MotoDad
05-19-09, 04:32 PM
Hello Marines,
My 19-year old son just shipped-out for Boot Camp to MCRD SD (9) days ago......he went through MEPS and entered DEP about 5 months ago, he has a UZ Contract / MOS 0321 Reconnaissance Man.....
Although he was already a good swimmer and athlete, he trained his ass off for all (5) months, running 4-5 miles each day, swimming 1,000-1,500 yards wearing FULL CAMMIES every day, and knocking-out 100-150 pull-ups, crunchs, push-ups and weight-training every other day (day off in betwen to allow muscles to recuperate).....
When he shipped-out to Boot, he was running a 289 PFT (21 pull-ups, 107 crunches and 19:45, 3-mile run).....
He can swim 500 meters in full cammies in 13:15 minutes (BRC requires 17:00 minutes or less).....he can tread water for well over an hour in full cammies (BRC requires 30 minutes or more).....25 meters underwater swim in full cammies not a problem.....
Most importantly, he never.....ever.....QUITS!!!
Obviously, it's "not over until the fat lady sings"....and he has a long road ahead.....complete Boot Camp.....complete Infantry Training as an 0311.....make it thru RIP (Reconnaissance Indoctrination Platoon), then get picked-up for BRC and ultimately graduate from BRC......
However, I think he has an excellent chance at making it....
The point of my post:
Some of you guys dump on the Recon and Scout/Sniper "wannabe's" pretty heavy-duty in the "Poolee" forum and "Ask a Marine" forum......
Now guys, I understand that you get sick and tired of reading the endless, repetitive posts about Recon and Scout-Sniper....hell, I've read 'em all myself and I get tired of it, too!!! ;)
However, SOME of these kids (like my son), are the "real-deal" and have a legitimate shot at making it......
It's fine to spell-out for them all the sh-t they'll have to go through to make Recon.....they NEED the straight poop.....
But here's some sh-t they DON'T need to hear, because it's BAD SCOOP:
1) "Don't worry about Recon until you make it thru Boot Camp first!"
If a guy isn't training his ass off for Recon MONTHS before he ships out to Boot, he doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of making it out of RIP, let alone graduate from BRC......he needs to prepare WELL IN ADVANCE of ever getting on that plane for Boot Camp......
2) "Forget about it, Poolee.....hardly anyone ever makes it through Recon School"
This, of course, is incorrect....I have personally spoken with the SNCO at the Reconnaissance Course at Camp Pendleton.....he told me the average pass-rate is about 60% for the last (5) classes.....that means 6 out of 10 who start Recon School will graduate...the highest pass-rate in Special Operations units......higher than SEAL's, Army SF or AF Pararescue.....
In summary:
Thank you all for serving this great Nation of ours in the finest service in America, the US Marine Corps....
MotoDad
My 19-year old son just shipped-out for Boot Camp to MCRD SD (9) days ago......he went through MEPS and entered DEP about 5 months ago, he has a UZ Contract / MOS 0321 Reconnaissance Man.....
Although he was already a good swimmer and athlete, he trained his ass off for all (5) months, running 4-5 miles each day, swimming 1,000-1,500 yards wearing FULL CAMMIES every day, and knocking-out 100-150 pull-ups, crunchs, push-ups and weight-training every other day (day off in betwen to allow muscles to recuperate).....
When he shipped-out to Boot, he was running a 289 PFT (21 pull-ups, 107 crunches and 19:45, 3-mile run).....
He can swim 500 meters in full cammies in 13:15 minutes (BRC requires 17:00 minutes or less).....he can tread water for well over an hour in full cammies (BRC requires 30 minutes or more).....25 meters underwater swim in full cammies not a problem.....
Most importantly, he never.....ever.....QUITS!!!
Obviously, it's "not over until the fat lady sings"....and he has a long road ahead.....complete Boot Camp.....complete Infantry Training as an 0311.....make it thru RIP (Reconnaissance Indoctrination Platoon), then get picked-up for BRC and ultimately graduate from BRC......
However, I think he has an excellent chance at making it....
The point of my post:
Some of you guys dump on the Recon and Scout/Sniper "wannabe's" pretty heavy-duty in the "Poolee" forum and "Ask a Marine" forum......
Now guys, I understand that you get sick and tired of reading the endless, repetitive posts about Recon and Scout-Sniper....hell, I've read 'em all myself and I get tired of it, too!!! ;)
However, SOME of these kids (like my son), are the "real-deal" and have a legitimate shot at making it......
It's fine to spell-out for them all the sh-t they'll have to go through to make Recon.....they NEED the straight poop.....
But here's some sh-t they DON'T need to hear, because it's BAD SCOOP:
1) "Don't worry about Recon until you make it thru Boot Camp first!"
If a guy isn't training his ass off for Recon MONTHS before he ships out to Boot, he doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of making it out of RIP, let alone graduate from BRC......he needs to prepare WELL IN ADVANCE of ever getting on that plane for Boot Camp......
2) "Forget about it, Poolee.....hardly anyone ever makes it through Recon School"
This, of course, is incorrect....I have personally spoken with the SNCO at the Reconnaissance Course at Camp Pendleton.....he told me the average pass-rate is about 60% for the last (5) classes.....that means 6 out of 10 who start Recon School will graduate...the highest pass-rate in Special Operations units......higher than SEAL's, Army SF or AF Pararescue.....
In summary:
Thank you all for serving this great Nation of ours in the finest service in America, the US Marine Corps....
MotoDad