Q for new Marines

[ianmusto]

The night before you shipped out for MCRD... I am talking about the night at the contract hotel. Which would you recomend, sleeping at a good hour? Or staying up all night sleeping all day on the plane ride, ect. and then being up and awake for the long long night and next day of processing? either way im sure im not sleeping anyway but some insight might be able to help me for the hours of paperwork I am about to embark on..


Thanks in advance.

[SlingerDun]

Get sleep when you can, if you can. You will eventually acquire opportunistic sleep habits in flatbeds and cattle trucks with worn out suspension filled to capacity with men and gear, flash suppressors jabbing you in the ribs and ears. On the cold metal decks of a war ship with your soft cover wadded up as a pillow, Marines and Swabbies stepping over and on you and of course in the field on a hillside with your pack as a pillow and boulders the size of your fist half burried and lodged under your hip and shoulders, here comes the rain.

--->Dave

[thewookie]

I went in on the buddy program, and me and my buddy stayed up all night bouncing on the beds, really. We figured it was our last time for a while, so we acted goofy all night and stayed up for most of it. I'd personally do it again that way (man I'd chop off a finger to back through it again!) only because it will make you much more tired and you'll be able to fall asleep easier once you get the chance. As far as the paperwork goes, what do you think this is MIT? You're going to mess up the paperwork, mark my words, you will. Whether you're a Rhodes Scholar or not they'll make sure you do, it's all part of the program.

[MKinney]

Ain't that the truth Wookie. We had guys who couldn't even get their names or addresses correct........
I think one guy was responsible for the destruction of a rain forrest.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I was fortunate enough to spend the night before I shipped with a young lady that was going into the Air Force. I slept all the way to San Diego and didn't have a problem. But, if you can manage it, sleeping the night before and on the trip out would be the best solution. As has been said, you will learn to sleep anywhere and at any time. You may have more time than you think you need for sleep, but you'll sleep anyway, because you may not be able to sleep the next night.

[killerinstinct]

when you get to the uso try to sleep too. even if you get there at 6 pm they arent coming for you till middle of the night.

and then youll be up all night and all of the next day till taps

[thewookie]

I was told, and I'm not sure if this is boot camp rumor, but someone told me that they keep everyone up the 1st 36 hours of receiving to get everyone on the same time or sleep schedule? I always wondered if that was true or not, it makes sense, but I'm not sure if that's policy or just part of the madness? I know we got on the Island at night and we didn't get to the rack until the following night. Maybe we were lucky!

[Apache]

Can't quote you on "the plan" or just "the madness."
As I recall went through the same sceniero of all night-all day and finally rack time.
What disturbed me most was realizing I was not the baddest on the block any longer

[ianmusto]

[quote=thewookie]I was told, and I'm not sure if this is boot camp rumor, but someone told me that they keep everyone up the 1st 36 hours of receiving to get everyone on the same time or sleep schedule? quote]

That is true, that is why i'm asking this. I'm trying to get a little stratgey involved to give me an upper hand. While most recruits are dazing off before the DI's walk in, I will be cocked and locked wide awake. Anyways thanks guys these responses have been very helpful.

[jetdoc]

They keep you up for a long time, I thought it was just to "f" with you though?

Trust me Ian, you won't be the only one who is waiting when the Drill Instructors come in to wake you up in the morning. I know I was up EVERY morning before the Drill Instructors came in...just waiting, not wanting to give them the satisfaction of waking me up...lol.

[ianmusto]

haha very funny.

[sparkie]

Boot WILL take away any upper hand you think you have,,,,,LMAO,,,,

[Namvet67]

Stay up or sleep! Won't make any difference when you hit those yellow foot prints. You will be numb for several days. I really don't remember what i did the night before but I saw recruits coming in all kinds of condition. In a matter of minutes we were all the same! Snafu!

[Zulu 36]

[quote=ianmusto]

I was told, and I'm not sure if this is boot camp rumor, but someone told me that they keep everyone up the 1st 36 hours of receiving to get everyone on the same time or sleep schedule? quote]

That is true, that is why i'm asking this. I'm trying to get a little stratgey involved to give me an upper hand. While most recruits are dazing off before the DI's walk in, I will be cocked and locked wide awake. Anyways thanks guys these responses have been very helpful.

When I went through they put us in the rack at 0300. Or in my case, on the floor. I slept like a dead man for two hours. We were up at 0500 as the trash can crashed down the squadbay. When we were bedded down the second night at 2100, I was out like a light until 0430.

The dozing off problem is often a combination of two things. First, basic lack of sleep. Second, people are starting to come down from an adrenalin "high." Their system is crashing and that means trying to sleep. You might still be dozy whether you want to be or not.

Don't worry. It won't last long before the adrenalin starts again.

[sparkie]

In my time, the first thing we did was testing, with pictures and gear/ uniforms thrown in,,,, Don't think we were allowed to sleep for 3 days. Testing was 3 days. There was no tests outside of boot. Maybe it was a stress brain test. Yes, drifty as hell. Zulu, congrats for some sleep.

Now that I thought about it, No, there was no sleep.