A Couple of Questions Before I Leave

[taysmith35]

Yo Smitty,

Are you fish-like yet? Getting excited or what? How's the swimming?

Smitty

sorry havent been on much been in the water too much yeah i got help from one of my friends and i can tread water pretty well and can swim around for minutes in deep water without drowning so im pretty confident i'll survive in the water (i didnt join the navy haha) 3 days to go....cant wait to prove myself!

[Chumley]

Good job! Swimming is important to Marines - we are AMPHIBIOUS after all. Never quit, never fail! Good luck in boot camp Smitty!!!
C

[thewookie]

I can't speak specifically of what today's training contains - been out for too long now. They will instruct you and you will either follow instructions or drown - they will pull you out if so. Do not wait until you get there - go practice now - just figure out how to dawggie paddle yourself around ( again - shallow end ), and get used to holding your breath underwater - they will take care of the rest. Practice "bouncing" off the bottom...meaning hold breath, go under then push off bottom and resurface, exhale and take a good breath, bounce back to bottom - repeat, repeat, repeat. That's one exercise they will show you. If you struggle too much the instructors will put you in a group of remedial swim beginners. Go practice! If you really want this, you need to put in the extra effort now - don't procrastinate. Bring someone along that can pull you out, especially when you are ready to try deep end! You might be able to ask a lifeguard or an experienced swimmer for some pointers too. Here's one tip: If you are getting assistance from a lifeguard or another swimmer, DO NOT struggle; you could drown both of you.

The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is successful people will do whatever it takes. A leader teaches others to succeed, by word and by example. C

Great post Chumley! I love the "follow the instructions or you drown" That's a classic! It's true, they have no compassion for you at the pool until you take a gulp or two. Get in the pool now and get comfortable, don't wait until boot camp, that's not a good time to get comfortable at anything!

[jetdoc]

All this swimming talk...it brought back a sea story from when I was on the USS Midway.

In 1980 we were heading out to sea and collided with a Panamanian cargo ship. Their ship sunk, we suffered a 100' gash in the side of the ship, above the water line. At that time we didn't have any idea how bad the crash was or where the damage was, ie: above water line or below water line.

Several of the guys in our squadron were not wearing their life vests in the middle of this whole thing...alarms going off, nukes on the hangar deck, people running around, etc. It was a mess. The guys said wearing the life vest is a joke as if the boat sank it would create such a vortex that everything would be pulled down with it....so why be uncomfortable if it don't matter?

Lesson, don't bother to learn to swim as you're going to drown anyways, lol. I don't know how true their viewpoint was but I guess if you're not far enough away it could pull you down with it.

[Zulu 36]

I remember a news story (I want to say from about 10 years ago), about a young Marine who fell off of an amphib ship in the Indian Ocean area. It was night, no one saw him go over, and he wasn't missed until morning muster many hours later.

The Marine survived by using his drown proofing training. He floated for at least 12-hours (I don't remember the exact time, but it was a while) before being rescued by a fishing vessel. The fishermen took him to shore and to the local cops who got him to an American consulate.

So the training can come in handy.

[jetdoc]

I tell you that deal we did with the trousers and making them a floatation device, that was the $hit and worked well.

[sparkie]

Just Gotta be cotton, Who knows what their wearing now..... Spandex?

[taysmith35]

2 days.....gettin pumped

[Chumley]

Good luck tay! I've never been to MCRD Hollywood, but I'm sure it'll be a life changing experience. (: Do us proud. Keep focused on the end goal and you will get through everything that comes your way. One day at a time!

Chumley

[Marine84]

Yeah.........you'll be sunnin' and funnin' during your stay at MCRD Hollywood. There will be lots of sunshine and "outside" time in the sand and surf and you'll feel relaxed and comfortable with the ocean breeze and the swaying of the palm trees. You'll be close to an airport too so you can watch the planes come and go and think to yourself every time one takes off that the ONLY way you'll leave on one is in your Marine Corps uniform!

The rest of the time you're going to be too damned busy to think about it.....................HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[jetdoc]

Tay, have fun in bootcamp man, its going to be a blast. Don't give in mentally as thats how they will try to get to you...gettn' into your peanut.

That PI vs SD thing is something that has gone on forever, it doesn't matter where you go, just go and come back with the same title we earn on either coast...US Marine.

Oh yea, don't forget your suntan lotion and I hear they allow you to use your MP3 player at SD too...hehe.

[sparkie]

I heard the the 2nd weekend liberty in Tijuana was fun for you hollywood types.

[jetdoc]

Sparkie, I sware I saw one of the cutest little honey's I've seen in a long, long time when we went to TJ one time. It was while I was in El Toro, as I didn't go to MCRDSD, lol.

She worked in one of those small little stores that sold gifts...my oh my did I fall in love with her...to this day I still remember her. And of course as you know Sparkie, I've had my share of hot women, as I am an Air Winger...NICE!!!

[sparkie]

Are you a real man if you can make a lot of women happy in your life, Or is it that you can make one woman happy for her entire life?

Do your thing...Air Wing!

[taysmith35]

welp this is my last post on here...if i post before october 26th its not good hahaha...thanks everyone for all your help and i'll be thinkin about them planes leavin for sure while the drill instructors making a sand cookie out of me!!! talk to you all in a loooong 13 weeks

tay