MSG Update

[Beltayn]

Just thought I'd share a little update, seeing as I dropped off the radar for a while.
Nearing graduation from Marine Security Guard school at Quantico on the 19th with class 1-11. Made it passed the board and getting OC sprayed successfully, and will be graduating 6th or 7th in my class of 66. It's all downhill from here.
Got post assignments on Friday. As of now it looks like I'll be going to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

Congrats!

[thezero]

How is the school, I have been looking into MSG but trying to find a lot of good info is hard...that or I am just not looking in the right places haha

[Beltayn]

The school is challenging, and there's a pretty hefty attrition rate. My class will be graduating 66 watch-standers, down from a starting strength of just over 100. Don't let that scare you though, as there's nothing that should cause a well-rounded Marine too much issue. As long as you run a solid first class PFT and CFT, know your marksmanship fundamentals, and don't sleep through all the classes, you should be alright.
The only thing that's really out of your control is the final evaluation board, which in the case of my class dropped about 10% of the Marines who made it that far. I can give you more details about the board in a PM if you'd like, but it's basically just the department head and advisors deciding whether you will succeed on the program.

Apart from that, it's surprisingly not-gay, considering it's a training environment. Hours are long, but for the most part your time is yours and nobody really gets in your business if you are squared away. You're on comrats the whole time, which is basically their way of saying "we won't give you chow breaks most of the time", which works out fine. You're free to roam the base and go out in town, subject to only a very generous curfew.

As far as actual training, the first week you do a bunch of PT and in-processing stuff. After that you Pt on your own time only, or with your student-det. Lots of power-point classes for several weeks, but the instructors are good and keep your attention. You do prac apps in department of state's version of MCMAP, baton, handcuffing, and weapons handling. The instructor is a retired MGYSGT who is super-moto.
You stand duty in 3 hour shifts once or twice a week, as a way of familiarizing you with the security equipment and logbooks.
One week you spend at the range, doing your 9mil, shotgun, and M4 quals. Its table-two type drills, with very short time limits from short ranges. Hardest for most people was the pistol, because they wouldn't be able to draw it from holster and get it off safe and fire the shots in time.
More power-points, but on more interesting stuff like cyber security, how to escape from spies, recognizing IEDs, and other stuff.
Eval board takes place, and then everyone undergoes OC-spray.
Final weeks are airsoft paintball MOUT training, and field trips to DOS facilities and counterintelligence training.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

The school is challenging, and there's a pretty hefty attrition rate. My class will be graduating 66 watch-standers, down from a starting strength of just over 100. Don't let that scare you though, as there's nothing that should cause a well-rounded Marine too much issue. As long as you run a solid first class PFT and CFT, know your marksmanship fundamentals, and don't sleep through all the classes, you should be alright.
The only thing that's really out of your control is the final evaluation board, which in the case of my class dropped about 10% of the Marines who made it that far. I can give you more details about the board in a PM if you'd like, but it's basically just the department head and advisors deciding whether you will succeed on the program.

Apart from that, it's surprisingly not-gay, considering it's a training environment. Hours are long, but for the most part your time is yours and nobody really gets in your business if you are squared away. You're on comrats the whole time, which is basically their way of saying "we won't give you chow breaks most of the time", which works out fine. You're free to roam the base and go out in town, subject to only a very generous curfew.

As far as actual training, the first week you do a bunch of PT and in-processing stuff. After that you Pt on your own time only, or with your student-det. Lots of power-point classes for several weeks, but the instructors are good and keep your attention. You do prac apps in department of state's version of MCMAP, baton, handcuffing, and weapons handling. The instructor is a retired MGYSGT who is super-moto.
You stand duty in 3 hour shifts once or twice a week, as a way of familiarizing you with the security equipment and logbooks.
One week you spend at the range, doing your 9mil, shotgun, and M4 quals. Its table-two type drills, with very short time limits from short ranges. Hardest for most people was the pistol, because they wouldn't be able to draw it from holster and get it off safe and fire the shots in time.
More power-points, but on more interesting stuff like cyber security, how to escape from spies, recognizing IEDs, and other stuff.
Eval board takes place, and then everyone undergoes OC-spray.
Final weeks are airsoft paintball MOUT training, and field trips to DOS facilities and counterintelligence training.

If you have any other questions, let me know.

Just one question, do you miss slinging hash on a grill and making omletes?

[gunner1]

Congratulations! You are going to enjoy your time. I was a watch stander 73-75. Things have come a long way, back then it was a 38 and a stick. You should join or check out MEGA (Marine Embassy Guard Assn)http://www.embassymarine.org/ Good Luck on you tour.

[brian0351]

Man...Riyadh. It's good and bad. Bad...because well, there is NO nightlife. It's Saudi Arabia.

Good...because the Marine House IS the night life. So if you have a good Embassy community you'll get real close with them. Friend of mine met his wife there years ago.

[Beltayn]

Just one question, do you miss slinging hash on a grill and making omletes?

I think I'll live.

P.S. Spoke with one of the Marines on post currently. Apparently Riyadh has the biggest MWR fund in the world. ^^

[brian0351]

I think I'll live.

P.S. Spoke with one of the Marines on post currently. Apparently Riyadh has the biggest MWR fund in the world. ^^

Lol yeah...back when I was in, they used to hand out engraved Rolex's as departing gifts instead of the usual K-bar. Command had to put a stop to it, even though the bar had the money for it and the Ball.

[FormerMSG]

I was at the school on November 5th, the day you guys got sprayed. I was the civilian in the suit near MSG post 3, if you saw me.

You guys got sprayed around 1000 or so?

[brian0351]

HA! FormerMSG...you were in Brazzaville when the Embassy was evac'd? I was with the MEU that was initially sent to cover you guys. Then we went and evac's Sierra Leone.

I see one of your posts was in Dublin. When where you there? I had a friend up there around 1999-2000 that I've been trying to track down.

[FormerMSG]

Yeah, you guys left us! lol. Brazzaville went to hell in a handbasket, let me tell you.

I was in Dublin 1998-1999. What was the name of the Marine?

[brian0351]

Lol what did you expect from us. We sat off the coast of Congo for over a month! Ironically, I was part of the evac of Freetown. The Det Cmdr we pulled out of Freetown was my detcmdr in Zimbabwe!

Name was Brian Johnson. He came up from Dar es Salaam.

[FormerMSG]

I served with Brian in Dublin. He was on duty when the Embassy Got hit. LtCol Sabal, F Company CO came up to Dublin to award him the NavyCom. That night, he wore it out in town and we went clubbing. Brian and I had some great times in Dublin.

I always wondered what happened to him. I have tried facebook, but to no avail.

What posts were you at? Harare and where else?

[brian0351]

Actually it would be coincidentally...not ironically. Lol.