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View Full Version : Poolees! SO You Wanna Be A Marine? Heres The Best Advice You'll Get.



Terrell17
02-22-11, 03:15 PM
:flag: Im For Sure Your Wondering What To exspect From Bootcamp Right?
IM For Sure You're Wondering or Probably Still Thinking Of What MOS You want?
Anxious? etc................ Well Read This If You really Want some Good Advice.
1)

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO
Don’t expect the Marine Corps to adapt to you; you must adapt to them. Know what your job will be, and know what the real USMC is like. Do not judge the USMC by any video, movie, or video game you may of seen. There is a lot about the Marines that you may not know about, and this is what this web site is all about.




HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN YOURSELF AND IN YOUR DECISIONS
You have to believe in yourself and you must trust in your decisions. Even when you fall down, you must understand this is all part of the process of growing up and of life. Learn to get up and to move on. Make a decision and go with it. Right or wrong you will learn from your decisions. There isn't always a "perfect" or "best" path to take in regards to the USMC. What works for you may not work for others, so learn to have some faith in your decisions.


ENLIST INTO THE MARINE CORPS BECAUSE YOU TRULY WANT TO
Do not enlist to prove anything to anyone else. Do not enlist because of the image or reputation the USMC sells. Enlist because the USMC best fits your wants and needs, and or because you are willing to accept the adventure no matter what it may bring. If you enlist because you think you are a tough guy and because you prefer muscles to brains, then you may not want to enlist.
The Marines are looking for that well rounded individual and not some immature kid who thinks killing is cool. I know we all want to be bad asses, just make sure this isn't your primary reason for enlisting into the Corps.


THE USMC IS NOT LARGER THEN LIFE ITSELF
Do not act as if serving in the USMC is a matter of life and death. There is more to life then the Marines. Do not make the Marine Corps out to be something it is not. If you become a Marine, then be very proud, but do not cross that line where you become arrogant and an *******, because when you do you give others the fuel they desire to poke fun at the Marine Corps. If you must talk crap, then at least have correct facts and first hand knowledge to back up any claims you make in regards to the USMC



The phrase "every Marine a rifleman" DOES NOT mean the following.

-it doesn't mean every Marine holds the job of rifleman
-it doesn't mean every Marine attends infantry training battalion (ITB).
-it doesn't mean every Marine can fight like a rifleman Marine.
-it doesn't mean every Marine when deployed to a combat zone will be an infantryman/rifleman.
-it doesn't mean you are an infantryman first, and your job second.

The job of rifleman is an actual job in the USMC infantryheld only by those Marines who have graduated the course given at the school of infantry (SOI) in the infantry training battalion (ITB). Only those Marines with the job code of 0311 are actually rifleman. They do this job day in and day out. And only those Marines with the job code of 03xx are infantry Marines. The Marine Corps is not made up of entirely infantry Marines.<<<< Remember that. All non-infantry Marines will also attend SOI, but will attend Marine combat training (MCT) and not ITB. This is a one month course of very basic infantry skills. Many Marines who go through this course will never do this type of work again while in the USMC. And most forget what they learn here since it is a very quick and basic course. Completing this course does not mean you are an infantryman, let alone a rifleman.

What the phrase "every Marine a rifleman" does mean is this:

-it means every Marine must qualify with his/her rifle at least once a year.
-it means if needed any Marine regardless of job can stand a post such as convoy escort, guard duty, etc etc.
-it means if your position were overran by the enemy, you could stand up and defend yourself and your position.
-it means at any time you can be made to do duties that are in the combat side of the USMC regardless of your job.
-it means every Marine has some form of infantry training to fall back on.


What I can say about the USMC is this, and it is not open to debate: The USMC is the only branch that is forward deployed 365/24/7 as a complete unit capable of sustaining war all by itself for about a month. These Marine units travel on ships with all the war fighting gear including jet fighters, tanks, artillery and all the other elements of combat. These units are not on stand-by, and are spread out throughout the world's hot spots ready for action. No other branch can make this claim. So when a crisis erupts anywhere in the world, the first responders will be these units aboard these ships. Whether they get off and engage is another story. Many times just their presence acts as a deterrent.

The Marine Corps adopted this catchy slogan long ago and that is all it is today, a slogan. Whether it applied to those battles of yesterday, I don't know since history is often open to debate. What I can say with great certainty is that today the Marine Corps is not the first in and last out. No branch can claim to be the first in or last out in each and every conflict. No one branch is the first to fight, but very often the Marine Corps will be the first to respond since they are always out there in areas of great concern.
Others such as Navy SEALS or Special Forces may be the first elite units into an area, but the Marines are very often the first combat ready group to enter an area such as in Vietnam who is ready to sustain combat. And in events like the rescuing of American citizens in our embassies, Marines are often the only ones to respond in the rescue effort.



BE REALISTIC IN WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH
Do not set unrealistic goals for yourself. Be very honest in who you are and in what you are actually capable of. There is no shame in admitting you are not Rambo, or cut out to be an officer. Learn to separate fantasy from reality. Wanting to earn your college degree while wanting to serve in the infantry when you know you hate to study and love to party is not a good realistic plan, as an example.


DO NOT EXPECT TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER JUST BECAUSE YOU SERVE
Serving in the Corps does not mean your life is now set. When you are done with the USMC, you basically are shown the door and you must move on with your life with very little help if any from the USMC. They will not hand you any money or a job and they could care less about you once your contract is over. Just being a Marine Veteran does not mean the world owes you anything. You have to get out there and get your job just like anyone else and you have to get out there and enroll into a college, if you so desire. Life is not always easier after the USMC, so prepare for that.




ACCEPTANCE
You must admit to yourself right now before you enlist that you will hate many days in the USMC and that you often will regret enlisting. This is guaranteed. Accepting these facts now will allow for you to better enjoy your enlistment.
If you refuse to accept these facts now, then when those days come, you will be very miserable and filled with anger. Do not enlist thinking the USMC is this awesome place where everything runs smoothly and where life is always fair, because it is not



MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT


USMC boot camp and the Marine Corps life style is indeed a very tough one and one that is not for everyone. So before making this crucial decision, just be well aware that you must adapt to their standards and not the other way around. You are not needed to question its many traditions that have been in place for many decades and the rules you must follow are never open to debate.




Many civilians and non USMC military members believe that in order to become a Marine you need to be in top notch physical shape. Many also believe you must be ready to kill and that you must be some kind of hard-ass troubled teenager to join. There are even those who think that in order to gain entry into the worlds finest fighting force one must be a very athletic person who is bulging with muscles and has absolutely no body fat on his or her person. Many also assume that most Marines come from the dredges of our society and that most Marines are people who could not make it in society. Many times the people who we consider to be "geeks" do not even glance towards the USMC, as they crumble at the simple thought of becoming a Marine. All to often we are made to believe that in order to become a Marine you must be some sort of emotionless, cold hearted person who can easily transform into a killing robot and carry out orders without questioning them.






THIS IS HOW YOU PREPARE MENTALLY!


Don’t expect to be doing 20 pull ups from the get go. Don’t expect to be running 5 miles with ease. Learn to do a USMC pull up correctly and master it. Learn to run 1 mile and perfect that. As your confidence grows, then you can increase your workout routine. Be true to yourself and believe in your workout routine.
Don’t set impossible goals for yourself. Many Marines will never do 20 pull ups ever, or run 6 minute miles, so do not be discouraged. Just do your best, trust in your abilities and be patient and always give it your all.

If you can only do 2 pull ups and can only run 1 mile, then it’s kind of stupid to be thinking you will be at 15 pull ups and 3 miles in a few weeks or months, don’t you think? Don’t be an idiot, be patient and be realistic. There are no magical solutions to getting better overnight. All it takes is a lot of dedication and hard work.

Drill instructors DO NOT abuse you. They do not hit you and they do not abuse you verbally either. From time to time while being shown a movement, you may come in contact with a DI. This is not assault or abuse. So spare us your whining. Always remember that YOU ASKED TO BE THERE. I guarantee you that if you get hit/abused while in boot camp it will be because you did something to provoke it.

You do not need to be in top physical shape to pass boot camp. The purpose of boot camp is to get you into basic shape. The better in shape you are before you enter boot camp, then the easier it will go for you and it will make you more confident. It is ALWAYS in your best interest to be in great shape whether you enlist or not.

Do not go into boot camp with the attitude of “I’ll let them get me into shape”, <<< that is a **** poor attitude that will get you no where in life and it will only make you suffer. You may get away with it, but in the long run it will catch up to your ass. And it reflects on your person in a very negative way. MOTIVATEyourself and make it happen now. The time to stop being lazy is NOW.You claim you want to become a Marine, then how about you prove it to yourself!!

Do not expect to gain huge bulging muscles in boot camp. Boot camp is not about lifting weights and all that bull****. It is about getting your sorry asses into basic shape. Large framed recruits will shed a few pounds, while skinny recruits often gain weight. All recruits become more defined or toned, some gain more muscle then others. I entered boot camp at 176 and I graduated boot camp at 176. The difference was that I lost my baby fat and I became more defined, or toned. We do not all react the same to working out, so you wont know until you go through it as to how it will effect you.

FAQ Should I buy powders and supplements? No, most of these are overpriced and not effective. In fact some may be harmful to your health. The only things I would recommend are a soy protein shake and a daily multivitamin. The protein being optional of course, but I strongly recommend vitamins when altering your current diet in anyway.
Do I have to run long distances every day? Once again no, in the words of former Recon Marine Sgt, star of Generation Kill, and fitness trainer Rudy Reyes, “Long distance running is only good for keeping skinny people skinny.” Distance running is good when training for your 3 mile pft, but not when trying to gain or lose weight. On both accounts running short distances at a fast pace will be much more effective.

Do I need a specific workout plan from an expert? What works for one guy might not work for you, and spending big amounts of money on “specialized, scientific, fancy workouts” is a waste. My advice is look at some popular plans, find exercises that work good for you and build your own plan. You’ll notice really quick if something works or does not work for you. A good mix of cardio, weight lifting, and body weight exercises is what you are after.

Always remember that change won't happen overnight and it is important you give your workout a chance. Don't panic and don't make unnecessary changes. Keep in mind that the more people you speak to about getting fit, then the more you are gonna change your plans. This can be counter-productive in the long run. Understand that at the end of the day, each of you needs to figure this out on your own. You are not me, so I can't give you the plan that worked for me since it is made for me. Do you see what




HERES SOME INFO TO GIVE A HEADS UP ON WHAT YOUR D.I's Might TEST YOU ON!!!! YOU BETTER LEARN THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A True Marines Knows USMC History.





***BASIC USMC INFO
Birthday of the Marine Corps ------10 NOV 1775
Birthplace of the Marine Corps ------Tunn Tavern Philadelphia, PA
First Commandant of the Marine Corps------Captain SamuelNichols
Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps------Archibald Henderson
Meaning of the Blood Stripe------In memory of those who died at the battle of Chapultapec
Mascot of the Marine Corps------English Bulldog
Marine Corps Motto------Semper Fidelis
Meaning of Semper Fidelis------"Always Faithful"
Only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses------Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller
Origin of the nickname Devil Dog------Given by Germans in WWI
Origin of the nickname Leatherneck------ Came from when Marines wore high leather collars to defend against sword slashes.
Mission of the Marine Rifle Squad------ To locate, close with, and destroy the enemy, by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat

Lisa 23
02-22-11, 04:53 PM
Originally Posted by Sekhmet
Also, for those that are curious, here is a link to this article in its entirety, which can be found at http://www.futurejarheads.org/bootcampinfo.htm (http://www.futurejarheads.org/bootcampinfo.htm) and was written by another Marine.

Just thought people could benefit from knowing the source so they could access other useful information.
:thumbup:

Jerubbaal
02-23-11, 05:54 PM
Terrell, you already came here the other day lying about being a Marine (or you're the first Marine in history to get through boot in 24 hours), please don't give advice that you haven't earned the right to give. I suspect SgtLeprachaun will be coming through shortly to drop the hammer on you for pretending to be a Marine.

EDIT: And stealing an article from another website without citing a source just makes what you're doing even worse. I'll let the real Marines here take care of you.

Tbrown10
02-24-11, 02:05 PM
Very Good Read, thanks!

ImpatientPoolee
02-27-11, 05:06 PM
We understand you're a young kid, and a wannabe. We understand you want to join and it makes you feel good to escape the pressures of reality by coming onto this website designated for Marines, young men/women who have enlisted and WILL be Marines shortly, and friends of Marines.

Quit kidding yourself, we're not idiots. Quit degregading all the Marines who have earned The Title.

sagarnaga
03-11-11, 07:15 AM
no idk how accurate this advice forum may be to it sounds like something to listen to... question is.. howwould you give out advice that you havent experienced.. jerubbaal is right in his statement.. please site your source unlesss you are a marine already and need to upgrade your poolee status to pfc or something.. my advice to other pooles is to get in contact with fresh outta boot marines which you will find from time to time in your recruiting office and talk to them.. ask them questions. most of the time they will awnser you in detail. this is wat i do to prepare for boot besides a little run here and there and weight lifting.. there is no real preparing for boot because once we get there im sure everthing you prepared you will forget.. learning this from other marines.. so good luck to all you pooles and lets make the best of our decision.. hoorah! and many thanks to all the men and women serving now and in the past. may the souls of our fallen marines be honored..

Lisa 23
03-11-11, 08:06 AM
Sagarnaga, try using some proper sentence structure, like capital letters at beginning of sentences, one period at the end of sentences, capitalize the letter "I", no texting shortcuts here, hoorah is the Army, it's boot camp, not boot, and on this site, we capitalize "Marine".
Also, try using spell check.
You might want to familiarize yourself with the site rules in the poolee forum while you're at it also.

POOLEE/WANNABEE SITE RULES! Read FIRST!!!

Rule Three when using the words Marine or Corps on this site they will be capitalized at all times!

Rule Six never use the words Semper Fi, Semper Fidelis or OORAH you do not rate that here until you have earned the title of United States Marine!

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28989&page=2

doc h fmf
03-11-11, 12:55 PM
Hey Terrell Busted I Was A Navy Corpman And Knew You Were Bsing.

Vise
03-11-11, 12:59 PM
What a shame.

silentman972
03-11-11, 01:35 PM
somebody give me a boot sock!! i got the soap already! i'll take care of the lies!!

mgelwicks04
03-11-11, 01:47 PM
I am thinking about joining up and i have some questions for someone currently in. can someone PM me?

DudefromDiego
03-11-11, 07:16 PM
Damn, if cyber blanket parties were possible, I would give you one on a biblical scale. I don't know how Sgt. Leprechaun hasn't dealt with your ass yet, but when he does, I'm bringing the popcorn. Can someone PM one of the mods and have this poser dealt with? Terell93, Terell17, whatever. You are no friend of a Marine.

DudefromDiego
03-11-11, 07:29 PM
somebody give me a boot sock!! i got the soap already! i'll take care of the lies!!

If I had $30 in Kennedy half dollar coins and a tube sock, I would tenderize this poser like a steak. ;) *chink* *thump* *thump* "It's just a bad dream fat boy" *thump* (one more for posterirty:p)

teufelmonteur
03-11-11, 11:40 PM
I prefer a sock and an orange. No bruises, no evidence!

teufelmonteur
03-11-11, 11:42 PM
somebody give me a boot sock!! i got the soap already! i'll take care of the lies!!

I prefer a sock and an orange. Doesn't leave bruises!

DudefromDiego
03-12-11, 12:02 AM
I prefer a sock and an orange. Doesn't leave bruises!

And you get a healthy snack when you're done!;)

000agangnon000
03-22-11, 12:16 PM
We understand you're a young kid, and a wannabe. We understand you want to join and it makes you feel good to escape the pressures of reality by coming onto this website designated for Marines, young men/women who have enlisted and WILL be Marines shortly, and friends of Marines.

Quit kidding yourself, we're not idiots. Quit degregading all the Marines who have earned The Title.



I could not have said it better myself.

Redsfan293
04-03-11, 12:25 AM
Terrell stole all of this info from Futurejarheads.com. You can find most of the info word for word on their site. http://www.futurejarheads.org/bootcampinfo.htm
http://www.futurejarheads.org/generalinfo.htm

lutke
05-01-11, 10:57 PM
tnx for info

Knumb Nutz
05-14-11, 08:31 PM
MESSAGE TO POOLIES: Before you enlist, drop the mob mentality. All of this blather about socks and soap is pure B.S. w/a cluster. Being a Marine is being a member of a TEAM, not a place to get your gang creds.
That recruit that you assault may be someone who you are depending on in a fire fight someday...being in the Corps is an honor not some BS punk mob ganging up on someone with a bunch of other punks. If you have a bi... with a fellow Marine, take it into the shower room or wait until you get to the ITR phase to settle up.

To be quite frank with you...I wouldn't want anyone who talks about night time blanket parties in my squad. Reading all of this crap from a bunch of people who are not connected to one another indicates a bunch of mindless followers looking for a leader.

When I went through P.I., there was a guy in our platoon who was pretty much of a foul ball and one night some of his fellow recruits decided to do the sock and lock routine. After taps and after the first pass by the firewatch, these guys started to close in. Well, Private Hask was not any body's punk; He saw them coming and as they got close he reached behind and grabbed his cartridge belt/canteen/bayonet from it's position on his rack, pulled the bayonet from it's scabbord and commenced to beat hell out of a couple of dudes with the canteen end of his belt. There he was waling away with the belt in one hand and the bayonet in the other...It's just pure luck that one of the "heroes" didn't get cut. A good rule of thumb is the old chestnut, "Those who live by blanket parties, die by blanket parties."
Something to think about, You may be part of the party today and the subject of one tomorrow. Don't forget, there is always the Rifle Range...Remember Pvt. Powel in FMJ. How would you enjoy waking up one night to find your sock and lock party-target staring at you throught the site of his "16"? You're joining the US military not the Hell's Angels.


Don't worry, if you want to fight you will get a belly full when you are out on liberty.


A head's up before you go to "Boot Camp". Physical: All you need to do is be in healthy shape, correct weight, can do a fair number of pull ups (at least 5) a good number of push ups (10 to 25 to start) You simply need to be ABLE to train and keep up. More important is your wind...build it up. You will need it for the morning runs, especially during the first phase when you will be pushed to see how far you are able to go before you fall out. You will be out running five short minutes after you open your bright and shining on your first new day and EVERY A.M. henceforth! Prepare well, because your lungs will scream many times before you complete training. If you go to boot in fat body shape you will be assigned to a conditioning platoon. Fat free bland diet and exercise. No regular training except for some of the very basics, none of which counts towards your reg train days. (When I went through P.I. the fat boys had to oink-oink as they went past a regular platoon or when they were entering the mess hall!!) The worst part is you can say good bye to the guys you came with as they will move forward in their training while you are just working on getting in shape enough to begin regular training. You will be staying behind while your original platoon does Final Field and mounts out to their duty stations and Boot leave. Being set back is a real killer.
We had a guy come into our platoon from a platoon that had just two more reg training weeks before final field. His Plt. had even been issued their bag. He had a death in the family and went home on EM leave. When he came back he was set back to our platoon. We had about three weeks to go. His original platoon left the next day! Bummer in the extremus.
(Miss three days,for ANY reason, and you are set back to another platoon coming up behind you; you might not even stay in your original Bn.)

That's the physical part- The mental part is easy. Those Drill Instructors are not interested and do not need to hear anything you believe is important. Also, never begin a sentence with, "I Think" or I Thought"!! So, the best advice is simply, Shut Up and Listen Up!! That's it,
Turn to People and good luck.:evilgrin:

P.S. Just in case you were wondering; about three years later,Pvt Hask was accused of murder. It seems he killed some dude while home on leave. I don't know how it came out as he was tranfered to Portsmouth Navy base in New Hamshire; closer to the site of the offense. One never knows, does one???

goingtousmc
05-30-11, 01:30 PM
I am a very curious poolee and wasted my time reading this Turrell's forum. I just want to say that you really could confuse many poolees, did you not think this site would catch you for a fake? God you must be real dumb- They're Marines!

Kingniceslice
07-14-11, 12:14 AM
I have been to a few of my first pool pt sessions and have been in the b**** circle lagging behind a little (haven't puked yet) and I am just hoping that with repetition and dedication I will stop feeling like dying and perform like some of the others who seem to be thriving pretty well.

WhitetailHunter
07-17-11, 01:30 PM
This was a interesting read, it informed me on a few things.

Knumb Nutz
07-17-11, 03:50 PM
I have been to a few of my first pool pt sessions and have been in the b**** circle lagging behind a little (haven't puked yet) and I am just hoping that with repetition and dedication I will stop feeling like dying and perform like some of the others who seem to be thriving pretty well.
King: If you are persistant and have enough discipline to overcome yourself, one day you will "hit the wall" and you will feel like the Incredible Hulk when he is transforming. In the meantime, it's a question of taking just one more step. I used to pick out various landmarks and tell myself that if "you" still want to quit, "we" will, when we get to that telephone pole or that tree, whatever prominant feature we picked".
Bottom line: That's what boot training is all about...showing you that you are more than you thought you were and no matter how tired you get, you can always take that "one more" step. Like they say in the Army commerciaks, "Be all you can be"; it's very good advice for any young person, no matter which service they enter. Stop looking for answers, you have all you need; answer your own questions. Turn to.

P.S. You had best get out of your "I have aquestion" phase by the time you get to P.I. or S.D. Your D.I. will not be as friendly as your poolie instructor and he will not have the time, nor the inclination to answer questions.

pooleemelius
09-27-11, 04:07 PM
I am a soon to be Poolee. I want to get more information from Marines who have served as 03xx and 18xx MOSs. I really need to get moving on the MOS part of MEPS. I am kicking my butt into gear physically so that my recruiter will take me to MEPS. The more advice the better. I really want to know all about the daily life of an 03xx and 18xx. I want to know how they are being used across seas. How often the average Marine is currently seeing combat; to what degree. If I am asking the wrong questions, then PLEASE smarten me up. I need to be well versed in what I'm getting myself into.

--Thanks All