Headed to Parris Island today

[RecruitPellMom]

Hello, My name is Angela. My son, Jarrod, had an original ship date of 20100118...(He had been in the DEP program since July). He had just completed his third semester at the University of Alabama. Received a phone call from his recruiter yesterday, saying there was an open slot. My son, left UA, called me, and we met him at the Recruiter station for 30 mins of "Goodbyes". We had a trip planned to NYC for New Years, not to mention Christmas. It was so hard yesterday for the me and grandparents. I know he was ready to go, he has been ready to go since the day he signed.

Today he will leave Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, to Parris Island to begin his 13 week adventure in changing his life. Expected graduation date, 20100312.

This was my introduction to you. I would appreciate any words of wisdom, and prayers. My step-son is stationed at Cherry Point, so I have been through this somewhat before.

[Isrowei]

Parris Island is a little chilly this morning, but we should be warming up just a bit around noon

Welcome to the Marine Corps family! Your son is starting a highly respected journey. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

[BJKpfaller]

Your son is in for the experience of a lifetime. It is definetely a life changing experience. He will be more physically fit and Morally strong than ever before. It's been over 40 years for me but I still look back with pride to the day I graduated. Boot camp has changed a lot since then but mainly for the better. Today's Marines are better trained and better prepared for combat than ever before. You will be very proud of your young man when you next see him. Old Breed New Breed there is only the Marine breed.
Semper fi
Jack Pfaller

[dizark]

Welcome aboard, and best of luck to your son. Be sure once you get his mailing address when he sends you a letter, that you write to him being sure to always keep it positive. As said before, he's in for a journey, but it should be a good journey for him and you will be impressed with the transformation come March of 2010.

Any questions, feel free to send them here.

[RecruitPellMom]

Question:
My son called from the Montgomery Airport. Stated the USMC were flying him from Montgomery AL to Atlanta then to Savannah GA, then bus him to Parris Island.

We were expecting a 6+ hour bus drive, but I am guessing that since he took the place of a recruit that was over-weight yesterday, they are trying to get him there to join a platoon that arrived yesterday. Am I on the right track?

Thank you for your replies so far. My son started me on this website about three months ago, and I have gained so much knowledge so far, and I knew this was were I needed to be when he left.

[donjob]

Wow, I never post on here, but this is a crazy coincidence. Was your son's recruiter located in Vestavia? I just happened to be browsing the main page of leatherneck.com and clicked on this post. Not only was my ship date also Jan. 18th, but my recruiter called me to see if I wanted to leave. What is your son's name? I may have known him.

[RecruitPellMom]

Wow, I never post on here, but this is a crazy coincidence. Was your son's recruiter located in Vestavia? I just happened to be browsing the main page of leatherneck.com and clicked on this post. Not only was my ship date also Jan. 18th, but my recruiter called me to see if I wanted to leave. What is your son's name? I may have known him.

Jarrod Pell, Gadsden, AL. Had attended poole functions in Oxford Alabama every Saturday since August.

[donjob]

Oh, I thought maybe he attended at Vestavia.

[itzs4m]

Question:
My son called from the Montgomery Airport. Stated the USMC were flying him from Montgomery AL to Atlanta then to Savannah GA, then bus him to Parris Island.

We were expecting a 6+ hour bus drive, but I am guessing that since he took the place of a recruit that was over-weight yesterday, they are trying to get him there to join a platoon that arrived yesterday. Am I on the right track?

Thank you for your replies so far. My son started me on this website about three months ago, and I have gained so much knowledge so far, and I knew this was were I needed to be when he left.

yes, the flight will be coming into Savannah then bussed to Parris Island. Once they get to Savannah there will be I believe receiving marines there that will take them all into a room in the airport and they'll sit for a few hours watching videos, once the bus comes the board the bus then off to the depot. It's about 1.5hr to 2hrs bus ride not 6. Once arrived in Parris Island receiving Drill Instructors will take charge of them, from then on they go through a 2 day receiving process, such as shots they'll need from medical, dental x-rays done, receiving supplies they'll need, and their initial issue. after that they'll be held in a receiving platoon for a few days, before their real Drill Instructors take over and start their training days.

[hussaf]

...my bus ride was very long from Savannah...I am pretty sure they drove around in circles to disorientate us and ensure we arrived at a certain prearranged time (I actually never stood on the infamous yellow footprints as there was a lighting storm...ran right past them). With that, he should be making a phone call, but I don't remember if that is receiving or D1 of training. It's literally a 10 second phone call to let you know he made it alright. Write letters to your heart's content, but don't be let down by a lack of return letters. He will be pretty busy, especially the first month. Most guys would write letters when they could in there free time. To be honest, though...you don't get much free time, even later on, and by the time you get through reading all the letters people send you, you don't have a whole lot of time to write back. If I ran out of time writing return letters, whoever I was writing the letter to, I would give them a list and ask them to call and thank people for writing me.

I loved getting letters, but some of my favorite ones to get were ones that had nothing to do with me or bootcamp. Things like "I know you must be hungry, tired, etc...we're all praying for you" were greatly appreciated, but I knew very well how hungry and tired I was. I much preferred letters that had absolutely nothing to do with life at Paris Island, the military, etc. My dad would send me clippings of my favorite professional and college sports teams...or how my former teammates were doing in high school sports. Or just local news in general. This helped me feel connected to the outside world and grounded in some sanity.

All the best,
Adam

[RecruitPellMom]

Thank you Adam,
The newspaper clippings are a great idea. I wrote him a letter yesterday telling him I got his truck stuck in the mud and we had to "rut" the yard up to get it out, etc. All things I thought would make him smile. And closed it with "We are very proud of you". I also figured he knew everyone back home was thinking of him and he didn't need to waste time reading about that.

Now I am just waiting on the first letter so I can obtain his address.

Sad cause he is gone is quickly turning into PRIDE!! Thanks to EVERYONE who has replied to me!!

[Phantom Blooper]

Good luck to your son!

When writing letters keep the news positive and upbeat if at all possible.

Maybe since he left before Christmas and the New Year and your family had big plans you maybe able to celebrate Christmas in March or so when he returns.

The days will move by quickly for everyone once he has an address and is picked up in a platoon and series.....before you know it he will be sporting a Marine Corps uniform and bursting with pride and accomplishment and you will be swelling with a "JOB WELL DONE!"

You brought him into this world as a boy and raised him into a young man....the Marine Corps will take over now and insure that he becomes a man....and a United States Marine!

Good luck to you!