Frustrated with my recruiter

[indyclone1]

Hi,

I enlisted in DEP in October. I was playing football at the time so I didn't start going to PT until mid November. Back when I started the recruiting process I told them that I was going to play baseball in the spring when we had PT and also that I had class on one of the PT days at the time of PT and I would have to skip because of that. He was perfectly fine with it until now. I am a big guy. I was a lineman and have lost considerable weight. I am 74in tall and have long arms and weigh 215lbs. Pullups are a *****. My IST scores have improved but I am having trouble with pull ups but they are getting easier even though I am only doing 2. I don't leave until September 6th, and he is ****ed that I am playing baseball. It is my senior year so I would believe he would be fine with it like he was way back in July when I started the recruiting process and told him about it. But he is not, and he is not happy that I have a class when PT is. I signed up for the class way before I knew when PT was, and I cannot graduate without completing it, and class participation is 10% of the grade. On top of both of those I hate going to PT ever since our old guide shipped who knew what he was doing because we had a routine that helped everyone improve but the new guide and my recruiter are running PT and its awful because it is just one random crossfit exercise after another with no consistency every day and I don't feel any improvement and am feeling kind of weak from it. In fact, I don't even know what to do on my own really. I tend to be lazy but I have no direction whatsoever and I really want to PT on my own but I don't know what to do. My recruiter asked me what was more important, the Corps or school. I said school because I cant officially join without school. Not only that but I have a Lt Colonel who has helped me with the recruiting process who can't help me anymore because it just makes my punishment in PT worse. I also have not been playing their recruiting games which has not helped me at all. I just really need advice because its driving me nuts and I don't know how to handle it.

[MunkyVsRobot]

doing 2 pull ups and saying they are getting easier aren't really in the same sentence for you right now. if you were doing say 15 or so then the phrase getting easier applies.

Not sure your motives behind the post, are you looking for sympathy? Advice? What is it you are seeking to gain? You'll find none from me You are trying to join the Marine Corps based on your profile you are shipping in September plenty of time to get in shape but you are choosing to play Football, Baseball, do college courses the whole 9.

Priorities, which do you want more the Marine Corps will take you doing the bare minimum at recruit training if that is what you so choose. But they are going to kick your ass and turn you into hamburger for those three months. This sounds really like you are not willing to make any sort of commitment to the Marine Corps like this is just something you thought would be cool to tell your friends.

You also mention you wish you could pt on your own but dont know what to do. Well heres the thing you can PT on your own they have roads in your town dont they? You have a room where you can do sit ups dont you? Im sure theres a playground around you with monkey bars so you could work on pull ups or you could buy one of those door pull up bars. There is this great invention too where you can research exercises called the internet use it start showing you are going to live up to your commitment.

[indyclone1]

No I am not playing football because the season ended in November. I am a senior in high school. I also forgot to mention that the boss at my RS said he was perfectly fine with me playing baseball as long as I did my homework (PT). I have a pull up bar and have done it about every other day but I am not getting much improvement but the two I am doing are starting to feel easier than they did before and I started when I was doing zero. I am homeschooled and take online classes and when I signed up for the class way before I went into the recruiting station and when I did learn when PT was I told him about the class (its required for me to graduate) and he was fine with it at first. I did do research like you said and came up with a good program to do that should help me get better. If I cannot finish that class I can't graduate and I cannot officially join the Marines. But my recruiter keeps insisting that I quit the class and my final sports season when I will have 3.5 months to get ready for boot camp after all of that is over other than the PT i'm supposed to do on my own. I cannot understand his logic that I should quit a class that I need to graduate with so I can join the Marines which I need a high school diploma to join.

[Tennessee Top]

Our core values are, honor, courage, and commitment. So, commitment is REALLY important to us (not just a slogan). Sounds to me your recruiter just wants to see more commitment from you. Basically, he wants to see more results, and fewer excuses. There are no excuses in bootcamp - you WILL achieve results, or you will not earn the title. Bottom line is, it's incumbent upon you to figure out how to make this work. Your recruiter is not going to figure it out for you.

[LCPL1341]

Here's what to do:

1) Run. It's really an easy concept. You put one foot in front of the other and repeat this process until you reach the desired distance. Aim for 3 miles.

2) Look up the Armstrong Pull up Program for pull-ups. Follow it to a T. It's on Google, go find it.

3) It seems that the baseball really serves no real purpose. You're not going to college, and even if you were, I doubt you'd be at the level where scouts are looking at you (otherwise you wouldn't really even be here). So drop the baseball, show up to pool functions, and demonstrate that you at least give a sh*t.

Final remarks: Your recruiter is p***ed because you're weak physically and not really demonstrating that you want to improve let alone meet the standard set forth. 2 pullups is basically failing the most basic requirements needed to ship (which is 3 I think). That's pretty bad dude. I'd be willing to bet that's his biggest grievance. If someone was passing the IST with flying colors and managing a decent number of pullups, I'd almost guarantee the recruiter wont be AS mad at them missing pool functions.

[indyclone1]

Im not missing pool functions I am missing PT sometimes or coming late because of school and baseball. Yeah I am not college level player but I still make a huge impact on my team and its something I am not just going to quit because its my final year of being able to play competitive baseball. It was never about going D1 or getting drafted.

[LCPL1341]

It's still 20 pullups for max, situps today are 100 to max and the 3 mile is 18 minutes to max.

[Rocky C]

To the OP, is there a question in all of that commentary ?

Try using paragraphs so we can read it.

You say you are frustrated with your Recruiter, sounds like he is frustrated with you.

Playing baseball and football is not going to increase your pull ups.

If you need that class to graduate then take it, if not drop it.

Consider yourself lucky you are in the DEP. Potential recruits are standing in line to enlist.

Also, watch your language on an " Open Forum " that the world can view.

Best of luck.

[Rocky C]

It was 80 Shoo.

[Tennessee Top]

If you do happen to make it to the fleet someday. You may not like how your platoon commander/platoon sergeant run PT either. Guess what? They won't care. Nor will they ask you for your opinion.

If becoming Marine does not fit into your busy lifestyle - maybe it's time to look at another career opportunity. The Army will be glad to work around your schedule.

[djj34]

As mentioned before, do the Armstrong Pull Up Program. It got me from 13 to 20 in a month. I've had friends go from 2 to 20 in less time than you have left. Get at it!