Life at DLI?

[Eidal]

Would any Marine who has been through DLI explain what their daily life was like while there? I'm confused what others meant by saying something like "...in phase 5a...". I've found some information about it from the perspective of different branches but also some anecdotes about how the Marines were treated somewhat differently.

Thanks in advance!

[1stRad2671]

In '98-'99

Once you start class:

Wake up
Go to chow
Go to morning platoon formation
Go to class from 0755 to 1530 with an hour for lunch midday. There was a half hour special assistance from 1300-1300, so if you didn't suck at the language you had some extra time.
Afternoon formation, M-W-F means you will likely be PTing so you put on PT gear before formation.
Tuesday and Thursday after class would be a formation maybe followed up by a Marine Corps class of some type. Otherwise you're on libbo.
Saturdays and Sundays are libbo.

Occasionally you will stand barracks duty. That goes from sometime around when class get out until the next morning at 6 or 7 am.

If you're not in class you get to spend your days beginning to learn your assigned language and doing working parties. When I was there this was called being "on casuals" or "casual status". I did that for 4 or 5 months.

There are also detachment sports teams and you play against the other services. Sometimes we would have two teams per sport. The other services would have several teams.


Then again things may have changed and they don't treat you like the Marines you are and have all sorts of restrictions on you. :thumbdown

[MGySgtSki]

Life has changed at DLI since I went through in 88. Back then, of course there was class pretty much like 1stRad mentioned, but for the most part you were on your own if you weren't in class or doing platoon PT or field day. I remember DLI as the place we were allowed to be adults and the rest of the services had all their silly restrictions. Then again, when we went to follow-on school at Goodfellow AFB in Texas, we lived in the hostess house and had maid service..... Those were the days haha.

[jackson07]

Currently.... (this all depends on your platoon, but the average day is as follows)

0700- formation
0755- at the school house til 1555 (more or less depending on special assistance) an hour for lunch in between
1600 or 1630- afternoon formation.

Then you usually have pt before morning formation or after afternoon formation. The rest of the time is yours, but you should be studying and doing homework. Then of course Thursday is field day.