One Recruit's Parent's Journey

[Syzygyone]

Our recruit shipped out at 1500 today, 30 MAR 08, to MEPS and will arrive at MCRD SD at O-dark thirty Tuesday 1 Apr 08. So he will start his Marine Corps career on April Fool's Day!

He was lucky and got his 02XX MOS contract and was able to get an early ship date. He was only in DEP for about 6 weeks. He's not shown much concern over the last month, attending a few Poolee events, but mostly just tieing up loose ends and seemingly endless partying with friends. We'd discussed Boot camp and he was somewhat astonished to realize that having gone through Naval Aviation Training in the early 1980's I had been "Marine Drilled, Navy Tough." Maybe not exactly like Boot Camp but close enough for government work. I remember being totally amazed as I went through the experience, marveling at how they had it all figured out. When to push, when to push harder, when to give the carrot. I was a 26 year old lawyer but I, like everyone else, was quickly only interested in pleasing the DI and didn't realize until later that in pleasing the D.I. I was actually just learning what they wanted us to do, and then did it.

Interestingly, over the past six weeks, as we read Keeping Faith, and Building the Corps, and perused YouTube and such for recruit training videos, he actually began to patiently listen as I explained things that were happening on the videos. What still brings it back to me is the phrase, "NO!, GET BACK" I find myself reliving it as I watch the videos, now with the understanding of age and experience. For longer than I can recall, my recruit has just looked at me as an old fart who didn't know anything. It somehow broke through the wall when I spoke of what to expect. He kept insisting that they'd never seen anyone as smart and admittedly cocky as he. I countered with the fact that within about 30 seconds, they'd have him pegged as needing Marine D.I. method Mil Spec # 14-22-X. We assured him that they'd seen his type before and would know exactly how to handle his particular personality.

Over the weeks, he began to evidence a concern that nothing prevent him from getting into the Corps. He actually went to the dentist, worked out, studied his "gouge",put on a few pounds. He began to voice concern over possible failure to meet expectations. I assured him that nothing he is expected to do is impossible and that the D.I will be right there doing it with him to show him how it is possible.

Today, as time drew near, and he'd called his Grandparents, and brother, and all his friends has called to wish him well, most all of the normal, some might say excessive, 20 year old bravado was gone. He admitted to his mother that he was not afraid, but apprehensive, saying "It's kind of like when they strap you in to a really big roller coaster!" When we arrived at the recruiting office, he was taken to get the travel brief. His recruiter answered all our questions. His recruiter has been great through out and even though he ships to his new duty station tomorrow morning, he was thoughtful enough to show up and check on his "last recruit". In less than an hour, our recruit got in a van with five other recruits and they drove off. No bands. No parade. Just six nervous young men moving to face their future.

His mother and I are not at all sad and, in fact, are very much looking forward to this. I am proud that he wishes to serve and I believe he wants to join the Marines for the right reasons, not just because the uniforms are cool, although that has been mentioned. This young man, who is deeply loved but who has done very little despite incredible opportunities since highschool, NEEDS the self discipline the Corps will teach him and we think he will thrive. For the first time in many years, he has no computer, no cell phone, no fast car, just a few bucks and a Visa Buxx card. He has only himself and soon his brothers going through boot camp. We see this as a seminal event, when he will get the final ingredients we were apparently unable to pass along.

So, now we wait for the first letter.

This is going to be interesting. I hope you don't mind my kind of blogging here. I can't think of any place more appropriate.

Semper Fi!

[Gator347]

As a Dad of a Marine who recently graduated (Bravo Company) in August 2007, each Phase is a killer. I would live for any and ALL information available. Stay strong and VERY positive.
Write: Notes, Cards, Pictures, Local News Clippings, Jokes, Letters, Letters from Pets, Get your Family & Have Friends Write. But above ALL, STAY POSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!
If you don’t get mail, don’t worry. He is in VERY good hands!!!! They (SDI & Staff) will do ALL they can to get someone, who wants it, to graduate.
If you get a chance to email his SDI, Do So, but show respect and support. These men & women are awesome. I was even allowed to send Gator Aid & Power Bars to their platoon. I sent enough for the entire platoon for the Crucible.
I will always be grateful to my son’s SDI SSgt T. Warren MCRD PI. (I hope he makes Gunny).
MCRD: 3 months of little sleep. Support of your recruit (100+ letters, Powers Bars & Gator Aid): $300, Hotel, Travel, 2 days Off Work for Family Day :$700.
Seeing your Son/Daughter become a recruit and graduate a USMC Marine: PRICELESS

[Syzygyone]

Thanks much for that information and for the postive thoughts.

[DAMNPROUD]

Syzygone,
Wow please keep blogging!my son leaves april 28th and your post is very similar to whats going on in my house.my son is very bright ,very strong and very confident.until now, as the date draws near some fears are starting to pop up.he is not afraid that he cant make it,he is afraid he will injure himself(sprained ankle,twisted knee ect.)and will have to be cycled back in.
i myself like you am looking forward to his transformation.schoolwork and sports always came easy for him,this will be his first big challenge in life.

please keep us posted on your son and on your journey

[SGTBrentG]

syzygone,

Sounds like your son has all the support in the world. I am sure he will do fine. Please keep us posted. Semper Fi!

[Syzygyone]

Well, the miliary is just as efficient as I remember it. Having had only TWO physicals in the last 60 days, imagine my son's surpirse and dissappointment that the Docs decided to wait until Ship day to discover that he has a plantar wart on his foot. I can see why he can't go to boot camp with that but why wasn't that discovered before, when there was time to take care of the situation. MEPS delayed entry for 60 days. I just spoke with the recruiter and our Doc. They can remove it today and the recruiter says he will be able to ship April 14th. He's also indicated that the recruting station will keep him busy there for the next two weeks so as to loose as little motivation as possible. It's a good lesson in discipline and rolling with the punches but, dang it all!

[marinemom]

Well, now you have the additional job of keeping his spirits up while the medical procedure is done and healing occurs. And the recruiting office will
definitely keep him busy.

As as been said here before - write, write, write - letters, cards copies of his favorite newspaper cartoons, anything, but keep the mail going - he will need it more than you know.

And, when that 15 second phone call comes in " Hi, I have arrived safely at Parris Island and I will send you my address" - do not try to answer him, and do not be upset by the background screaming - it's normal.

Nothing quite compares with the tremendous swell of pride as you see him on the parade deck on Family Day and Graduation Day - it will amaze you.

Welcome to the family of Marine Parents - you're in for a great ride!

[DAMNPROUD]

AHH Man i know your both dissapointed.the fourteenth will be here before you know it.

[Gator347]

Welcome to MEPS. My son had to get a waiver. He got all his info and was told he would need to wait 8-12 months. After 11 months they complained the Surgeon’s letters needed a newer date. It drove us crazy.
My son’s recruiter was never so glad to see him ship! (15 months).

He'll do fine.

[Gator347]

Nothing quite compares with the tremendous swell of pride as you see him on the parade deck on Family Day and Graduation Day - it will amaze you.


AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Syzygyone]

More frustration this afternoon. He's one mad recruit/poolee. As said, MEPS TNPQd him for 60 days becasue of a plantar wart. The local recruit Gunny assured us that as soon as it was taken care of and my son got a letter from his Doctor that it had been treated and would not interfere with military duty, they would get my son shipped in two weeks. We were able to get in to the Doctor about three hours after my son got back to town. The wart, a very small wart, was quickly cutoff and treated. The Doctor provided a letter saying that it was treated, was not symptomatic, was not contagious, would not spread, and would not interfere with military training or duty.

So, knowing he had been told that he would not actually fly out of Denver until 1700 on April 1st, we wondered if it was possible for him to still ship today. Afer all, he was all setup with everything else. Accoriding to my son, MEPS won't let you ship unless you are through their process by 0630 a.m. It was by now 18:00 p.m. But, he was so frustrated, we decided to pursue it even after hours.

Unfortunately, his recruit station is undergoing almost a total change of personnel. His primary recruter is winging his was to his next permament duty station. The Master Gunny of the recruit station is actually in the process of moving to MCRD SD to work the DI school there. So, we were forced to deal with a brand new recruiter and an Admin Gunny. Wecalled the new recruiter (been on the job less than ten days) and he indicated to my son that it wouldn't be possible to get him back to Denver to ship today but it would be possible for him to ship in one week. Now, the MCRD SD schedule shows next week as OPEN. The station Admin Gunny had indicated next week was not a ship week. I finally felt compelled to get involved and spoke with the recruiter and asked that since we had the Doctor's clearance and that I would personally drive my son to Denver, if he could ship today on April 1st. He was pretty equivocal about whether next week was a ship day but promised to check with the new NCOIC. The recruiter did call the new NCOIC who didn't call me directly but instructed him to call us back. He advised, without explanation, that the chances of my son shipping today were virtually zero. He did affirm that if the MEPS Doctor got the personal Doctor's letter today and approved, it would be possible for my son to ship next week.

So, now we wait. My son is fit to be tied but mostly because he is not used to being helpless and at the mercy of a beauracracy like MEPS. Maybe this is good training for dealing with the military in any event. So, we will show up at the recruit station, letter in hand, and wait for MEPS to make the call. Hurry up and wait!

[Gator347]

Maybe this is good training for dealing with the military in any event. So, we will show up at the recruit station, letter in hand, and wait for MEPS to make the call. Hurry up and wait![/quote]

The FLEET is much of the same. My son went through MEPS New Orleans post Katrina. Talk about a "Cluster". But the Maj. who runs it was/is a Class Act. (03__ Vet of Faluja sp?)

Take a breath. This too will work out. If my son got in with a "rod' in his femur, yours will make it with a wort!

[Syzygyone]

As said, MEPS TNPQd him for 60 days becasue of a plantar wart. The local recruit Gunny assured us that as soon as it was taken care of and my son got a letter from his Doctor that it had been treated and would not interfere with military duty, they would get my son shipped in two weeks. We were able to get in to the Doctor about three hours after my son got back to town. The wart, a very small wart, was quickly cutoff and treated. The Doctor provided a letter saying that it was treated, was not symptomatic, was not contagious, would not spread, and would not interfere with military training or duty.

...

Unfortunately, his recruit station is undergoing almost a total change of personnel. His primary recruter is winging his was to his next permament duty station. The Master Gunny of the recruit station is actually in the process of moving to MCRD SD to work the recruiter school there. So, we were forced to deal with a brand new recruiter and an Admin Gunny. We called the new recruiter (been on the job less than ten days) and he indicated to my son that it wouldn't be possible to get him back to Denver to ship today but it would be possible for him to ship in one week. Now, the MCRD SD schedule shows next week as OPEN. The station Admin Gunny had indicated next week was not a ship week. Hurry up and wait!

Okay, here's what's transpired. As indicated above, my Poolee was not able to ship on April 7th as that was an open week at MCRD SD. So, we went on a short family trip and while it was tense because he was so frustrated (every few hours he'd say, "I could be getting quarter decked now, or "right about now, I'd be meeting my DI") it was a good time to spend with him as a family, one last time.

We returned to town and the offending wart was progressing but we had him go to the Doc one more time just to be sure. He did and it was treated again. On Tuesday, the recruiter's office (remember this is a substation in transition) called to advise that the MEPS Doc wanted a formal letter from our personal DOC that the wart was healed. Our Doctor provided that letter, via fax by 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday the 8th. It was too late to project my son going for a med check on Wednesday the 9th so they waited to fax it to MEPS until Wednesday, hoping we could get a project for Thursday, the 10th. Well, the message from MEPS was recevied late on the 11th but still in time to do a project for the 12th. No one called my son until it was too late to project for the 12th. All the while, my son had been riding with another recruiter doing area canvassing and visiting high schools, etc. He thought he was close enough that he'd get word of what he was to do. Finally, he got a call on Friday, the 11th, too late to go see MEPS on Saturday. One SSGT told him to come in on Satgruday to sign papers to project for Monday the 14th for the Med Check with an eye to ship to MCRD SD, on Tuesday the 15th. Literally minutes later, he spoke with the GySgt who told him that he just needed to show up at the usual time on Sunday, the 13th at 3:00 for the trip to MEPS. This was what had happend before so all was well.
Saturday afternoon, he did get a call from the recruiter he'd been riding around with who mentioned in passing that he thought my son was to have shown up on Saturday. My son advised that the GySgt had said all he needed to do was show up on Sunday as usual. Nothing further was said.

So, we get him all ready on Sunday and show up at the recruit station at 3:00. It's closed and locked up. We start making phone calls. All told, since April 2, my son had been in contact with 6 different Marine recruiters, all of who had a slightly different take on what he was supposed to have done. This is in contrast with the previous experience where a GySgt and MGySgt had talked with him through every step and he knew exactly what was expected, etc. Those two superior NCO's moved on to other duties and my Poolee was sort of lost in the shuffle.

After a heart to heart with my son about HIM needing to watch out for himself, and to make absolutely sure he had all the info, etc., I had a discussion with the GySgt. I told him that as soon as he shipped, my son was property of the USMC but before he shipped, I was going to make certain he didn't slip through the cracks again. All concerned agreed that it was a typical SNAFU but I didn't so much care about that as much as the fact that my son is still hanging up in the air.

Long story short, the GySgt finally called back and promised to call the Ops office and secure a ship spot on Tuesday 4/15 provided my son clears the med check which will take place also on the 15th. My son reported to the recruiting station at 0830 on the 14th and he called to tell me that some recruiter told him that if he passed the Med Check, he would in fact ship on the 15th. He will make the trip to MEPS this afternoon for the O-dark thirty report to MEPS on the 15th.

So, now we hold our breath to see if the MEPS doc concurs with the personal doctor that the wart has healed and my son can ship to boot camp. So, if any of you are willing to pray to the "wart kill god", please do so on my son's behalf!

We'll keep you posted as the saga continues.

[marinemom]

Went through a similar thing with my son, tigger, when he was going in - I'll make you a bet right now that your conversation with the Gunnery Sergeant will be what puts the "delayed" paperwork through - he'll probably ship tomorrow. Somehow when the parents show up and back the kids, it rings bells. I think I started my "do not think of changing his ship date" speech with "I married the Corps in 1968 - do not think I do not understand the drill....." and then went from there.

That afternoon, the Staff Sergeant called to tell us that he would be picking tigger up at -dark hundred the following day.

Keep that support attitude going when he does ship and write, write, write and write.

[Syzygyone]

Went through a similar thing with my son, tigger, when he was going in - I'll make you a bet right now that your conversation with the Gunnery Sergeant will be what puts the "delayed" paperwork through - he'll probably ship tomorrow. Somehow when the parents show up and back the kids, it rings bells. I think I started my "do not think of changing his ship date" speech with "I married the Corps in 1968 - do not think I do not understand the drill....." and then went from there.

That afternoon, the Staff Sergeant called to tell us that he would be picking tigger up at -dark hundred the following day.

Keep that support attitude going when he does ship and write, write, write and write.

Thanks for the encouragement and yes, we will write write and write and so will a bunch of his relatives.