Call it some Advice...

[bgsuwoody]

I don't know but it wasn't too long ago that I was told by many of people that I should spend less time worrying so much about getting ready for the Marine Corps and more time living my life, spending time with my family, and just enjoying the every freedom I have. Its only as of late that I am finding this to be so true.

Its really hard to explain to all of you how much different the fleet is from everything you could ever imagine. You will have your highest of your highs and your lowest of your lows and I am not even talking about being in combat. I am just talking about the normal day to day activity. You will meet your best friends and you will make your worst enemies.

The days will be longer than you have ever seen, your stress will be high, your temper will be short, but it is during those times that you have to dig deep and search within yourself that leader that is there. You just may never know it. Somedays you are going to wonder how in the hell you made it through the day and those are going to be the days you find your true friends.

Soon you will find that bootcamp was the easiest experience of your life and the monotony of the Marine Corps and just standing by will be some of the harder things you have to deal with.

You'll find that the Marine Corps is giving 110% all the time unless you can find some "skate" time. You'll all learn what that means I'm sure. The work isn't glamorous nor is gratitude given. But when the end of a 17 hour day or other ridiculous event is over and you know that you and the buddy beside you can both walk out tired as **** and say "damn that sucked" and share a beer while trying your hardest not to pass out is when you can remember why you joined.

Enjoy your freedoms now poolees, you won't know what you will miss when you get here*It'll be the greatest time of your life, but take the advice I failed to heed and enjoy it responsibly...you'll have enough time to be ridiculous in the Marine Corps...I promise.

Enjoy this time because I know that everyone here can tell you I'm not trying to demotivate you and nor am I lying... I'm actually using this to motivate myself right now, cause its been tough lately.

Anyone can tell you who's been there done that that this is it. It aint the glamorous life and its really not what you see, but when you find that the hardest part of the day is sitting on your ass for a few hours...you know something in you has changed. Get ready, but spend your time wisely and know you will be the Marine Corps for the next however many years so just enjoy life. You won't be the Marine you are at home, cause town like Jacksonville just don't care.

I should have listened to Accord!


*Things I miss
-Wearing white T-Shirts, Smoking and walking, hair, waking up after the sun comes us, all the other colors in the rainbow that aren't green or tan, God there's millions. But most importantly CHICKS THAT AREN'T FROM JACKSONVILLE

[Marine84]

Sorry you're having a rough time Baby Brother - it WILL get better, then will come time for you to get out, then you worry again. It's all a part of the cycle babe. If there's anything any of us can help you with, we're just a PM away.

Semper Fi!

[Big Jim]

Woody, man, I know what you're talking about because you're right...we've ALL been there and done and got the T-shirts to prove it!! How we, or I, got through was I focused on the better things in ,y immediate life! If you don't like what you're doing, try making it fun! Try doing it the best that you canso you can become the "expert" on it and make it so damn easy, you can do it in your sleep! You've been in a short time and what I think you're experiencing is the bottom of the totem pole blues!! You'll move up in rank and responsibilities soon and although you must lead by example, things won't be so cumbersome to you! I realize you don't talk about why you're there doing what you're doing for the Corps or for yourself...just focus on this is your life for the next few years anyway, ok? Try that and I promise things will get better...you have to motivate yourself buddy, to get off your own azz and JUST DO IT!! Are you lifting weights and got a steady PT program going? That always helped me, that and hanging out with some friends and talking with them! Sounds like you're stressing yourself out unnecessarily...? Thats always a demotivator and creates doubt. Focus on what you want...promotions, weekends, hanging out with friends! I know I LIVED for my weekends...we were ALWAYS doing something and going somewhere...at least where there some females!! LOL! Take your mind off your work while you're away from the base, ok? Enjoy just being a Marine...because believe me, when you get out, your responsibilities and problems DO increase!!! Hope this helpsyou out, bro!

[Chumley]

bgsuwoody,

I think I can equate your sentiments with a good old "we don't promise you a rose garden". OOORAH!

Day in and day out it's just a job. Many of us do our four years and get out, go home and get another job, then realize that living the good life was what we WERE doing in the Corps.

My senior DI said "All your old friends will still be at home, back on the block doin the same old thing they were when you left". That's the truth. When I got home I realized that I was the one who had been living life.....field days, inspections, PT, police calls and all.

My first two years dragged by; then I couldn't slow it down with a ship's anchor ..... hasn't slowed down yet 14 years later. You may miss the hair and all, but it's likely that you will miss the Corps much more someday.

Make the most of it. Most humans will never comprehend the brotherhood you are now part of. When you get older, you will dream of doing it all over again.

SFi
Chumley

[DGardner]

Woody, seriously bud... quit worrying about Chesty Puller, the 13th commandant, your 8th general order, how long the NCO sword has been in use, where the blood stripe came from, your 3rd lifesaving step, or anything else. You have what, 3 weeks left as a civilian? Enjoy those 3 weeks. All this knowledge will be beaten into your heads, you will scream every piece of knowledge you posted above literally hundreds of times a day, by the end of bootcamp even the ASVAB waiver's will know all of it, so stop studying it, stop worrying about it, and enjoy being a teenager for these next couple weeks. You do not realize how much your life is going to change when you ship, enjoy it while it lasts. Instead of saying "SIR, E-4 IN THE MARINE CORPS IS CORPORAL, HE WEARS TWO STRIPES UP CROSSED RIFLES IN THE CENTER SIR!" to yourself a thousand times a day, go spend time with your family.
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I think that applies to all of the poolees. i'm not saying don't learn, but don't let it consume you. Your going to be away from your family for 3 months, and then after that, for a lot longer. Even if you don't care, do it for your family. They sure will miss you.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I still say BS. You should do what you want to do. If studying and preparing for boot camp is what you want to do- what brings you pleasure- then do it. When you look back on it six months after you stand on the yellow footprints you will think it was a stupid thing to do. But, you will also have forgotten how idealistic you were about the Marine Corps at that point and how your entire being was focused on earning the title of Marine.

Honestly, if you want to be like Woody was as a poolee, you won't be happy taking his advice now. Why make yourself miserable and uncomfortable when you don't have to? I promise that you'll have plenty of time for that. Until then, do what you want to do, stay out of trouble, and do what you have to do to get to the footprints. Everything else is just water under the bridge. Learn all the knowledge in the world or go skip rocks across a pond... it doesn't really matter.

[Quinbo]

Woody
One day you will be standing in a Marine of the Quarter or NCO of the Quarter or Meritorious promotion board and say holy cow I'm fully prepared and can confidently go in there and win this thing. If you find yourself placing your front site tip on the enemys chest you will remember your training. There is room for libbo and take advantage of it you and John are correct in that regard. Some days truely suck but you'll remember them forever.

[thedrifter]

I don't know but it wasn't too long ago that I was told by many of people that I should spend less time worrying so much about getting ready for the Marine Corps and more time living my life, spending time with my family, and just enjoying the every freedom I have. Its only as of late that I am finding this to be so true.

Its really hard to explain to all of you how much different the fleet is from everything you could ever imagine. You will have your highest of your highs and your lowest of your lows and I am not even talking about being in combat. I am just talking about the normal day to day activity. You will meet your best friends and you will make your worst enemies.

The days will be longer than you have ever seen, your stress will be high, your temper will be short, but it is during those times that you have to dig deep and search within yourself that leader that is there. You just may never know it. Somedays you are going to wonder how in the hell you made it through the day and those are going to be the days you find your true friends.

Soon you will find that bootcamp was the easiest experience of your life and the monotony of the Marine Corps and just standing by will be some of the harder things you have to deal with.

You'll find that the Marine Corps is giving 110% all the time unless you can find some "skate" time. You'll all learn what that means I'm sure. The work isn't glamorous nor is gratitude given. But when the end of a 17 hour day or other ridiculous event is over and you know that you and the buddy beside you can both walk out tired as **** and say "damn that sucked" and share a beer while trying your hardest not to pass out is when you can remember why you joined.

Enjoy your freedoms now poolees, you won't know what you will miss when you get here*It'll be the greatest time of your life, but take the advice I failed to heed and enjoy it responsibly...you'll have enough time to be ridiculous in the Marine Corps...I promise.

Enjoy this time because I know that everyone here can tell you I'm not trying to demotivate you and nor am I lying... I'm actually using this to motivate myself right now, cause its been tough lately.

Anyone can tell you who's been there done that that this is it. It aint the glamorous life and its really not what you see, but when you find that the hardest part of the day is sitting on your ass for a few hours...you know something in you has changed. Get ready, but spend your time wisely and know you will be the Marine Corps for the next however many years so just enjoy life. You won't be the Marine you are at home, cause town like Jacksonville just don't care.

I should have listened to Accord!


*Things I miss
-Wearing white T-Shirts, Smoking and walking, hair, waking up after the sun comes us, all the other colors in the rainbow that aren't green or tan, God there's millions. But most importantly CHICKS THAT AREN'T FROM JACKSONVILLE


PM me Mike...that we can meet and give You directions.

During what I call is my down time from here, I work as a barmaid (Spankys) which is filled with Retired and Active Marines, which are my hubby's Mark's(fontman) and My friends...

Talking with the old timers (yea I heard the war stories) can help guide You into Your Goals You want to accomplish..

Hubby would agree with You about the girls down here ;)

Ms. Ellie

[bgsuwoody]

I think this post may have been taken the wrong way a little bit. I am not really having a "bad" time, I just think I am on sensory overload a little bit right now. Between AT-4/SMAW ranges, SWET, MOUT agressing, classes, working parties, admin, blah blah blah and the like. Its caused me to be snappy and quick tempered and often loud which when I think about it isn't bad because I think quick, move with intensity, and get loud. However, sometimes I just want to chill out. I got some advice (and I appreciate all of you who helped me out) and I'm doing fine. Still love the Marine Corps lol.

When you get here poolees you'll find this out but its hard to find time for yourself and anywhere I go to get away, you just can't get away from the Marine Corps around here. (I'm sure you all know what I mean). You live with 2 other Marines, in a building with hundreds more, with a town full with thousands. I am just saying enjoy the time you have back home b/c you just won't get that time here. You won't get the time to do your favorite activities, walk your dog, be constructive in the yard, kayak, whatever it may be. I haven't seen most of my friends since November and I've seen my family once since then, just to give you an idea of the amount of time you see. You get used to it though...

PS. I'll get with you Ellie later today hopefully. Computers are way too slow and my time is short I spent all my standby time on this lol.

[jrhd97]

Bgsu, go get a case of beer with some buds, drink it all listening to the Eagles. Start over again tomorrow. You'll feel beter. :beer:

[bgsuwoody]

HAHAHAHAHA you guys know me too well. That's what I've been doing. I mix in a little CCR, Petty, Allman Brothers, Garth Brooks, and some others while doing it though lol. That is always the doc's medicine.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Better idea for you Woody. Friday night grab a couple of your boot buddies, put on hats to hide the haircut, and head to Wilmington. Chase some tail from UNC-Wilmington and you'll forget all about life in the barracks. Do the same thing on Saturday, except head to Greenville and chase ECU girls.

[jrhd97]

Better idea for you Woody. Friday night grab a couple of your boot buddies, put on hats to hide the haircut, and head to Wilmington. Chase some tail from UNC-Wilmington and you'll forget all about life in the barracks. Do the same thing on Saturday, except head to Greenville and chase ECU girls.
Be very, very careful doing that. We used to do that in Greenville and got a wife out of that.