Desire Guidance from a USMC Veteran

[Sgt Leprechaun]

A personal fav. of mine too! Thanks Wyoming! We....shall see.

[sparkie]

Lep,,,, You're good, Brother.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I have no earthly idea of whom you may be referring, sir.

[Wyoming]

Hahahaha, I grow weary and good ending. Hahahaha.

[DevinD]

Now that we are where we are supposed to be, I shall elaborate. You asked for a "Marine Veteran" opine, and that is what you shall get. Strap yourself in.



First off Thank you for viewing my thread.

You are welcome! Thanks for having good grammar, sentence structure, and a small command of the English language. Refreshing. And, rest assured, had you not, this would be going a different direction.

I made the commitment to become a Marine on 2/7/2011, a little over a month ago.

By seeing, in person, a recruiter? Or just 'deciding'? From your posts, I'd say the latter. That is fine, but you need to 'do', rather than 'think'. Go and DO.

Since then, I've made leaps and bounds in an effort to achieve this goal, I've gotten into the best physical shape I've ever been in, and I've gotten into the position of being able to go back to school, obtain 15 credits so I can enlist (I only have a GED). I've done more with my life in the past month than I have in the past 3 years.

In a month? (Physical shape). Either you weren't that bad to begin with or you are fooling yourself. How fast can you run a mile and a half? How many pushups, crunches, and dead hang pullups can you do?

GED...which tells me you dropped from HS. That...isn't good. 15 credits is the 'minimum' required to enlist, just so you know. You will NOT (read that again) be a priority enlistment. Know this going in.

but I want more though. I want to be a Marine before I become a Marine. I want to push my mind to its limits, and surpass them. I want to break every limitation, physical and mental, that I've ever placed on myself in the 20 years that I've existed.

This is like saying you want to be a unicorn. You've seen the pictures, read the books, and now, presto, because they are coooool, you are a unicorn! Just wishing it doesn't make it so. Don't make the mistake of 'thinking' you are a Marine because in your heart of hearts you really, really, really, want it. Our title can only be earned. It's never given, sold, traded, or 'larnt' in books.

Oh, and don't break your mind or your body prior to Recruit training. Let that be the Drill Instructors job.

I want to do that before I reach Parris Island.

See the last paragraph above. Your mission from here is to get qualified to enlist. Worry about all the existential stuff later.

When I realized I wanted to be a Marine, it was overwhelming. A new life flashed in front of my eyes. I was already there. I was already in basic and I was already overseas. Even though I wasn't, in reality. I've never been as passionate about anything in my life as I am about being a United States Marine.


Hopefully this didn't occur while a student of modern chemistry. Take a deeeeeep breath and focus. See my sentence, above.

I want to be a Marine for these reasons.

1. Challenge.

I strive for a challenge. I live for it. I love aiming for what seems to be unattainable, because when I obtain it, the feeling is amazing. I want to prove to myself what I already know, that nothing is impossible, and any preconceived notions of failure is only my mind getting the best of me. I want to obtain complete control over my mind. Dominate it. I will control my mind, it will NOT control me. This is the ultimate challenge to me, and I can't wait to conquer it.


Interesting. This sounds a bit like EST or some other new agey type thing. Hey, whatever floats your dinghy, that's cool. However, (and again), at the moment, concentrate on 15 credits. Seriously. Because without them, you can be a zen master of all things "MOTO", yet you'll still be a 'wannabeee'.



2. Honor, Pride

I want to be a Marine because I want the pride associated with that word. I respect all branches of military, but I want the honor of being a United States Marine. I want the black dress uniform, with all the decorations. I want to make my Mother proud of me. I want to set an example for my 6 yr old brother and my 3 yr old sister. I want to serve this beautiful country. I want to appreciate all the freedoms it gives me 100x more than I do now. I want to serve with Honor, and I want to make it my personal responsibility to have an active role in protecting Our freedoms.

The uniform is actually a dark blue. You don't get those decorations just by showing up, like the army. Ya gotta earn 'em, mostly the hard way. Regardless, honorable sentiments.



3. Heroism

I want to save lives. I want to liberate the innocent from the grips of Tyranny. I want the tyrants to fall. I want their citizens to live a free life, a life similar to the lives we live in America. I want to be a true Patriot. I want this more than I've wanted anything in my life. I want my MOS to either be Explosives Ordinance Disposal or Special Forces. Depending on the experience I get before I enlist in February 2012. I'm considering explosives ordinance disposal because I want to dismantle explosives. I want to be in a position to Protect my squad. My men are not my men. My men, are extensions of Me. I cannot emphasize this enough.


Truth be told, it sounds to me like you've read 'Starship Troopers' LOL. Oh, and if you want to be 'Special Forces', that's the army. They wear green beenies and shout 'Hoohah' all the time. Ain't us. EOD isn't an enlistment MOS, so pick something else.



4. Conditioning

I want to get into the best shape of my life. It's simple. Its Darwinism. Survival of the fittest, and I want to be as fit as I can possibly be. I want to learn how to survive off of the wilderness. I want to endure harsh conditions with a smile. I want to become superhuman.

The only people I ever saw 'enduring harsh conditions with a smile' were the dead, and the mentally ill. Neither of which is a good thing for you. If you want to learn to 'survive off the wilderness', you can take a course for that. Superhuman? Try just being you, and being the best 'you' you can be. And maybe lay off the video games some. Methinks they are skewing your perspective.


Last but not least I want the benefits post-service. I want to be able to go to school for free after I leave. Sure, the money will be good, but that is NOT why I want to be a Marine.

Really? Funny, I thought this was about being 'superhuman/hero/survive in the wilderness etc etc'. NOW you want free school out of the deal? LOL. Heck, people in hell want ice water kid. Money will be good? As compared to what, I wonder? Then again, if you have no job at present, I suppose a private's pay is better than nothing.



I'm looking for anything I can do to put myself ahead of the rest of the recruits by the time I reach Parris Island in February. I want to learn survival skills before I get there, how to read Maps of Topography, Shooting angles, any way I can get my hands on USMC equipment for Weight Training, any way I can get a step ahead on Leadership, and Hand-to-Hand combat. That's why Im looking for a vet to lead me to my goals. I will get there regardless, but I feel like I will achieve more with voices of wisdom to guide me.

Uhhh....in the immortal words of someone famous "Settle down, Beavis". How's about you get to 'poolee' status FIRST, then lets concentrate on other things. And nobody 'learns' survival skills out the gate. Gotta crawl before you walk. Same goes with the rest of it. Once you become an expert at the mundane, day to day 'being' a Marine, THEN the cool stuff comes around. ANYone can take a survival course. ANYone can take a map reading course, or buy a DVD on weight training. But, as I said before, just because you put a baby in the oven, that don't mean it's a biscut.




Semper Fi. My thanks in advance to anyone willing to help me reach my goals.

As stated, at least on this forum, please don't use that particular term. No doubt you had no intention to violate the rules so I'm letting it pass.

Valor.

Pick another screen name and PM me. 'Valor', unless it's an old family name or some such, ain't gonna cut it. Most people with those sorts of decorations will tell you they were simply doing their job. And the only heroes, real ones anyway, I happen to know, are dead.

You have much to learn, young Padawan.

I know. I have a lot to learn but I'm eager to. You're right about a lot of things, but it only changes my opinion a little. I do need to focus on those 15 credits, but that will be simple. I hadn't even stepped foot in a classroom in 3 yrs since I dropped out, got my GED in no time at all. Went to community college, took my placement tests, passed them with no problem. Qualified to take an Accuplacer test (Testing out of a course pretty much) that if I passed, I would've gotten 3 credits off the bat. I failed it by one point, and learned a valuable lesson. No matter how talented you think you may be, preparation is half the battle.

My physical fitness is heading in the right direction. I ran a mile about a month or so ago in about 6:30, so I'd guess and say that I could pull off a mile and a half in about 9:30-10 flat. My cardio is I need to improve the most. I've quit smoking menthol cigarettes. I smoke marlboro light's now. Cigarettes are pretty hard to quit. Pull ups are a breeze. I only weigh about 130-135 but its mostly muscle. I do a lot of reps when I work out in an effort to increase my Strength, not necessarily my Mass. Strength-wise, I need to work on my Triceps and my Deltoids, and get my quads in better shape because I feel like I'm going to need those more than I think.

The video game comment... truthfully I dont play many VG's anymore. When I was younger I played them all the time. Some of them hit me pretty personally. This one I remember, Metal Gear Solid it's called, its an infiltration game with a great story. I remember always wanting to be the Protagonist deep down. Solid Snake. ha ha There's a lot of things that I've gone through growing up that have gotten me to this point. It was just realizing that the fight was there.

I'm tired of pushing paper all day.

I'm ready to push myself instead.

I've actually hit some luck since I originally posted this thread. Met someone who used to train Green Berets. Planning on getting into SERE training (Yeah, careful what you wish for). That, on top of basic weapon skills. Correctly drawing a pistol, weapon disarmament, shooting angles, stack formations. "Cutting the Pie" when rounding corners. Fun stuff.
I plan on learning all I can until February. Everything I can. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable.

I do have a lot to learn, and trust me, I am going to learn a lot. I've realized that I have a tough time with the feeling of Mercy. I grant mercy to others that may not deserve it, and it's been messing with my mind. It's almost like my nature. For ex: The person training me ended up putting someone in a choke hold at this party we were at, because the guy accidently hit this female because he was being stupid trying to fight-intoxicated. One of this idiots friends tried to get behind my mentor and hit him in the back of the head. I threw him off the front porch, then acted casual when he turned around ( there was a lot of people at this party) he looked at me, I just looked at him. He didn't know what was going on. That's the thing though... Why didn't I just attack him? Show no mercy, completely incapacitate him... I do not know the answer to that.. and I want to know it

I could talk forever, but I have specific questions regarding SERE training, and Hand-to-Hand combat.

I know the SERE training is something that Wannabee's cant really learn about, so I want someone to tell me without really... telling me. Not necessarilly what SERE training IS, but how to Conquer it.


I will PM my new user name ASAP. Hopefully Solid Snake isn't taken.

[DevinD]

Geez kid, I don't think you can hack it. Your Brain Housing Group isn't quite up to par with the Marine Corps ethos. you really need to go out on your own for awhile, experience life as it really is, without mommy holding your hand. If not Parris Island will eat you up and spit you out into the swamps.

If you do make it to PI, never quit, never show weakness, never lose your spirit. Your Drill Instructors will weed you out if you're not quality material. I hope you can understand what 'we're' talking about.

The first paragraph. I do not live with my mother, nor my father. I've been on my own since I was 16. Mommy let go of my hand a long long time ago.

The second paragraph. Is exactly what I need to hear. It's the truth and I hear those words more than I hear anything.

[Wyoming]

I've actually hit some luck since I originally posted this thread. Met someone who used to train Green Berets. Planning on getting into SERE training (Yeah, careful what you wish for). That, on top of basic weapon skills. Correctly drawing a pistol, weapon disarmament, shooting angles, stack formations. "Cutting the Pie" when rounding corners. Fun stuff.
I plan on learning all I can until February. Everything I can. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable.

Yeah, you'll need all that secret squirrel stuff in basic training.

I do have a lot to learn, and trust me, I am going to learn a lot. I've realized that I have a tough time with the feeling of Mercy. I grant mercy to others that may not deserve it, and it's been messing with my mind. It's almost like my nature. For ex: The person training me ended up putting someone in a choke hold at this party we were at, because the guy accidently hit this female because he was being stupid trying to fight-intoxicated. One of this idiots friends tried to get behind my mentor and hit him in the back of the head. I threw him off the front porch, then acted casual when he turned around ( there was a lot of people at this party) he looked at me, I just looked at him. He didn't know what was going on. That's the thing though... Why didn't I just attack him? Show no mercy, completely incapacitate him... I do not know the answer to that.. and I want to know it.

/

I've actually hit some luck since I originally posted this thread. Met someone who used to train Green Berets.

No kidding? Where did he do the training?





You should find yourself quite useful to the Maureen Corpse Drill Sargeants when you go to basic.

Oh yeah, and stick with those Marlboros. Having a smoke after a good workout out will do you wonders.

[doc h fmf]

Ohoh I'm In Trouble I Broke Rules 1 And 6 .

Ready To Begin Sir

Semper Fi
Stepohen Doc Hansen Hm3 Fmf

[doc h fmf]

Boy Thats Bad I Missed Spelled My Name

Stephen Doc Hansen Fmf

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Frakin computer tossed me out before I had completed my missive. Starting again...

****
1: The squirrel who is going to 'teach' you this skillset...is, quite simply, full of bovine excrement. If you have been suckered in to his poser-ness, then you are a fool. The only people who can 'teach' you this stuff are trained, certified, instructors, in a controlled environment. PERIOD. Taking you into the woods and making you do dumb stuff is NOT 'training' but a way for this guy to get off, and you to part with your cash.

2: What makes you think you would 'win' ANY fight? In so 'winning', by the way, (meaning you are the last one standing), that means you get to go to jail for assault. That will for sure KILL any hopes of becoming a Marine. Or anything else, for that matter. Don't do stupid sheet.

3: GO SEE A RECRUITER, ASAP. All this squirrel talk is just that...talk. Until I see a ship date, you are simply blowing smoke.

[Brianhipwell]

I'd be leery of 'paying' someone to take me into the woods for anything! Now, standing in front of an Elementary School with a bag of candy and a whistle.....well, that's another thing
HIP

[USNAviator]

One question yet I have so many.... This Green Beret you met, did he refer to himself as a Green Beret? Just asking

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I'll bet he's a 'Green Berrette'.

[Brianhipwell]

Naw. He was a Green Parfait.....
HIP

[DevinD]

Yeah, you'll need all that secret squirrel stuff in basic training.



/



No kidding? Where did he do the training?





You should find yourself quite useful to the Maureen Corpse Drill Sargeants when you go to basic.

Oh yeah, and stick with those Marlboros. Having a smoke after a good workout out will do you wonders.

He did the training in Troy, NC.

I live in Charlotte.

He stopped doing it because he says the standards got too simple. That they let a lot of people pass that didn't deserve it.