Nervous

[robg9178]

I know this is going to sound dumb, but I am nervous. I am suppose to fly down to meps on the 21st for my physical and I am nervous about the whole process. I am nervous for boot. It is a excited nervous. I just got done watching those wonderful motivating videos and they were great. Maybe I am a bit nervous about my age. I am 28, will be going thru boot with guys alot younger than me. I just will be happy to become a Marine. My dad, uncle and grandfather are marines. I know I will be fine. Just alot to take in.

Rob

[DWG]

Nervous is good, you should be nervous-you are about to become part of something that will change your whole life experience. But hell, figure if all of us old farts made it, why shouldn't you. Besides, you're going to the Club Med of the Marine Corps; San Diego! ;) It's not like the land God forsook, Parris Island!:D

[jinelson]

Relax we had a Poolee here that went this time last year and he was 28. He drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney and wasent in PT Stud shape and he graduated as a Squad Leader Pfc and today he is a Corporol of Marines. Physically the young dogs will have you but you will take with you your knowlege and maturity which they will never be able to match.

OORAH!!!

Jim

[robg9178]

Thanks, I really appreciate the words of wisdom. When I embarked on this endeavor on August 17, I weighed 243lbs, right now I am 210lbs. So I have been getting better. I wake up everyday at 4am to workout. Today I was able to run 2 miles without walking.

[Christ0ph]

meps is nothing to be nervous about, if anything it is actually quite boring



Now, shipping out, that should make you so nervous you wanna puke! :evilgrin:

[The1stSgt]

When you get to boot camp, the main thing the Drill Instructors will be looking for immediately is, instant obedience to order and MOTIVATION (a positive, can do attitude, coupled with high energy).

Do everything as fast as you can without making mistakes, sound off, and demonstrate to your Drill Instructors throught your attitude and behavior, that you want to be an excellent recruit and Marine.

They will be looking for leaders among the the platoon. Be first, stand at attentions correctly, sound off, execute facing movements with snap, stay in step when marching.... etc. Believe me, you will be noticed.

When it's appropriate, help your fellow recruits, especially your bunky. This will demonstrate leadership ability and it builds teamwork. Your platoon is a team and your family for twelve weeks... help them out when you can, especially the slower lesser capable members.

[JoeSzynal]

He drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney and wasent in PT Stud shape and he graduated as a Squad Leader Pfc and today he is a Corporol of Marines.

Haaa... wow Jim what a way to put it. I had to laugh. My lifestyle never sounded so bad until you just described it... haaaaa. Good times though!

No seriously rob there's nothing wrong with nervous excitement. It's just the unknown that's bugging you. After a couple weeks you'll fall into a nice groove. The age thing can easily be turned into a positive if you carry yourself with a consistant maturity that usually comes with that age. I joined at 28 in early '05 and found it easy to advance (easy is a relative term here) just by being myself, displaying confidence, maturity and stepping it up where I could.

Strangely enough I wasn't even the oldest in my boot camp platoon. There was this Asian kid Lee who was 29 at the time. Just bumped into him at one of our chowhalls out here and he's doing fine. He was actually a college math professor who like me just wanted to step out of his comfort zone and find that inner warrior. He struggled for a while becuase the environment demanded behavior that just was not him at all. He found his groove eventually though.

Good luck and don't sweat it. Get back to me if you've got any specific concerns. I'm here on the site alot.

[jinelson]

LMFAO Joe I didnt use any names but your were the Poolee that came to mind.

Jim :banana: :D :banana:

[Kildars]

Rob, I have a hearing issue right now that the doctors tell me is fixable in 3-5 years, and I will be 22-25 when that occurs so I will be in the same boat as you, thanks for enlisting even despite your age. Prove to them you can do it. :) I hear from Marines that the young guys look up to older guys at boot -- even though you're all the same worthless to the Drill Instructors.

[J-Ro]

Don't be Nervous... Brother be Proud!!!

[robg9178]

Thanks guys, it really helps out alot. Just cant wait to get in there and do it.

[Achped]

When you get to boot camp, the main thing the Drill Instructors will be looking for immediately is, instant obedience to order and MOTIVATION (a positive, can do attitude, coupled with high energy).

Do everything as fast as you can without making mistakes, sound off, and demonstrate to your Drill Instructors throught your attitude and behavior, that you want to be an excellent recruit and Marine.

They will be looking for leaders among the the platoon. Be first, stand at attentions correctly, sound off, execute facing movements with snap, stay in step when marching.... etc. Believe me, you will be noticed.

When it's appropriate, help your fellow recruits, especially your bunky. This will demonstrate leadership ability and it builds teamwork. Your platoon is a team and your family for twelve weeks... help them out when you can, especially the slower lesser capable members.

Thanks for the tips, I read you were a former drill instructor so you obviously know what you're talking about. I'll definitely keep this in mind when I arrive to the depot. :thumbup:

[Marine43]

When i was going through boot camp about seven months ago things were exactly like first sergeant said....attention to detail...instant obedience to orders...and looking good...and of course leadership....all the keys to success while at recruit training...trust me...thats one of the catch phrases my drill intstuctor used on black friday...lol...and the age thing...our guide was 29...he had bad legs and was barely five feet tall but ill tell ya what he was the best leader i ever had....but hold in strong..youll make it then you can be called one of us.....a US MARINE....OOORAH

[robg9178]

Well, like I said I have been working my butt off to get into better shape. I tell myself I may not be the fastest or smartest, but I am going to give it my all. I really want that promotion at the end. Hell just being able to call myself a Marine will be self gratifying. Also to be able to see my dad and march the same parade deck he did when he graduated.

[agravlin]

The only thing I'm nervous about is MEPS, and that's still months away. That probably seems strange, but it sounds so nerve-wracking to know that being able to do something that's so important to me, rests on some medical examiners who might find some permanently disqualifying condition that I didn't even know about. Scary as hell.

As scary and challenging as Boot Camp is, I'm really looking forward to being broken and re-molded into one of the few and the proud, regardless of what I have to suffer when I'm there.

[robg9178]

You know. I would have to agree. It does seem a bit nerve wracking. Boot camp I try to prepare myself mentally everyday for.

[Soon2BeVIP]

Why do you got to fly down to MEPS? Where is it?...or was that just an expression

[robg9178]

Meps for me is in San Deigo

[USMCBOXER]

Excellet advice here. Can't put it any better than my brothers did in these last posts. Follow this advice to the "t," and you'll do outstanding.

[robg9178]

I am so frustrated, I am sick right now, took half day yesterday and whole day today off. I am suppose to fly to meps on Sunday. I dont think I can take another day off from work without causing a problem. I may have to push it back a week. My work doesnt know I am trying to enlist and I dont want them to fire me.

[yellowwing]

I may have to push it back a week. My work doesnt know I am trying to enlist and I dont want them to fire me.
...and there are no business owners in all of Las Vegas that are Marine Veterans? Start asking around.

[robg9178]

I am sure there is, but I am still within my 90 day probation period. My dad tells me not to worry about a job, when I am going for a career

[yellowwing]

Smart Dad you got there! :thumbup:

[robg9178]

Yea, as long as I am feeling better and make weight, I will go forward. He does make a valid point

[Allen870922]

meps is nothing to be nervous about, if anything it is actually quite boring



Now, shipping out, that should make you so nervous you wanna puke! :evilgrin:
I puked before I shipped out for Boot.

But yeah, MEPS ain't ****. You'll be out of there for a few hours. You'll be bored more than anything. I gotta do that whole boring process over again when I try to go back. Hopefully it won't take as long cause I was there only a year or so ago.

[CJA]

I puked before I shipped out for Boot.

But yeah, MEPS ain't ****. You'll be out of there for a few hours. You'll be bored more than anything. I gotta do that whole boring process over again when I try to go back. Hopefully it won't take as long cause I was there only a year or so ago.

Were you sent home from boot?

[Allen870922]

Were you sent home from boot?

Yeah, after being on the island for nearly 6 months. Broke both feet at different times in training. Farthest I got was training day 56. I'll reenlist when I'm healed up and reconditioned myself.

Boot was probably the best time of my life.

[agravlin]

I puked before I shipped out for Boot.

But yeah, MEPS ain't ****. You'll be out of there for a few hours. You'll be bored more than anything. I gotta do that whole boring process over again when I try to go back. Hopefully it won't take as long cause I was there only a year or so ago.

What worries me is that I'm spending all these months preparing and shaping up and stuff so that I can enter the USMC, and MEPS could find something that could get in the way of that. The only thing that worries me about the entire enlistment experience is MEPS, because it's there that they could find some hidden underlying disqualifying medical condition that I never even knew about, and that could keep me from doing what I want to do so badly. That is just terrifying. Also, I've read that there are hundreds of totally innocent things you can do at MEPS that can get you kicked out of the process, like falling asleep at the medical center, wearing the wrong clothing in the hotel workout room, not handing your hotel key on time. Scary... all that worries me is not being able to serve my country.

[CJA]

Yeah, after being on the island for nearly 6 months. Broke both feet at different times in training. Farthest I got was training day 56. I'll reenlist when I'm healed up and reconditioned myself.

Boot was probably the best time of my life.

Being that I've never been, and the perception of boot camp isn't exactly a fun summer camp... Could you name some things that could've possibly made it the best time of your life?

Obviously I'm totally ignorant about it.. well at least how it could be "fun".

[Allen870922]

Being that I've never been, and the perception of boot camp isn't exactly a fun summer camp... Could you name some things that could've possibly made it the best time of your life?

Obviously I'm totally ignorant about it.. well at least how it could be "fun".

One of the best things I liked was just the discipline. I left for boot the day after I graduated High School. All my life I had to be around kids who had no respect for authority and wouldn't listen to anything they were told. I get to Boot and its just instant that you need to do what they tell you to do right away. If you don't, you'll have some problems. If you do what you are told and when you are told without question then you'll have a much easier time. Why Boot is so hard for some people is that they bring the DI's attention unto themselves by their stupid actions.

When I was with my original platoon I was doing good. I wasn't a superb recruit but I didn't bring any unwanted attention to myself. For most of the month and a half that I was with that platoon, the SDI and 2 DI's didn't know my name until I fractured my foot. Then after that I was basically being praised by them as an example to the rest of the platoon.

I was in 2nd Bt. We mostly drilled and learned knowledge. And of course the QD and sand pit from time to time. Drill, to me, is fun. You really won't PT much in 1st or 2nd Bt. 3rd Bt. PTs 3 times a week. We did actual PT sessions maybe once a week in 2nd. Sometimes not even that. But it doesn't matter cause you'll still be strong enough to do your Final PFT with how much running your DIs will make you do when they aren't satisfied with the platoon's ability to drill.

I loved the Gas chamber. You're not in there very long. Maybe 2 or 3 minutes. Just don't run out before they tell you to or they will make you stay in there for much longer. We made our SDI happy when our Platoon was the only one in the Company to not have someone run out.

Rifle range is probably the best time. You get to shoot a lot rounds down range. DIs are a little more relaxed cause they want you to qualify on the range. They all want to win Range more than anything else. Listen to EVERYTHING your PMI tells you to do. If you don't understand something then you better ask. If you still don't understand it then you better let him know. Especially pay attention to your safety rules. You don't want to be a safety violator. Saw one too many good recruits go away because of stupid mistakes on the range.

A-line was decent. You get to shoot some rounds from the SAW and 6 tracer rounds from the AT4 rocket launcher. Not too spectacular but it gets you away from the DIs for most of the day.

BWT probably would've been more fun for me if my foot wasn't broken. First day I believe was the day and night infiltration course. The day part sucks more cause your gonna have DIs sending you back to the beginning from time to time. Night course is better. You'll have a buddy and you move at a slower pace. Then the rest of the time for BWT is learning to move as fireteams and such. Last day of BWT was the endurance course. It last about an hour or 2 and is exactly as it says, endurance course. Go to different stations and complete them with your group.

If you have any questions just ask. I can probably answer anything you got training wise up until the Crucible. I got dropped the day of it.

[Allen870922]

What worries me is that I'm spending all these months preparing and shaping up and stuff so that I can enter the USMC, and MEPS could find something that could get in the way of that. The only thing that worries me about the entire enlistment experience is MEPS, because it's there that they could find some hidden underlying disqualifying medical condition that I never even knew about, and that could keep me from doing what I want to do so badly. That is just terrifying. Also, I've read that there are hundreds of totally innocent things you can do at MEPS that can get you kicked out of the process, like falling asleep at the medical center, wearing the wrong clothing in the hotel workout room, not handing your hotel key on time. Scary... all that worries me is not being able to serve my country.

MEPS doesn't really find anything unless you tell them about it. Except if you're on drugs, drunk at the time, eye sight, and hearing. Those they can find. Other than that they will basically test your ability to squat down and stand back up without pain, see how your lungs are, and so on. Not really much.

Basically just wear decent clothing to MEPS. Don't fall asleep cause you might not hear your name called. And after you are done with you medical stuff just hang out for a while cause it usually takes a while to get to your name.