Good bye everyone, it's time for me to become a Marine

[Accord]

This is it guys, it's been a long time coming but I am leaving in just a couple days and shipping to MCRDPI. Good bye everyone, i'd personally like to thank all of the Marines on here who have given me advice, words of encouragement, and motivation. I've been through a lot to get to the point of where I am right now, losing the 85 pounds and all that good stuff.

Now it's time for me to make my dream of becoming a United States Marine a reality. I am being picked up Monday morning at 0415 and will be on the yellow footprints later that night, I honestly can't even believe that I will be standing on those yellow footprints. I know most of the recruits who will be standing next to me on those yellow footprints will be scared out of their minds and whatnot, but i'm going to be thinking about the Marines all the way from Chesty to Corporal Dunham and beyond who stood on those very same yellow footprints.

There are just too many people to thank, I don't want to name anyone because I will surely end up leaving someone out, so just let me say thank you to all of the Marines on here and especially the ones who have been a part of me getting to where I am today, you know who you are.

I'll see you all back here on April 7th in my dress blues.

Time to become a Marine.

[rktect3j]

Good luck and stay motivated.

[jinelson]

John I will really miss seeing you on the boards because you have been a fixture here for a few years. You have helped a lot of Poolee's and wannabes whether you know it or not with your motivation and determination. You have proved that you can overcome any obsticle in your way and have the tenacity of a angry pitbull. I have no doubt in my military mind that you will do fine at MCRDPI. Another thing I will miss in your absence is the most moto vids that you seem to find. Now get on with the next chapter of your life and make us and yourself proud. When you graduate report back here and I will get your membership upgraded to Marine.

So long John git er done OORAH!!!

Jim

[USMC90]

I'm new here so I don't know you and you don't know me, but we both have one thing in common.. wanting to be a United States Marine. I wish you all the best with your training. I hope.. no I KNOW I'll be in your boots one day.

Good luck bro.

[The1stSgt]

John, I haven't been a member of this board long, but I can sense and hear the respect you have earned from the Marines and wannabes here.

When you get to PISC, as sick as this may sound to some, love it and savor every punishing demanding minute of it. You only experience Marine Corps boot camp once in your life, and you've worked hard for the opportunity.

Give your Drill Instructors everthing you've got and you'll do great.

Be sure to report back when you've earned the title Marine.

[jackson07]

Good luck man.. and thank you for your help.

[hrscowboy]

orahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you can do it poolie make us proud...

[AlexRT]

Good luck man...Stay motivated.

[Achped]

John, can't wait to see you on graduation Friday. I know you'll do fine.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Accord, I am confident that you will perform well at recruit training. Chow to chow and day to day will get you to the end.

[Master Sephiroth]

Good luck, man.

[sgt tony]

Good luck and in the near future I hope to be able to say Hello Marine.

[Soon2BeVIP]

I always knew this day would come. I kind of always pictured it like a mini Y2K. The forums would just self destruct.

Haha, but on a serious note. Thank you for all you've done. I never knew I could learn so much from a poolee. I can't wait to see how much you can help us when you get back. You've helped keep my moto alive as well as many other people in here.

So before I start crying ...Have a hell of ride and come back and tell us how it was. Because dude...you are about to become a US MARINE

[Accord]

Thank you everyone.

To the Marines, I cannot even begin to express how influential and important you have been to me, there are simply not enough words in the english dictionary for me to express how thankful I am for you. The best way in my mind that I can show my thanks is to go there and earn the title and carry on the tradition of Marines who have gone before me with honor, courage, and commitment.

To the poolees, I hope that I have inspired some of you. I know there are a lot of guys who want to become Marines who are too fat to join, need to lose some weight to be able to DEP in, etc. I did not have just 10 or 15 pounds to lose, I wasn't just an regular fat body, I was morbidly obese and I certainly got that squared away and now have a high first class PFT score. I am living proof that it can be done and no matter how far away or distant your goal of becoming a Marine may seem, if you never give up then you'll achieve it. One year ago becoming a Marine seemed like a pipe dream to me, but I never gave up and now I have just 4 short days until I am standing on the yellow footprints. Never give up. Good luck to all of you.

You said it right there Soon2BeVIP, "you are about to become a US MARINE." Wow. I still can't even believe it.

[Accord]

One more thing that I would like to address. A lot of people who i've talked to have told me to never volunteer, to try and go through bootcamp as a ghost so your Drill Instructor's never get to know your name, and things like that. This makes no sense to me, if you never volunteer then you'll never hold any leadership positions and that just seems like a bad way to begin a career in the United States Marine Corps. Yeah you'll get thrashed more and all that good stuff, but the way I see it is the worst thing that can happen if I volunteer is I get more PT and time in the pit and as a result graduate with an even higher PFT score.