poolee has ?'s

[Tegan]

Hiya guys...

Do any of you have any helpful ways at memorizing orders...rank....leadership skills....? I found that I am terrible at memorizing things.

Do you have anything that keeps you motivated, especially when it comes to working out?? as in.. getting off our butts? I really need alot of help with this one, because im on my own.

Im pretty much alone when it comes to working out with someone... and our recruiting office is such a mess due to losing the recruiters there and having a new gunny, so pool functions are an ever bigger mess..

DO you have any suggestions.. tips... things that a poolee should know while she is preparing for boot??


Tegan

[dscusmc]

Those are all good questions...here are a few things from my experience...remember, it helps to know them before you head to boot camp, but you will get plenty of practice when you get there.

1. General orders: You just have to say them over and over to get them. Some people like to memorize the verb. (take, walk, report, repeat, quit, receive, talk, give, call, salute, be watchful.)

You need to know them well enough that you can spit them out in rapid fire succession. At both boot camp and OCS my drill instructors would ask general orders faster than you could finish saying them. Practice and you will get them.

2. Rank Structure: Don't jack up a Marine's rank. We work hard to earn it. The rank structure isn't that complicated, just break it down. An E-2/PFC has one stripe...add crossed-rifles and you have an E-3/LCpl...add another stripe and you have an E-4/Cpl. Keep building like such to help remember the ranks.

3. Leadership traits/principles: I'm sure you've heard the mnemonic device JJDIDTIEBUCKLE by now, if not, ask your recruiter. Think about those traits...what they mean...and which one is most important to you. (those are good inspection questions.)

4. Motivation: If you can't get fired up about earning the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor then I'm not sure how to help. Having said that, our current op-tempo is such that all Marines should be prepared to serve in a real-world operation (Iraq, Afghanistan, humanitarian ops, etc.). Its not a matter of if I'm going, but when.

THEREFORE, you need to be physically conditioned to be able to hold up under stressful conditions...I ran for 1 hour and 45 minutes yesterday because I know that Marines are going to depend on me to keep going...

Think about your future fellow Marines when you're tired...start practicing self-discipline now because your NCO's and junior officers are going to depend on you to take the initiative...since you are on your own, that includes PT...so get out there and get out of your comfort zone.

Anyways, that's my take. Keep asking questions and stay motivated. If a Marine on this site sounds critical, its because they care. I went to boot camp in '97, one of my Drill Instructors told me..."If you're not getting yelled at in the Marine Corps, its because you're not doing anything." He was talking about taking initiative...so good on you for asking questions...good luck.

[HardJedi]

best way to memorize ANYTHING is to write it down OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.... you get the idea.

write that stuff down so many hundereds of times that there is no WAY you will ever forget it. thats what I did.

worked too ;)

[airframesguru]

every time you "f" it up.... Push! also see the above

[PFCJon]

Any time you feel like slacking, you feel tired and unmotivated, think about the grunts sleeping in holes in the desert. They would LOVE 6-8 hours a sleep a night, LOVE to start each day with only some PT and studying to worry about, and LOVE to sleep in a comfortable bed each night. If that doesn't work, just think about the drill instructors that will motivate you at all costs, it's a much better experience to go there with a solid base (knowledge and fitness both!!) I'm just like you, a slow learner with a weak short term memory. Before I left for bootcamp I just copied my general orders down in writing in a notebook. I would pick 4 to work on on each day, writing them over and over again until I didn't need to doublecheck to see if they were right or not. It worked for me. And one quick little bit to add- you REALLY want to know your orders before you leave. Good luck!

[christine_06]

when you're trying to memorize things use a lot of abreveations, when trying to stay MOTO just ask for help but at the same time just remember what everyone always tells you, and with fitness find a friend or family member to train with you, but don't forget to study, good luck!!

[Tobes50]

I've memorized my general orders by memorizing one a day.

As for motivation, well I don't know about you but here's my motivation.

[Tobes50]

.

[jinelson]

OORAH!!! Tobes50 if thats not motivating I do not know what is.

Git R Dun then get some!

[Tobes50]

.

[Lorix]

When do you ship to boot?

[Tegan]

I leave for boot December 5th.
tegan

[StefanovicN]

Study hard, but if you still cannot memorize your BST i guarantee you they will beat it into your head when you get there, and you will be eating/breathing/sleeping your BST:)

GLUCK