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  1. #1
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    USMC boot camp.

    Hi i am a Bryan and i have a couple of questions concerning boot camp. Well i was in wrestling and i did muay thai two years ago, but since then i got lazy and got out of shape unfortunately. Right now i weight 180 pounds and i feel that i am overweight. I started doing jogging and walking once a week, changed my diet, and right now i might start lifting weight's since i can't bench my body weight. I know the USMC boot camp is the hardest out of all the military branches, but i really am motivated to be part of that brotherhood. My wrestling coach was a marine and he told me most of it is mental and i should prepare myself more and start getting back into shape. Would boot camp be hard for me in the shape i am now? I want to work for it, but i want to know what i am expecting. BTW i want to be a Rifleman, can i do that if i wear glasses? I am also a Senior in high school and i am 18.

    Last edited by Bryan244; 01-22-12 at 12:37 AM. Reason: Extra information

  2. #2
    Good to hear that you want to become a Marine. The best advice that I can give you is to be in the best shape you can get yourself into prior to going to boot camp. Make yourself accustomed to the "One more" philosophy of physical training. Whenever you hit the wall with weights or running, or sit-ups (you get the idea), make yourself do one more. Then one more. Then one more, until you truly cannot do another one. Do your best is great advice for someone going into any other branch; put out 'til you drop is the best advice for preparing for the physical aspect of Marine boot camp. Although the physical training may not seem difficult to some people, most people find it to be exhausting. Don't pump your muscles way up because you won't work as hard at boot camp as you would pumping iron everyday at the local gym. You would lose mass (a subject that is often argued in here). Where the physical aspect leaves off, the mental aspect begins. Being a warrior is not all about how much weight you can lift or how far you can run. It is also about knowledge, discipline and commitment. You will be taught hundreds of things in 13 weeks. Way more than you learn in 13 weeks of high school. Be a sponge and absorb everything...you will need to know all of it before you can leave MCRD. You will train with the current version of the M-16. Learn this weapon well. As for whether you can be a rifleman with glasses, I do not have that answer, but I can say that I have seen recent video of machine gunners, riflemen, and various other door-kicking MOS holders who were bespectacled. Someone else may be able to give you a more definite answer. Commit yourself now to what you want down the road, and make it your goal to be a certain weight, run a certain time for 3 miles, do X number of crunches and pull-ups before you ship. Work now for what you want tomorrow. Good luck and God speed.

    Oh, I nearly forgot some of the most important things. Absolutely, under no uncertain terms are you to drop out of school, get into trouble with the law, get a tattoo, or use drugs. These are the big categories for waiver requests these days. If you want to be a Marine, start earning it today with your actions. How you conduct yourself now will have a huge effect on whether or not you can get into the Corps. Certain things are considered "waiverable," however, waivers are discretionary, and are in no way guaranteed. Do your best to be deserving of the chance to go to boot camp. It's not a lot to ask when you look at what the Corps has to offer.


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    Thank you so much for you quick reply. I always wanted to be a Marine and sometimes i thought why not just settle with the army? but I want to push myself more and learn new skills and try to be on my own for a time. I noticed that i made mistakes in my grammar on my last post and i apologize sometimes i type fast. I got a whole year to work out so i guess that's enough time to get back into shape. I don't want to look weak in basic so i will workout more. Are there any sports you can participate in the Marines or Martial Arts? My recruiter told me something about something close to mma in the marines? I also want to add that what is brotherhood to you? In the marines i imagine its like brothers and sisters.


  4. #4
    You are welcome for the quick reply. I hope you found it helpful. As for sports that you can get involved in, just about every base has extensive recreational activities that you can participate in. When I was in I played baseball and softball, golf, bowling, tennis, swimming, etc... Most bases are equipped with sufficient facilities to keep you busy and in shape. There are weight rooms and gyms and racquetball courts. Pretty much, you name it, you'll find it on base. And there always other people interested in doing these things.
    Brotherhood to me means being a part of something that you know you can always rely upon. You will develop strong bonds with a lot of the Marines in your own units, and will feel as though you would be willing to do anything for them. This also extends to anyone in our Marine uniform or our Marine veterans and Corpsmen (Devil Docs). Brotherhood means always knowing that someone has your back and that you have theirs, and there will always be somewhere to turn when you need someone or something. With Marines this idea lives in perpetuity. Decades after getting out, Marines still acknowledge other Marines and often still take the time to shoot the breeze with a complete stranger about the good old days, because that stranger is/was part of the brotherhood.
    I hope this has sufficiently answered your questions. One other thing....Your grammar and such is fine. What all of us here take exception to on here is failing to capitalize the word "Marine." You can make a mess of everything else, but please remember to capitalize "Marine." Thanks!


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    I was thinking about participating in martial arts while im in the Marines. I can't swim do you think it would affect me in boot camp? I hope i can get that bond, it sounds like it is very something you will always have. It sounds like a close friend or a sibling.
    I shall always keep it in my mind, Thank you for answering my questions in a kind and respectful way.


  6. #6
    While it's nice to have ambitions of what you'd like to do in the Marine Corps, how about taking it one step at a time. You have to pass swim qualifications in Marine Corps boot camp in order to graduate.


    12 weeks Overview
    http://www.marines.com/main/index/ma...arine-bootcamp


    MCRDPI - Recruit Training Schedule
    http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/training/schedule.asp


  7. #7
    If you would have been in my platoon your option was swim or drown, glad I knew how to swim,Semper Fidelis.


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by SoftballCatch23 View Post
    While it's nice to have ambitions of what you'd like to do in the Marine Corps, how about taking it one step at a time. You have to pass swim qualifications in Marine Corps boot camp in order to graduate.
    I doubt we dropped even half a dozen recruits from our 450-man company for not knowing how to swim, and we had a lot of "iron ducks." Most of the drops that week came from having pneumonia and not being able to enter the pool.

    To the OP:

    If you can't swim, they will teach you. It's taught in the exact same way as all the rest of the knowledge in boot camp is taught, (Loud, in your face, and intense) and it's completely avoidable if you take the time to learn how to swim before you go. I suggest going to the local YMCA or gym and taking some classes. Sure, it'll cost money. But it's a very valuable skill, and it's a lot less stressful to go into Swim Week saying, "Hey, I know all this, no big deal" instead of saying, "Oh crap, I've never done this before."

    It's up to you, though. Some people need the DI to motivate them; if you have a legit fear of water, then you might need someone to scream at you to do it.


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    Thank you all for your quick reply's. I think i will learn how to swim like you said thank you for the advice. I heard it is also a great exercise it might help me in getting in shape. Is there a way to prepare you for the stress when the DI yell at you? I'm guessing its all mental in that part. Can i ask a noob question? What is the difference between Force Recon and Recon? I read some articles and books, and i think Recon is limited direct action and Force Recon is Direct action. I also read that Recon usually joins other squads and FR go by themselves? Can you guys correct me if I'm wrong please.


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan244 View Post
    Is there a way to prepare you for the stress when the DI yell at you?
    Not really. There are ways to mitigate it, but you're going to get screamed at regardless of how good you are.

    The thing to remember is that none of it is personal unless you make it personal. In the civilian world, when a guy screams at you, chances are that he hates you and wants you to die in a fire. DIs, on the other hand, scream at everything. So say, for example, you **** up at drill, drop your rifle, etc. The DI gets in your face, screams that you should have been a blowjob, and takes you out to the pit to get smoked. He's not actually angry at you; he's just doing his job and correcting a deficiency. Tomorrow he'll be doing it to someone else.

    The thing that gets people is that they go through the above and think, "Oh God, I screwed up. Now they hate me. He's out to get me, I'm gonna hate my life." And they start getting stressed. THAT is when the DIs make life hell for those guys.

    Anyway, the DIs know who's trying and who isn't, and they act accordingly. Sure, everyone gets smoked every now and then, but they generally reserve the real mind games for the latter guys. And if you're considering Recon, you're probably not one of those.

    I'll leave the Recon question to someone who's more informed. If you want, I can ask a couple SF guys I know, but we'll see if someone else on here knows before I go bother them.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Omegaham View Post
    Not really. There are ways to mitigate it, but you're going to get screamed at regardless of how good you are.

    The thing to remember is that none of it is personal unless you make it personal. In the civilian world, when a guy screams at you, chances are that he hates you and wants you to die in a fire. DIs, on the other hand, scream at everything. So say, for example, you **** up at drill, drop your rifle, etc. The DI gets in your face, screams that you should have been a blowjob, and takes you out to the pit to get smoked. He's not actually angry at you; he's just doing his job and correcting a deficiency. Tomorrow he'll be doing it to someone else.

    The thing that gets people is that they go through the above and think, "Oh God, I screwed up. Now they hate me. He's out to get me, I'm gonna hate my life." And they start getting stressed. THAT is when the DIs make life hell for those guys.

    Anyway, the DIs know who's trying and who isn't, and they act accordingly. Sure, everyone gets smoked every now and then, but they generally reserve the real mind games for the latter guys. And if you're considering Recon, you're probably not one of those.

    I'll leave the Recon question to someone who's more informed. If you want, I can ask a couple SF guys I know, but we'll see if someone else on here knows before I go bother them.
    Thanks i will Do everything they tell me right. Someone said there is never trying in the Marine Corps there is only Do or Don't. Thank you very much for the advice "And if you're considering Recon, you're probably not one of those" What do you mean? Not a person that falls under stressful situations? Sorry i misread sentences sometimes. Thank you i will wait too and If somebody doesn't answer then please do ask and thank you again.


  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan244 View Post
    Thanks i will Do everything they tell me right. Someone said there is never trying in the Marine Corps there is only Do or Don't.
    Actually, this is completely false. In pretty much everything in the Marine Corps except for actual combat, effort is 90% of what superiors look at. If you're not proficient but trying your hardest, they won't mess with you (as much). You can fix incompetence with training; you can't fix indifference. Someone who doesn't care is irredeemable, while someone who isn't very smart or isn't very strong but tries really hard can be helped and mentored.

    There are times in boot camp where you WILL fail. In fact, failure is part of the curriculum. The DIs want to see everyone at their worst, because that's when character shines. It's easy to be motivated and happy when things are all going your way; it's a test of character to **** up a bunch of times and go right back to doing your job.

    I have a guy in my shop. He's not a bad Marine; he's pretty smart, he's in excellent shape, and he's good at his job. But he's not really held in high esteem because he gets butthurt when he fails. He walked into work one day without a shave and missing a boot band. After correcting this, he messed up while talking on the phone to some higher-up and got his ass chewed. He then started sulking, and I told him, "Look. Everyone screws up, and it usually happens in clusters. You're having a bad day. No one's going to get on your ass for having a bad day. What we ARE going to get on your ass for is acting like a sixteen-year-old who just got rejected for prom. So you have a choice. You can sit there and think about what you did and probably make MORE mistakes, or you can lean back in your chair, crack a smile, make fun of Dumbass over here for being a faggot, (I point at another guy in the shop) and do your job."

    He then commenced to sulk more, and I got mad at him.

    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan244 View Post
    "And if you're considering Recon, you're probably not one of those" What do you mean?
    If you're considering Recon, it's very doubtful that you're going to be That Guy. Every platoon has That Guy - the one who pees into his canteen because he doesn't want to go up and ask for a head call, steals peanut butter from the chow hall, is falling asleep on firewatch, cheesedicks PT, Blue Falcons the people around him, etc. Boot camp is easy for 90% of people who go through it - it just sucks. It's only hard for the people who make it hard. They do it in two ways - physical weakness and indifference. If you have either of these, you're going to hate life. The fact that you're going to go Recon should mean that you have neither. So, boot camp should be easy.


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    Thank for replying. I will try my best and try to see what are my strengths and weaknesses. I completely get what your saying, it actually gave more motivation.

    Ahh i get you now. The guy that usually screws up or gets everybody punished? I hope i don't get chewed on ass much. Thanks and i hope it is, and i am sure there will be moments that will i will be like "Damn this is impossible", but i gotta keep trying. Yeah i always considered doing recon, but sometimes it is hard to choose which one is for me.

    Last edited by Lisa 23; 01-26-12 at 09:15 AM.

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