holding me back is my wife and two young daughters, plus my own business with a big business loan. Semper Fi brother!

Jarhed

03-01-05, 02:21 PM

Cpl,

The PFT will be administered by the Reserve Unit I join when they do their annual PFT. I'm still getting ready though, my luck I'll get into a unit and the first damn weekend will be the PFT. HAHAHA

I'm not a good runner. Still trying to get 3 miles under 30 minutes (my max for my old age). I'll get there. I need a running partner to motivate me (pronounced: kick my azz). Also, my damn right knee gets stiff and sore. This sux, but I'm still going to win, or die trying! I want a 1st class PFT. Some folks say thats nuts, but if someone last year would have told me that I'd be running 1.5 miles non-stop this year, I would have laughed in their face.

Yes, Cpl, your record is EXACTLY like mine. Even ran a business or two (a couple of them into the ground). Never got a business loan, always started on a shoestring and by emptying my bank account and maxing credit cards. My 2 year old isnt holding me back, he's motivating me, as is my 14 year old in PA. The drinking was given up a few years ago thank goodness, but I still have to reduce my level of bill payments (he said as he waits to close on a new house...)