What is the best Guide/Leader Bootcamp Mentality?

[USMC 2571]

And what Kurt and others said about no one caring about your position as guide or squad leader? Again, absolutely true......you will never be asked, Hey, were you a guide or leader of any kind in boot camp??? That question will never be asked....You're focusing on the wrong thing. It's like a med student asking if he or she will be pretty good at heart surgery eventually-----while still in medical school!!!!! First things first.

[EliteWannabe76]

Thank you for all of your replies.

With all due respect, I have been in 3 highschool sports and for the 3 years total. Yet, the only leadership I have seen are the comedians making everyone laugh so everyone follows them. Realistically, the coaches led and every single athlete was equally worthless. We had no football/wrestling/track captains and when we did they were randomly chosen so we could just get on with the game.

I helped people out and "led" but it was nothing impressive, just an occasional helping somebody out.

So I have simplified it into a short philosophy: Don't overthink it and do everything the best you can as fast as you can.

That's all one can hope for.

[Kurt Loadeater]

Just try to have fun with it. Not be a goof, but if you have any time to think at all while in boot camp, just think about cultivating an attitude that will let you maximize the experience and make it rewarding. You'll fail at something in the Marine Corps, learn from it, and move on to the next thing with confidence. Your attitude will decide what type of time you have in the military. You'll see what I mean after boot camp where some will revert to the type of person before they came in, develop bad attitudes and their time will be hell because of it.

[Tennessee Top]

^^^this. You'll only have one bootcamp experience (just like only one senior year in high school). Take it all in - the good, bad, and ugly. Accept some days will suck. Some days in the fleet will suck too (more often if you don't like your MOS, duty station, etc). You don't want to look back at bootcamp and wish you had tried harder or pushed further. Give it your best shot and keep your eyes and ears open.

[USMC 2571]

Kurt and Top summed it up well. Take their advice and you'll be graduating boot camp before you know it. Good luck!