A question for all Marines, future and past

[kylej]

Good evening Marines,

To all Marines:
What are a few things you wished you knew going into recruit training?

Whether it be self-control or how to tie your boot laces correctly, anything and everything

To Drill Instructors:
What is something you wish all recruits knew or know how to do pre-recruit training?

*I screwed up the heading, I mean to put present, not future. My apologies*
Kyle B.

[Lisa 23]

Is Too Much Knowledge A Dangerous Thing?
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...it+training%3F


Advice for Boot Camp mental challenges?
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...=106448&page=2


Last minute boot camp advice?
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...ruit+trraining

[kylej]

SoftballCatch23,

Those are all very useful threads and I thank you for them, but I meant on sole opinion, as in learning the lingo of things was hard for you, this is more of an opinion question. I like to know things that many people don't post on, such as how do you even get to recruit training, obviously it is on a bus, but what happens pre-bus/post-flight, or how breaking in the boots came, just more of a personal answer. Feel free to let me know if I'm just being ridiculous. Again thank you for the other links.

What was something you wished you had known SoftballCatch23?

Kyle B.

[Lisa 23]

What was something you wished you had known SoftballCatch23?

Nothing.....
When I went to boot camp in 1988, my oldest brother was in the Marines at the time also. He was a Drill Instructor at MCRDSD in the early 80's. I NEVER asked him for any advice, I wanted to learn what boot camp and what it takes to be a Marine on my own.
I didn't have the desire like todays generation does of wanting to know every detail on what to expect. I wanted the eliment of suprise going to boot camp to be my own experience.....from the time I left home to the time I finally got to Parris Island and stood on those famous yellow footprints where many have stood before me.
Boot camp was very challanging both mentally and physically....and I loved it. I would've went through it again if they wanted me too.

[slowpoke96z28]

get lots of sleep before you go? idk. nothing really to it but to do it.

[Zulu 36]

All those little things mean nothing. Even if you already know exactly how to tie your boots Marine-style, you will still go through the drill with everyone else, a million times.

Self-control you should already have, learned during your childhood. If you don't have it, you will learn it - painfully.

I knew almost nothing going into boot camp. I still aced all of my academic and practical exams. So can anyone with reasonable intelligence and reading comprehension.

[afraziaaaa]

Good evening Marines,

To all Marines:
What are a few things you wished you knew going into recruit training?

Whether it be self-control or how to tie your boot laces correctly, anything and everything

To Drill Instructors:
What is something you wish all recruits knew or know how to do pre-recruit training?

*I screwed up the heading, I mean to put present, not future. My apologies*
Kyle B.

Nothing. I just PT'd a lot and did what I was told as fast as I could. There is nothing to know. Shut up and DO.

Drill instructors pretend to hate you anyway (some don't pretend). They already know that you know nothing, no matter how mcuh you TRY to know things before you go. If you knew, they would have no job.

[DudefromDiego]

Nothing. I'll admit, as part of "this generation" there were things I looked into to give myself a false sense of having an advantage, but quite frankly, when you got the brims of those Campaign Covers digging into your temple, you could be an encyclopedia of knowledge and still know nothing. It's best to just go by the numbers, and anything you may already know will just be a leg up.

[wildwoman73]

I wished I grasped the concept of "No matter what you do, how good you do it, how much initiative you take to impress...it's going to be WRONG". In boot camp...you don't particularly do anything right until you win competitions as a platoon team. And that doesn't happen until each individual is broken down into a conformable state to be a 110% team player. Something like that. That's what I learned.

[Tennessee Top]

Wish I knew to double-check the lock on my footlocker before falling out on the street...learned that lesson THE HARD WAY (needless to say, never made that mistake again)!!!

One thing you don't hear a lot about is gear security...it's important. Most of your gear will be marked with your name on it but some of it won't be and it can disappear very quickly and easily (yes, there are thieves at bootcamp). It is no fun when your DI tells the platoon to break out your toothbrushes for dental hygiene and you can't find yours (you will become the center of his attention very quickly when everyone but you has a toothbrush in their hand). NOT a good feeling. So, keep an eye on your gear, and never leave it adrift (unsecured).

[YLDNDN6]

Something to keep in mind...even if you learn tons of stuff before you go to boot camp, I pity you if you try to impress anyone with what you already know. Your D.I.'s would be all over you about that sort of thing. Now, if you learn a bunch of stuff, and find a way to share that knowledge with your fellow recruits, or use what you know to help your platoon function better as a unit, that's a different story. You want to get noticed, but not for the wrong stuff. Showing up there and spouting off a bunch of knowledge would only serve to get you into hot water. Sounds backward, but everything they want you to know, they will teach you themselves. It's what they do, and have done for over two centuries. Carry on!