thedrifter
05-23-03, 08:28 PM
1. Get used to not having control over your life. You are at the complete whim of the Drill Instructors and you must do what they say.
2. During your free time at the end of the day, you will be told to place your cammies for the next day on your footlocker. Feed your belt through the loops then. This will save time when you get dressed in the morning.
3. After lacing the boots, tie the tips of each lace in a knot. This way, they will not get unlaced when you untie them in a hurry.
4. When you didn’t hear what the Drill Instructor said, ask them "Sir (Ma'am)
5. Please remember that no one is out to get you. Everything is for a purpose. It might be just to get you stronger.
6. Don’t try to contact other recruits you come into contact with, especially the opposite sex. Too much trouble to be worth it.
7. The platoon scribe is the Drill Instructors secretary. Find out who the platoon scribe is. He has the daily schedule and can tell you what is coming up in the next couple of days.
8. Do not have anybody send you porn, food, tobacco, etc. You will open all mail in front of the Drill Instructors. Anything found will be taking immediately and you will be punished for it.
9. Eat everything you can. You WILL feel sick after word, and sometimes will bring it up, but you will get used to it.
10. And eat quickly. I once had the amount of time that it took my Drill Instructor to drink his glass of water to eat. Boot camp is non-stop activity and you will need every calorie you can get.
11. Never take anything from the chow hall. Remember Full Medal Jacket? It’s for real, only worse.
12. Don’t eat heavy foods (cream beef, milk, etc) on mornings you PT. It sits heavy in your stomach and is more likely to make you sick while running.
13. Don’t take illness/injury too lightly. A little infection can become serious very quickly and will cause you to be dropped. At the same time, don’t ask to see a corpsman for chapped lips.
14. Men-shave every day, no matter if you need it or not.
15. Women-keep your hair very tight.
16. Study everything you can before going to boot camp. Know your general orders and rank structure as a minimum.
17. Get down in the best shape you can. Everyone struggles eventually. But if you are ok physically, you can concentrate on other areas you need help in.
18. Lose all fears when you get off the bus in boot camp. Fear of heights, bugs, etc must become a thing of the past. They are now your best friends.
19. Never quit. The quickest way off the island is to graduate. If you quit, you will spend about 3 or 4 extra months on the base while paperwork is completed.
20. Go to church.
21. Drink lots of water. It is too easy to dehydrate. Always keep your canteens full.
22. Do not take anything said to you personally.\
23. Get used to not saying "I", "we", "us", "you", etc. You will be a nobody and you don’t deserve those words. Never refer to yourself or anyone else in the first person. You are now "This recruit" and all of you are "this platoon".
24. Leave a list of the following items with someone who can send them to you once you reach boot camp: flavored toothpaste, a good toothbrush, a real razor, good shaving cream, chapstick, decent deodorant,stamps, and stationary.
25. Unless you REALLY want them, do not bring any necklaces or jewelry. You are allowed religious jewelry and wedding rings, but they just get in the way and get broken. Best to leave them at home.
26. Don’t bring much money.
27. Don’t tie your boots too tight. Keeping it comfortably loose is easier on your feet. The key is too find out what is too tight and what is too loose.
28. Last, just remember that no matter what, it’s only 3 months. You will be in bed at 2000 (8 p.m.) every night (usually). Don’t count days, count Sundays. It seems to go faster. Soon you will graduate and will be one of us: The Few, The Proud, The Marines.
The Drifter
2. During your free time at the end of the day, you will be told to place your cammies for the next day on your footlocker. Feed your belt through the loops then. This will save time when you get dressed in the morning.
3. After lacing the boots, tie the tips of each lace in a knot. This way, they will not get unlaced when you untie them in a hurry.
4. When you didn’t hear what the Drill Instructor said, ask them "Sir (Ma'am)
5. Please remember that no one is out to get you. Everything is for a purpose. It might be just to get you stronger.
6. Don’t try to contact other recruits you come into contact with, especially the opposite sex. Too much trouble to be worth it.
7. The platoon scribe is the Drill Instructors secretary. Find out who the platoon scribe is. He has the daily schedule and can tell you what is coming up in the next couple of days.
8. Do not have anybody send you porn, food, tobacco, etc. You will open all mail in front of the Drill Instructors. Anything found will be taking immediately and you will be punished for it.
9. Eat everything you can. You WILL feel sick after word, and sometimes will bring it up, but you will get used to it.
10. And eat quickly. I once had the amount of time that it took my Drill Instructor to drink his glass of water to eat. Boot camp is non-stop activity and you will need every calorie you can get.
11. Never take anything from the chow hall. Remember Full Medal Jacket? It’s for real, only worse.
12. Don’t eat heavy foods (cream beef, milk, etc) on mornings you PT. It sits heavy in your stomach and is more likely to make you sick while running.
13. Don’t take illness/injury too lightly. A little infection can become serious very quickly and will cause you to be dropped. At the same time, don’t ask to see a corpsman for chapped lips.
14. Men-shave every day, no matter if you need it or not.
15. Women-keep your hair very tight.
16. Study everything you can before going to boot camp. Know your general orders and rank structure as a minimum.
17. Get down in the best shape you can. Everyone struggles eventually. But if you are ok physically, you can concentrate on other areas you need help in.
18. Lose all fears when you get off the bus in boot camp. Fear of heights, bugs, etc must become a thing of the past. They are now your best friends.
19. Never quit. The quickest way off the island is to graduate. If you quit, you will spend about 3 or 4 extra months on the base while paperwork is completed.
20. Go to church.
21. Drink lots of water. It is too easy to dehydrate. Always keep your canteens full.
22. Do not take anything said to you personally.\
23. Get used to not saying "I", "we", "us", "you", etc. You will be a nobody and you don’t deserve those words. Never refer to yourself or anyone else in the first person. You are now "This recruit" and all of you are "this platoon".
24. Leave a list of the following items with someone who can send them to you once you reach boot camp: flavored toothpaste, a good toothbrush, a real razor, good shaving cream, chapstick, decent deodorant,stamps, and stationary.
25. Unless you REALLY want them, do not bring any necklaces or jewelry. You are allowed religious jewelry and wedding rings, but they just get in the way and get broken. Best to leave them at home.
26. Don’t bring much money.
27. Don’t tie your boots too tight. Keeping it comfortably loose is easier on your feet. The key is too find out what is too tight and what is too loose.
28. Last, just remember that no matter what, it’s only 3 months. You will be in bed at 2000 (8 p.m.) every night (usually). Don’t count days, count Sundays. It seems to go faster. Soon you will graduate and will be one of us: The Few, The Proud, The Marines.
The Drifter