Phil
06-09-03, 11:27 PM
First let me start with a question. What the hell are you thinking? Do you you want to be wet, cold and hungry? Do you want to hump every hill on God's green earth? Are you ready to fight, kill, and maybe die when the President gives the order!
If so sit down, relax and prepare for some knowledge to be poured into your brain housing group!
If not, the Navy is looking for some deck swabbers.
Your first unit of instruction will be what to expect when you reach "The Fleet". In boot camp you will learn to be a basic Marine, in MCT you will learn to be riflemen, in SOI you will be trained in your infantry specialty. In the fleet you will be trained in the ways of the modern warrior. This is not to down play the role of Marine Corps support units. I would much rather go into combat with a Marine Corps supply clerk than an Army infantryman, you'll see for yourself later into your journey in our Corps.
"Hey, hey, heeey Aiiiir Force,
get in your planes and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry"
When you get to the fleet you'll think " Yes, now I'm a full fledged grunt!"WRONG!! You're a boot, and everyone that has been there at least one day longer than you will remind you constantly! Most of the ones that do this are non-rates like you and are your peers. You can give it back if you're brave enough, these guys are your brothers, the sooner you have the balls to give it back the sooner they will trust you. HOWEVER, that L/Cpl who looks just like you in cammies may be working on a nice set of ribbons in Charlies. Take a few days to learn who's who.
One of the first NCOs you'll meet should be your squad leader. It's a SGT.s billet but may very well be filled by a Cpl.(or even a L/Cpl about to be promoted, remember what I said) He will take you under his wing and start breaking you into the ways of your unit. Next is Platoon SGT. usually a SSGT. but may be a SGT. This Marine is your platoon's mom. Then you have your Platoon Commander. He's a 2nd Lt. you will only see him at company formations and in the field when he gets you lost using his "superior" land nav skills. Next is company Gunny, if you got chow thank him, if you got nice equipment thank him, if you have nice furniture in your barracks thank him, and if you are sent on a crappy working party, more than likely, thank him! Next is Company FirstSgt. If you're called to his office you'd better find religion, OUICK! Next is Company X.O. I never quite figured out what these guys do. I think it's just a holding job for 1st Lt.s that finally figured out Land Nav to keep busy until they make Captain and get their own company. As a matter of fact I think the only requirement for making 1st Lt is to finally learn Land Nav. You're laughing now but wait until your stumbling around CTA in Okinawa at 0330 looking for your lines!
:banana:
Last is your company C.O. you will find, more often than not, these Captains are locked on. The bad ones don't last long. My first C.O. w/ Echo co 2/3 was Capt. Larry Weber. This man was a hard ass! Naval Acadamy Grad etc. friggin' etc. At first we all thought he was just a sadist but once we got to the Gulf (for the first go w/ Saddam) we realised why he was a hard ass. If you had checkpoint, He'd come out at 0200 and just start talking to you. The funny thing is he knew everything about you without you telling him. Your family, where you're from, he'd talk to you about your strengths and weaknesses. He was a very good man and an outstanding officer. After we came home and he was to move on to better things, quite a few of us had tears in our eyes.
After that you have battalion etc. but, I don't want to write a friggin' book.
"Hey, hey, Heeey Naaavy,
get in your boats and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry!"
What will your typical day be like? It depends, some days you'll be sitting through classes all day with a 2 hour lunch break, some days you'll be sweeping the parking lot and painting the rocks at Regimental Hqs. other days you'll be Helocasting or SPIE rigging, maybe fastroping, maybe training w/ zodiak boats doing raids on beaches. You may be sweating to death at 29 Palms(STUMPS) having Harriers drop tear gas canisters on your position. You may wake up on Mt. Fuji with freezing rain all over your trash. Or THIS IS WHERE YOU PAY ATTENTION, you may be engaged in mortal struggle with an enemy of the United States.
"Hey, hey, heeey Aaaarrmy,
get in your tanks and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry!"
The Marine Corps Infantry was designed for one thing and one thing only, to wage and win wars. Period. As a Marine Warrior you may be asked to do many things, peacekeeping, humanitarian missions, etc.,but, your main mission is to "Locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, and repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat." When you get to the fleet throw that "oohrah" **** out the window. That's for recruits, us old salts on web forums and impressing women at bars. In the fleet "oohrah" will be replaced by other ways to show enthusiasm, but, you'll have to wait and see what those are. It's part of the bond you will develop with your brothers.
A Marine Infantryman is not just a infantryman, he is a warrior of the highest order. A Marine Grunt has a CODE written in blood in places like Hue City, Khe Sahn, The "Frozen Chosin", Tarawa, Kuwait City, Baghdad, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Bellou Wood, We have raised colors on Mt. Sarabachi and we have been killed in our sleep in Beirut. We are respected by our friends and feared by our enemies. We are second to NONE in the art of war! We are Warriors, trained to do a job most of our countrymen do not understand and if they did understand it would drive them mad.
Are you ready to be a Beast of War?
Are you ready to go where others dare not?
Liberty is a thirsty lady and all she will drink is blood. Marines are Her favorite.
Yes this is to scare you. I want nobody in my Corps that is not fully prepared to fight, kill, and yes even die if called upon by our nation. We have already added our souls to the CODE. You must be ready and be sure this is what you want! We have too much at stake. We've got kids back home and it up to the Grunts to go take care of the bad guys for them. It's your turn.
If so sit down, relax and prepare for some knowledge to be poured into your brain housing group!
If not, the Navy is looking for some deck swabbers.
Your first unit of instruction will be what to expect when you reach "The Fleet". In boot camp you will learn to be a basic Marine, in MCT you will learn to be riflemen, in SOI you will be trained in your infantry specialty. In the fleet you will be trained in the ways of the modern warrior. This is not to down play the role of Marine Corps support units. I would much rather go into combat with a Marine Corps supply clerk than an Army infantryman, you'll see for yourself later into your journey in our Corps.
"Hey, hey, heeey Aiiiir Force,
get in your planes and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry"
When you get to the fleet you'll think " Yes, now I'm a full fledged grunt!"WRONG!! You're a boot, and everyone that has been there at least one day longer than you will remind you constantly! Most of the ones that do this are non-rates like you and are your peers. You can give it back if you're brave enough, these guys are your brothers, the sooner you have the balls to give it back the sooner they will trust you. HOWEVER, that L/Cpl who looks just like you in cammies may be working on a nice set of ribbons in Charlies. Take a few days to learn who's who.
One of the first NCOs you'll meet should be your squad leader. It's a SGT.s billet but may very well be filled by a Cpl.(or even a L/Cpl about to be promoted, remember what I said) He will take you under his wing and start breaking you into the ways of your unit. Next is Platoon SGT. usually a SSGT. but may be a SGT. This Marine is your platoon's mom. Then you have your Platoon Commander. He's a 2nd Lt. you will only see him at company formations and in the field when he gets you lost using his "superior" land nav skills. Next is company Gunny, if you got chow thank him, if you got nice equipment thank him, if you have nice furniture in your barracks thank him, and if you are sent on a crappy working party, more than likely, thank him! Next is Company FirstSgt. If you're called to his office you'd better find religion, OUICK! Next is Company X.O. I never quite figured out what these guys do. I think it's just a holding job for 1st Lt.s that finally figured out Land Nav to keep busy until they make Captain and get their own company. As a matter of fact I think the only requirement for making 1st Lt is to finally learn Land Nav. You're laughing now but wait until your stumbling around CTA in Okinawa at 0330 looking for your lines!
:banana:
Last is your company C.O. you will find, more often than not, these Captains are locked on. The bad ones don't last long. My first C.O. w/ Echo co 2/3 was Capt. Larry Weber. This man was a hard ass! Naval Acadamy Grad etc. friggin' etc. At first we all thought he was just a sadist but once we got to the Gulf (for the first go w/ Saddam) we realised why he was a hard ass. If you had checkpoint, He'd come out at 0200 and just start talking to you. The funny thing is he knew everything about you without you telling him. Your family, where you're from, he'd talk to you about your strengths and weaknesses. He was a very good man and an outstanding officer. After we came home and he was to move on to better things, quite a few of us had tears in our eyes.
After that you have battalion etc. but, I don't want to write a friggin' book.
"Hey, hey, Heeey Naaavy,
get in your boats and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry!"
What will your typical day be like? It depends, some days you'll be sitting through classes all day with a 2 hour lunch break, some days you'll be sweeping the parking lot and painting the rocks at Regimental Hqs. other days you'll be Helocasting or SPIE rigging, maybe fastroping, maybe training w/ zodiak boats doing raids on beaches. You may be sweating to death at 29 Palms(STUMPS) having Harriers drop tear gas canisters on your position. You may wake up on Mt. Fuji with freezing rain all over your trash. Or THIS IS WHERE YOU PAY ATTENTION, you may be engaged in mortal struggle with an enemy of the United States.
"Hey, hey, heeey Aaaarrmy,
get in your tanks and follow me
I am Marine Corps Infantry!"
The Marine Corps Infantry was designed for one thing and one thing only, to wage and win wars. Period. As a Marine Warrior you may be asked to do many things, peacekeeping, humanitarian missions, etc.,but, your main mission is to "Locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, and repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat." When you get to the fleet throw that "oohrah" **** out the window. That's for recruits, us old salts on web forums and impressing women at bars. In the fleet "oohrah" will be replaced by other ways to show enthusiasm, but, you'll have to wait and see what those are. It's part of the bond you will develop with your brothers.
A Marine Infantryman is not just a infantryman, he is a warrior of the highest order. A Marine Grunt has a CODE written in blood in places like Hue City, Khe Sahn, The "Frozen Chosin", Tarawa, Kuwait City, Baghdad, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Bellou Wood, We have raised colors on Mt. Sarabachi and we have been killed in our sleep in Beirut. We are respected by our friends and feared by our enemies. We are second to NONE in the art of war! We are Warriors, trained to do a job most of our countrymen do not understand and if they did understand it would drive them mad.
Are you ready to be a Beast of War?
Are you ready to go where others dare not?
Liberty is a thirsty lady and all she will drink is blood. Marines are Her favorite.
Yes this is to scare you. I want nobody in my Corps that is not fully prepared to fight, kill, and yes even die if called upon by our nation. We have already added our souls to the CODE. You must be ready and be sure this is what you want! We have too much at stake. We've got kids back home and it up to the Grunts to go take care of the bad guys for them. It's your turn.