CM Engineer

[Edmiston4]

Hello Everyone,

My Name is Jessica Edmiston (aka Poolee Edmiston). I recently enlisted with the Marines @ RSS Beaver. My recruiters are great guys and very helpful.. but there are some questions they can't answer or just haven't elaborated enough on. Having a variety of opinions and answers is also helpful to get a better idea without bias.

My ship date is 20101213 and i want to be as prepared as i possible can before then.

My contract is for the CM Engineer. I have always been extremely motivated in excelling and perfection. I want to be the best (why else would i join the best?!) and would like some advice from everyone on what i need to do to ensure i am the best.

I have been working towards meeting the male IST standards. Aside from the IST training i have been doing, what other things will help me out?

Thank you,
Poolee Edmiston

[ScarSniper]

Hello Everyone,

My Name is Jessica Edmiston (aka Poolee Edmiston). I recently enlisted with the Marines @ RSS Beaver. My recruiters are great guys and very helpful.. but there are some questions they can't answer or just haven't elaborated enough on. Having a variety of opinions and answers is also helpful to get a better idea without bias.

My ship date is 20101213 and i want to be as prepared as i possible can before then.

My contract is for the CM Engineer. I have always been extremely motivated in excelling and perfection. I want to be the best (why else would i join the best?!) and would like some advice from everyone on what i need to do to ensure i am the best.

I have been working towards meeting the male IST standards. Aside from the IST training i have been doing, what other things will help me out?

Thank you,
Poolee Edmiston

Welcome and congratulations. You've got my original ship-date, too! Well I'm sure you already know that Marine Corps Knowledge is an invaluable thing to know before you get to bootcamp. So obviously Rank Structure (and the emblems that symbolize them) and your General Orders are imperative. Also good to know your Rifle Creed but I dunno if it's mandatory (this Pfc that just came back told me she barely even said it at boot) Learn the J.J. DID TIE BUCKLE leadership traits. Basically everything that has to do with the Marine Corps that is considered Knowledge should be acknowledged before you ship out. If you want your IST to be a perfect 300 (what is it now?) then working to the men's standards is good practice. Run an incredible amount, 8 to ten miles if you can, and practice doing pullups and the flexed arm hang with weighted gear (backpack with water bottles, text books, ect. Or plain old weights) I can't stress enough how important it is to run. I've been told continiously that we will run for EVERYTHING in bootcamp, so really, running is as fundamental as breathing. If you're fast, get faster. I don't really know what else to say that can help you outside of learning your knowledge thoroughly and PTing vigorously. I think no matter how well we're prepared for bootcamp, we'll still be shellshocked. I guess the best way to be close to ready is to know that you're never ready. You've still got about 2 months to prepare though, so use them wisely and I'm sure the other poolees of the site will offer better advice as well. :beer:

[younger223]

Congradulations on taking the first steps. You and I share the same ship date.

[ScarSniper]

Hello Everyone,

My Name is Jessica Edmiston (aka Poolee Edmiston). I recently enlisted with the Marines @ RSS Beaver. My recruiters are great guys and very helpful.. but there are some questions they can't answer or just haven't elaborated enough on. Having a variety of opinions and answers is also helpful to get a better idea without bias.

My ship date is 20101213 and i want to be as prepared as i possible can before then.

My contract is for the CM Engineer. I have always been extremely motivated in excelling and perfection. I want to be the best (why else would i join the best?!) and would like some advice from everyone on what i need to do to ensure i am the best.

I have been working towards meeting the male IST standards. Aside from the IST training i have been doing, what other things will help me out?

Thank you,
Poolee Edmiston

Oh. Also, Make sure you do lots of Planks. (Watch T.V. Change Channel, ect.) because it'll probably help you a lot once you get to bootcamp. Do lots of planks and core work outs. Try to do the electric chair for at least 3 minutes and if you can watch T.V. for over two minutes, that would be outstanding. I just came back from a quick workout at the gym (first time hitting the gym for a WHILE) and I did more planks than anything else.

[Rough Hands]

Hey there, Edmiston. I'm a female poolee with a CM contract, as well. Gunning for 1371, Combat Engineer.

Now, I might not have the best IST, but I work hard every day to improve. I could've done a lot more to prepare myself for boot camp, but time goes by fast. Make sure you're doing something every single day; whether it's working on your run, improving your crunches, or getting in a few good hangs or pull-ups. Push yourself. I can't stress that enough.

I have a blog that I'll be running while I'm in boot camp (sending letters home for someone to post them) if you want some insight from a female recruit, or I'd be more than happy to write to you if you'd give me your address.

I'm sure as Engineers we'll run into each other at some point. ;)

[Edmiston4]

Gunning for 1371, Combat Engineer....
I'd be more than happy to write to you if you'd give me your address.


Conmbat engineer is what i am aiming at as well. Thanks i would love to get some info straight from someone at boot :)

Thank you everyone for your responses.


If you want your IST to be a perfect 300 (what is it now?) then working to the men's standards is good practice.
My last IST was
64sec Flexed arm hang
56 crunches
1.5mi run 13:45/ 3mi run 27:00

I have been trying to do pull-ups but can only get one.. so i looked into the Armstrong Pull-Up Program and i am going to try that to help improve my pull-ups.

The hardest part about running is pushing myself... i know i can do it.. but running alone i have no motivation which makes it twice as hard.

[ScarSniper]

Conmbat engineer is what i am aiming at as well. Thanks i would love to get some info straight from someone at boot :)

Thank you everyone for your responses.


My last IST was
64sec Flexed arm hang
56 crunches
1.5mi run 13:45/ 3mi run 27:00

I have been trying to do pull-ups but can only get one.. so i looked into the Armstrong Pull-Up Program and i am going to try that to help improve my pull-ups.

The hardest part about running is pushing myself... i know i can do it.. but running alone i have no motivation which makes it twice as hard.

I did a lot of Lat-pull downs when I started doing pull-ups. After that really, just keep doing pull-ups. Do them until failure, wait a while and do some more, you'll see improvement. The only thing that improves pull-ups..are pull-ups. As for the run, I dunno. I love to run so that's all the motivation I need and I find running by myself late at night in the rain pretty relaxing (once my body heats up) and moto. If you don't..well, try to organize some poolees to help you, preferably a PT stud or GOD who knows exactly what to say and do to motivate you and will not let you quit even when your mind has already given up (it's your mental, not your legs.) Other then that, use music. Run at a pace just above comfort, but don't pay attention to the fact that you're running, just put on your favorite adrenaline track and keep repeating the verses in your mind. That might work.

[Rough Hands]

Combat engineer is what i am aiming at as well. Thanks i would love to get some info straight from someone at boot :)

Thank you everyone for your responses.


My last IST was
64sec Flexed arm hang
56 crunches
1.5mi run 13:45/ 3mi run 27:00

I have been trying to do pull-ups but can only get one.. so i looked into the Armstrong Pull-Up Program and i am going to try that to help improve my pull-ups.

The hardest part about running is pushing myself... i know i can do it.. but running alone i have no motivation which makes it twice as hard.

I have the same problem when it comes to running by myself, so I started going to the gym, and I started running with my recruiter (runs his 3-mile in 17:00). He helped me get my run time down pretty significantly in the month and a half that I've been running with him. We don't run all that often, and it's never balls to the wall, but it works. He usually makes me do an easy, slow jog between 3-4 miles one day, then do about 2 miles of sprints the next.

What I'm getting at is... if you need help and want to improve, sometimes it's just as easy as asking your recruiter. Part of their job is to prepare you for boot camp to ensure you succeed.

As far as pull-ups are concerned, once you can do one, the only way to improve them is to do them often, as Scar stated.

[Edmiston4]

Thank you guys... you have been a lot of help. I will definately talk to one of my recruiters and see about running with them...

as far as the pull-ups go... all i can do is keep working at it... and your advice is great =) thanks