Echo Out

[benw2200]

We graduated yesterday in the nice, warm indoor training facility. Oorah!!

PFC Wiley
2nd BN
Echo Co
PLT 2001, Lead Series

SDI Sgt Moore
DI Sgt Durazo
DI Sgt Barber

The best way to describe it is the worst and best 13 weeks of my life. I made friends I'll remember forever, and I met people I wanted to kill. Definitely some sucky times, but also a lot of good times. Any questions, ask away.

[JWG]

I'll be sure to think of some questions when I get more time on here, but just wanted to let you know I'm proud of you. Congratulations, MARINE!

[MrRobert]

Overall what should be memorized? I've got the gen orders and the knowledge questions down. Code of conduct?

How bad is the first couple of days?

[SureShot12]

Congrats on becoming a Marine, buddy.

MCRD P.I. ??

[benw2200]

JWG: Thanks!

MrRobert: General Orders and the Rank Structure are the really big ones. Pretty much all the knowledge you get tested on, you will learn orally as a platoon, and go over, and over, and over it...till you're blue in the face. You could actually go in not knowing anything, and you could pick it up. However, the more you know before you go, the less you have to worry about when you're there. Don't be 'the one' who's rusty at the general orders, and doesn't bust his butt and learn them, and then fail the prac app test on training day 58 because he still doesn't know them.
From what I remember, the first few days really suck.. just because you're adjusting to things, and you're tired, and always on the move picking up your gear and filling out paperwork, etc. It's getting used to the routine that was the killer for me, once you get the hang of it, it gets easier.

SureShot: Yep, PI.

[JWG]

No problem, Marine.

I'm just curious to hear what you did to prepare as a Poolee and what you'd now suggest to current Poolees/Wannabes to focus most on and work on to have less of a "routine" shock that happens when you enter the "Beloved Island."

Thanks in advance.

[yellowwing]

Congratulations Marine. Did you do a two part rifle qualification? How did you shoot?

Semper Fi

[SureShot12]

SureShot: Yep, PI.

Ah, I remember that building

I was Fox Co(2nd deck)..

Again- congrats, Marine !

[MrRobert]

JWG: Thanks!

MrRobert: General Orders and the Rank Structure are the really big ones. Pretty much all the knowledge you get tested on, you will learn orally as a platoon, and go over, and over, and over it...till you're blue in the face. You could actually go in not knowing anything, and you could pick it up. However, the more you know before you go, the less you have to worry about when you're there. Don't be 'the one' who's rusty at the general orders, and doesn't bust his butt and learn them, and then fail the prac app test on training day 58 because he still doesn't know them.
From what I remember, the first few days really suck.. just because you're adjusting to things, and you're tired, and always on the move picking up your gear and filling out paperwork, etc. It's getting used to the routine that was the killer for me, once you get the hang of it, it gets easier.

SureShot: Yep, PI.

Awesome thanks for the response. Congrats on earning the title. I ship out in 9 days.

[dhenderson88]

OORAHH ECHO COMPANY
Congratulations Marine

[introspect]

Hey sorry if this is a stupid question but, with the forming week and all of that, when do you get to begin writing/sending letters and also when do you begin receiving them? Thanks

[benw2200]

There's not a lot you can do that will prepare you for the culture shock. The first days (weeks) will definitely suck, but you'll get over it. Work out, run a lot, make sure you're up on your general orders and rank structure. But also make sure you take time with your family and stuff.. do little things. Listen to music, eat good food, watch movies, etc.. do the stuff you won't be able to do for 3 months.

My rifle qual was nasty. On table 1 I shot well all week.. I got expert on day 3 and pre-qual.. but on qual day the weather was sh***y.. bitter cold and windy, so that threw my focus all to hell. I ended up shooting marksman I did a little better on table 2, 70's or 80's I think, but not enough to redeem myself. I was so disappointed.. oh well, I can always re-qual later and get rid of the pizza box.

Umm.. about the letters. They let you send one with your return address and a brief note to your family pretty soon after you arrive.. I think on the first or 2nd day. I think you can start sending letters about a week or so into training. Don't worry about it.. the first week or so you don't need to worry about writing letters anyway. I think it took a few weeks for me to get my first letters from my parents, but like I said, don't worry about it. They'll come.

While I'm on the subject of letters, let me say this to all Poolees, take heed. When I was there, I HATED recruits who spent all their free time writing letters. Now there's nothing wrong with writing to mommy and daddy and little suzie saying how much you miss them and how mean your DI's are, but if you're a fatbody who can't get over the bar more than 8 times, or if you're doing less than 100 crunches and you're not on the quarterdeck working out, you are WRONG. Boot camp gives you what you put into it.. PT alone won't turn you into the hulk. We had kids in our platoon who went from 12 to 20 pullups, and we had kids go from 12 to single digits. Don't be the one that slimes your way through doing just the bare minimum and hoping you don't get noticed. The more you put out in boot camp, the better you'll feel that Saturday morning on the parade deck when your Senior Drill Instructor hands you the EGA and says congratulations Marine. Also.. if you're writing letters and your trash isn't squared away.. aka, your footlocker is a mess, your rack isn't tight, your uniform looks like garbage, your rifle isn't marked, etc.. same thing applies. Fix yourself.

[introspect]

Thanks for answering my question PFC, I'm not too worried about it. I plan on writing weekly letters and reading all that I get, but in my opinion square away time is called just that for a reason, to get squared away, I'm sure nobody is going to be perfect. It's not called letter-writing time for a reason.

Thanks

[thedrifter]

Congratulations Marine!

Ellie

[Capital M]

Congratulations Marine! You're giving this wanna-be a whole lot of moto right now. I can't wait for the day my shoulder is deemed fully recovered (15 weeks and counting) so I can head on down to the recruiter's office. Congrats once again