My boot camp experience... (Very Long, but everything you need to know!)

[BR34]

Some of the best Marines are in open contracts. Although there are some good Marines in closed contracts, open contract Marines are those who hold service above self.... those who care about being a Marine regardless of the duty. It is an honorable thing to go open contract.

Sorry, Sgt, but are you frikkin serious?!? There is NO reason for someone to go open contract. It doesn't mean you're more patriotic, it means...well never mind, wouldn't want to offend.

[commdog7]

Closed contract Marines can be good Marines too, but I have found that some of the best Marines are in open contracts. It is true that some open contract Marines just don't care about where they go or what they do, but the best Marines are those who are willing to serve wherever they are needed. Some closed contract Marines will not serve unless they get a certain job, but open contract Marines will serve anywhere the Marine Corps needs them. This is my opinion, you are entitled to your own.

[BR34]

You got me wrong, Sgt. I'm not saying open contract Marines are less than others. I'm not saying they can't be good Marines. I don't think the contract has anything to do with how the Marine will perform.

BUT...

I can't think of any reason at all to advise any of these poolees to go open contract...not a single one. However, I can think of a million reasons for them to get a lock onto a MOS.

[commdog7]

No one should feel forced to go into an open contract for the sake of being a "good" Marine. There are a lot of good Marines on both sides. Going open contract appeals to a certain mindset, and everyone differs in that regard. Everyone has a different reason for joining the Corps as every Marine has their reasons for going open or closed contract. There are some Marines who demand a certain job in the Corps, and if they don't get it, then they refuse to join. In my opinion, those are the greedy ones. Those are the ones who care more about themselves than the team. The most honorable Marines in my mind are the ones who just want to serve and don't mind the position the Marine Corps assigns them. From my experience, those are the best Marines, but there are very few of them out there.

And I do think that in some cases, the open/closed contracts affect performance. Not in all cases, but open contracts Marines accept that their job might not be that prestigious, and are less likely to complain when the work changes or becomes harder. Marines who go closed contract expect to be doing one job (and probably have an idea of what that job entails), and are more likely to get frustrated and complain when the work changes. Not in all cases, but in some cases- that's my two cents.

[Bohon6073USMC]

wow, reading that brought back so many memories of boot camp, sounds like my experience that i had, god i miss that though i loved boot camp, i'd have to say thoug that BWT was fun as hell... the endurance course was awesome we'd run then incoming and you'd have the adrenaline pumping just be running and take a running dive onto the ground we had a guy lose a tooth.

I remember taking a flying leap into a huge ass puddle, on of teh ones you have to crawl through it was awesome, soaked everyone even got my Heavy hat and he cracked a smile. i think it motivated him haha.

At our warriors breakfast though i got busted by my kill hat, SSgt Lincoln, Now GySgt; this marine, holy **** funny as **** and he knew it and he used it to his advantage to make us laugh then **** us up but i had a book going through bootcamp of stuff he said that was funny as ****. well it wasn't a book probably 4 pages back and front and i sat down and he sat with me and my buddies and looked at me and said "so there bohon, where's my quote book at?" of course i **** a brick and was like "This recruit has no idea sir" he said "you're a marine and it's cool, you've been dimed by your buddies i wanna see it" i said "oh, good to go SSgt" well i had mailed it home a week before because it was getting around the squad bay and i'll be damned if i was going to get caught with that during training.. (if you wanna feel pain, get caught quoting a DI) so i got all my buds together and we wrote it and handed it to him, he laughed for a good 20 minutes reading it... asking constantly "i really said that??? damn no wonder you ****s laughed so much"

Boot camp is what you make it... i made it a great time and a learning experience... oh and don't be like the 2 dumb ****s in my platoon, one had a superman tattoo on his chest and another had a EGA tat already.... they regreted it

[benw2200]

This thread is awesome. Very well-written. Brings back so many memories.. the good and the bad haha.

"Aye senior drill instructor" (You will learn to love this phrase)

Amen.. imagine 2 bulldogs that were tearing your ass up getting called into the house by their owner.. yep, pretty much. Also, the worst thing EVER was seeing our Senior leaving for the day.. he'd be walking down the highway to the rear hatch.. we'd all be screaming "good evening sir!! good evening sir!!" etc.. a recruit would always get the hatch for him while he was still a good 20 feet from it.. then when he finally left, our heavy/kill hat would come out and the fun would begin

1st Phase: Expect to be tortured at MCMAP haha, its all about muscle memory, you won't remember how to do the uppercut unless you're in the kneeling position (WITH your knee 2" off the deck) for 20 minutes or so.

Low block.. no you're not low enough.. you want to put your knee on the deck? Good, low block again.. I must have said take a recruit break right?? Low block. WHY ARE YOU WHISPERING TO ME, YOU DISGUSTING THING!!! SCREAM AYE SIR!!

Then you are finally given your EGA, and you are a Marine. You shake your DIs hand, which is WEIRD AS HELL lol. You feel like he's gonna crush it or something. You then will go back to the squad bay, shower, put on clean cammies (probably deserts) and go to your warriors breakfast. I was at a table in the chow hall with 2 other squad leaders, and OUR FREAKING SDI SAT WITH US. We didn't know what to say. We were just like...uhhh.... good morning SIR!" and hes like shutup with that **** Marines, you're my squad leaders, set the example PFCs!

"Aye Gunnery Sgt!"

He asked us how we liked the food and if they had anything particular he should try. So we told him to get the omelets, he came back with some, and was like "Good choice, I'm loving it."

That was probably, hands down, the coolest part of recruit training, ever. Seeing the DI's, who destroyed our minds and bodies for 12 weeks, sitting down and joking around with us like normal human beings. It was surreal. Also, definitely agree on the speed-eating part.. I was a squad leader from when we first picked up till graduation day.. and trust me, you will get creative when you eat. Like.. pudding sandwiches. You will also stay away from stuff like the fried chicken.. unless you're a lucky mofo on the big end who can take his sweet ass time. Vegtables..pasta..it all gets mixed together and scarfed down. I also ate a peanut butter and jelly and banana sandwich at almost every meal except morning chow. don't cut the banana up, just break it into 2 pieces, slap it on the bread, and jam it in our mouth. But also remember, the DI's will f**k with your chow as well. Try opening up a slippery peanut butter package with only one hand. And box chow is even worse. Ever eaten an egg and cookie sandwich with ketchup and mustard? Enjoy.