View Full Version : Boot camp in Summer vs Boot camp in winter?
What are the pros and cons of going to boot in summer versus going in the winter?
thewookie
03-23-12, 06:37 AM
Either way it's going to be a MFer. And they will wear you out so much you wont care what month it is, or what the weather is doing.
Where are you going -- PI or SD?
Each have there own ups and downs.
Since you are out of NJ....you will be going to PI. The winters are cold and wet and the summers are hot and wet...sometimes. The advantage to winter is there are fewer sand fleas chewing on you.
Either way...as TheWookie said...it will be a mother.
Don't worry as much about the weather as you should preparing yourself for your transition from scuzzy civilian to Marine.
Yes sir, I was just curious about the differences. I'm going to PI this summer.
thewookie
03-23-12, 10:01 AM
Yes sir, I was just curious about the differences. I'm going to PI this summer.
OOh man those sand fleas. The single biggest thing I hated about PI (I was there from feb-may) was those damn sand fleas.
Our DI's used to park the platoon right under those willow trees and dare us to scratch or flinch. And soon as somebody did -- oh-we-oh-off-to-the-pit-we-go.
Then after the pit-stop, being all sweaty and sandy, it was back under the willow tree and dinner time for the fleas.
The DI's always said the fleas ate better than the recruits.
Man, I don't wish those sand fleas on anybody.
The DI's are mild compared to them. ;)
Those fleas will find openings in your body that you didn't know about. They will crawl in your eyes, ears, nose -- any place they can.
Have fun.
MOS4429
03-23-12, 10:53 AM
If you are going this summer, then you will deal with heat and humidity and, of course, longer days.
In the winter that would not be an issue.
One would assume the training is the same, but not exactly. There are heat indexes, and when the red or black flag flies, PT curtails. That will occur more in the summertime and they have to work around that.
Big Boz
03-23-12, 03:27 PM
In San Diego, in the summer time, the maids who came in to make our racks for us had shorter skirts on than they did in the winter time.;)
I just laughed super hard hahaha good one Big Boz :-]! My friend did say the sand fleas suck, can't wait!
POOLEE/WANNABEE SITE RULES! Read FIRST!!! (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?28989-POOLEE-WANNABEE-SITE-RULES!-Read-FIRST!!!/page2)
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?28989-POOLEE-WANNABEE-SITE-RULES!-Read-FIRST!!!/page2
Phantom Blooper
03-24-12, 06:04 AM
All good advice....
Just remember.....regardless of the weather and conditions....
Marines have been serving in every clime and place since 1775.
You and your body will learn to improvise...overcome and adapt.
Big Boz
03-24-12, 10:53 PM
All good advice....
Just remember.....regardless of the weather and conditions....
Marines have been serving in every clime and place since 1775.
Come on don't lie. Every clime and place means every place hot, bug infested and full of sand.
Sorry about breaking the rules, true that Marines thank you.
Rocky C
03-25-12, 06:05 PM
Parris Island, June, July and August 1977.
Hot, Humid, Wet, Bug Infested Sand.
120 Degrees in the shade. If you could find any.
I loved it :)
SPENCE0351
03-28-12, 02:58 PM
ITS SO GOD DAMN HOT THERE IN THE SUMMER. I WAS 1ST BN DELTA FIRST DECK, AND OUR AIRCONDITIONER WAS BROKEN MOST OF BOOTCAMP AND WE JUST HAD 2 BIG FANS, WHICH ALSO BROKE BC THE DI's WOULD RUN IN AND FLIP THEM OVER. SEEMED LIKE YOU COULD NEVER GET OUTA THAT HEAT N HUMIDITY. BUT LIKE EVERYONE SAID, YOUR **** OUTA LUCK EITHER WAY MY FRIEND
Rocky C
03-28-12, 04:30 PM
Air Conditioning ?
Fans ?
In Boot Camp ?
Is this the " New Corps " ?
sempidr
03-28-12, 08:16 PM
Ahh, San Diego in the summer of '64. Always wanted to look up at 'da plane, leaving the SD Airport, but never dared. But, remember wishing I was on it.
Spent enough time in Gieger to know I was lucky to have gone through MCRDSD.
I hate bugs, especially hungry sand fleas.
Sempir Fi
Sempidr
usmc5831
03-29-12, 01:03 PM
I went to PI in Jan of 1984. It seemed like it was rainy and cold the first two weeks I was there. Just added to the, where the where the hell am I factor of PI? I'll take hot and sunny any day. Not to mention there were no internet forums or YouTube videos. The place was a complete mystery to me when I stepped on those yellow footprints.
Awesome, thanks for the great feedback.
wilsontc11
03-31-12, 02:00 PM
either way it sucks. in the winter, depending on your DIs you aren't allowed to wear warming layers 50% of the time, and the field area is like a wind tunnel, they like to pour water on your hands when its like 10 degrees out too.
thegimprider
10-20-15, 01:35 PM
I'm from Truckee California and hate the heat therefore I chose winter for MCRD San Diego. I cried when I saw Desert Storm Marines in full NBC gear running through Iraq on TV and was damn glad is was not me.
Marine1011
10-20-15, 02:30 PM
just like palmsy, bringing up ancient threads.
joseywales
10-20-15, 02:32 PM
yep, real common nowadays LOL AINT content with the present
29palms
10-20-15, 04:42 PM
thegimprider. I went to Paris Island in summer. Didn't really plan it either way, just the way it went down. I wish I had done it through winter. I'm sure there must have been some suckie cold days, but it was brutal in July and a few times we had the BLACK FLAG out so we had to PT in the barracks. I bet the sand fleas in winter were pretty much put in check.
Kegler300
10-20-15, 05:32 PM
Yeah, I went to boot camp in the summer too and my ears almost got sunburnt off!
the rummor was they served Cocoa
durring the winter months-
and Ice Cream in the Summers
thegimprider
10-21-15, 10:48 AM
Ice cream and cocoa? Yea I think I remembered that was during the afternoon when we hung out on beach towels drinking Pina Coladas
Suddenly I'm awake with Di's tonsils 4 inches in front of my eyes saying something about maggots
Big Boz
10-22-15, 08:56 AM
the rummor was they served Cocoa
durring the winter months-
and Ice Cream in the Summers
I was a fatty and couldn't have either
TonyK22
06-12-16, 05:50 PM
I went to PI during the winter of 1970/71. The coldest day was the day we had to qualify on the rifle range.
How cold was it?...It was so cold that our DI's lit a fire in a barrel and let us warm our hands before we fired...It was so cold that around 25% of my platoon went UNQ and didn't even qualify as a Marksman...It was so cold that one of my fingers on my right hand (I'm a lefty) froze to my M-16. When I pulled it off the rifle I also pulled off part of my fingerprint too. I still have the scar that reminds me of how much I wanted to qualify that day.