What to bring, and go-fasters

[Future-USMC-LT]

I was just wondering, do you need to bring ANYTHING (other than yourself) with you to the MCRD? What about go-fasters (running shoes)?

8 MORE DAYS!!!!

[USMCgrunt0331]

Don't bring anything at all except what your recruiter tells you, and your wallet will be fine, and whatever you do bring to MEPS the day before you ship, be prepared to throw it away, other than the clothes on your back. Your civies and wallet will be put in a paper grocery bag, and stored in a warehouse. You'll get it back your last week on the depot, if San Diego is the same as Parris Island.

As far as running shoes, it would be a good idea to wear them there, but don't go buy new ones like i did, cause they'll go in the paper bag too, they will issue you a brand new pair, probably new balances. Don't bring extra shoes for sure. And wear good attire to the depot, no ripped clothing, and don't make the mistake of wearing cowboy boots to the depot like a guy i went w/, man he got killed the first second he was there for that, lol.

One more last tip, don't have a double knot or a real tight knot in them, cause when you first get there you've got to take them off for a weigh-in, and you have about 2 seconds to do it.

[Future-USMC-LT]

I keep telling my mom that you don't bring anything extra. When she was in Army basic, they didn't get any of their stuff until day 3, so if you didn't bring some toiletries and extra skivvies and socks, you were were outa luck.

[USMCgrunt0331]

yeah, i went to meps on a shuttle van w/ some guys and girls goin in the national guard, and they brought a pack worth of stuff w/ them, it was like they were goin to camp or something. You do need to bring hygiene gear w/ you for your night at MEPS, and maybe an extra pair of boxers or something, but stuff you don't mind throwing away the next morning.

[jenrmurray]

I took trail-sized stuff to get me by at MEPS, then I threw all that away. I showed up with my wallet and the clothes on my back and even then I wish I had shown up with less. haha Clean out your wallet and just keep the essentials-ID, social security card, etc. Try to get rid of any change you have, too, because you have to count it out and put it in an envelope and that's just another pain in the butt. The less you have, the more you get to just sit there or help other people while everyone else scrambles to inventory their junk. We didn't even get to think about toiletries until two or three days later when our receiving Drill Instructor took pity on our nasty souls and let us have a field shower with baby wipes.

[testforecho2112]

I hated being in the field during boot...

Canteen cup showers...you had to decide whether to wash your body, and then shave your face with it, or shave first and then was your body...either way, you traded one nasty for another!!!

Shaving your face with ball water, or washing your balls with whisker shavings...lol, and to think, I MISS those days!!!

Bill

[CrazyBrave83]

What the Corps wants you to have, they'll issue you.

[LivinSoFree]

I showed up with clothes and my ID (which they didn't even want), along with the package they gave me at MEPS. It took me 3 days to ship because of one foulup or another, so I lived out of a ziplock bag for 3 days.

[yellowwing]

Be sure to confirm this with your Recruiter, as with all things you hear.

In '83 I was allowed retain my good top of the line 'go fasters'. It really was worth the $120 rather than be deducted $20 at the Depot for generic PT shoes.

[marinefamily5]

before i left for bootcamp i went an got me a pair that cost me about the same 120.00 and they sit in a box why i was going thru bootcamp....and that was in 2000

[USMCgrunt0331]

the shoes they issue now are just about top-of-the-line, they are new-balances, and work great, but you can't keep your own shoes.

[marinefamily5]

i will say this all the PT shoes i have had the ones they issued us in bootcamp ( new-balances ) were by far the most comfortable shoe i have ever ran in.......

[yellowwing]

Dang, when was this decision made? The cheap $20 Taiwan go fasters they billed to recruits really were crap.

Officially issuing quality PT gear must have been an admin mistake that was gladly received!

[lil'marine]

what about cell phones?

[USMCgrunt0331]

hahahahaha LMAO, lolol Are you freakin' kiddin? Wow, either you are joking lil'marine, or you have some huge misconceptions to what Marine Corps bootcamp is all about.

Other than the 10-sec. phone call you make the 1st night you get there, which you read off a sign, you won't make another phone call till your off the depot. Your lucky to get a couple of letters off each week.