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View Full Version : My friend's getting deployed to Iraq.


Achped
05-09-07, 08:46 PM
He's the entire reason I gave up an Army ROTC scholarship to enlist in the Marine Corps.

I'd seen Army officers, you know, at Macdill AFB (dad's disabled), at colleges for ROTC programs, whatever, shiny brass on their shoulder and that was about it. Still officers, yes, but nothing truely spectacular, heck I'd even seen an Army officer talk to a Sgt before, and the Sgt called him "MAN". NO FREAKING JOKE.

But my friend, to this day I've only seen him in civvies, and even in those he still walks with a stride I'd never seen before I met another Marine. He's a reservist, but he regrets not going active. The Corps is his life. Shot 243 at the rifle range, 1st class swim qual (actually got SQ, I think thats what its called), and has a 299 pft score (18:01...they wouldn't give it to him haha) he's been in since...November '05 and when he goes to Iraq in July, he'll have his corporal chevrons...and the blood stripe...now I know a motor T reservist is going to promote faster than say an active duty 0300, but still, a Corporal in less than two years? Uhh....

Anyways, sorry for the little spiel about him. I just wish someone could write a movie/book about this guy, he lives/breaths/ IS the USMC. I swear to God every single thing he does, before he does it, he takes a step back and makes sure it won't be a detriment to God or Corps. He even volunteered to go to Iraq.

I guess it just sucks because he's always been there to help me out, he tells me boot camp stories, he won't ruin the surprises for me :), but he tells me enough to keep me entertained, and now he's going to be leaving right before I am, AND I won't get to write to him for moto. I just wish I could be joining him out there.

Its amazing what the Marine Corps does to a guy...I saw pics of him back on the block, some low life guy with an afro in shorts 10x too big and no future ahead of him. Now he's got his own place, job, going to college, and a future. He's still one of only 2 African Americans I've ever met who to this day, still not only like, but actively SUPPORT President Bush and his policies. The other?...a Marine wife and my former English teacher.

Lance Corporal Charles Alexandre (Frenchy), Motor T, truck driver based in Orlando, if any of you run into him, In Iraq or elsewhere, you have a good Marine watching your back.

I'm sorry if this isn't the place for this, but this guy was super motivating to me, and it just really really sucks he won't be there motivating me when I need it the most in boot. I can't wait until not only he, but all 200,000 of you guys I can call "brother".
bgsuwoody
05-09-07, 08:55 PM
Hey man I feel your pain. My cousin (like a brother to me) is on his second tour in Iraq in ATB Company B. He just found out that his tour got extended and wont be there for my bootcamp graduation, our other cousin's bootcamp graduation, or his sisters wedding. Just sort of a downer cause I know he wants to be back for all these things probably more than we want him back for these things

My best friend in the world just got back from Okinawa and had leave between duty stations and then after reporting to Beaufort and finally checking in, he finds out that he is in limbo from staying for a while or going to be checking out to go to Lejeune for training with the CLC-23 who is preparing to go to Iraq. They really don't know what they are doing yet. Thank goodness I get to take his car to him in 2 weeks and check out Beaufort/Parris Island or Lejuene if it comes to that :)

It sucks, but we are in that boat. These guys are motivating as hell to me, but just because they wont be here for me doesn't mean they wont still be motivating me...I want to prove it to them as much as I want to prove it to myself and my family
Echo_Four_Bravo
05-09-07, 09:35 PM
Sometimes reserves promote slower. There is nothing saying a Motor T reservist will be promoted more quickly than an active duty 0311. Tell him to keep his head down and back to the wall for me.

You may not have him motivating you, but you will have all of us.
HLeyb
05-09-07, 10:16 PM
Tell him to keep his head down and back to the wall for me.

You may not have him motivating you, but you will have all of us.

E4B, I've mentioned it to you before, but once again; you are sincerely a motivating Marine.

Achped, it's great to see you have such respect for your friend, sounds like a great guy who really did a 180 on his life. You never know, you might run into him in the fleet one day.
Integrity57
05-09-07, 11:04 PM
I hear you Achped, except my friend is leaving for Boot not Iraq, which sucks because he's been my workout partner for a while and it's been motivating to have someone to talk to about the Corps and MOSs. It just takes strength and determination to carry on and strive towards the goal of becoming a Marine and serving in the Fleet.
jakegpoolee
05-10-07, 04:05 PM
Sometimes reserves promote slower. There is nothing saying a Motor T reservist will be promoted more quickly than an active duty 0311. Tell him to keep his head down and back to the wall for me.

You may not have him motivating you, but you will have all of us.

Thanks Corporal.

Yeah, I'm sure his high rifle range score and pft score helped with his promotion.

This is the same guy who went unk on the rifle range at boot, couldn't swim before the yellow footprints, and could barely read.

Now he helps his platoon with their MCIs, is an SQ swimmer, and is his company high shooter and PFT. He motivates me just as much as Accord does.

Oh, and sorry, this is Achped. I'm on my friend's account.
Accord
05-12-07, 10:26 AM
The last class that graduated from my company at SOI was deployed to Iraq just 3 weeks after arriving to their units. So I could realistically be in Iraq in just 6 weeks, but rumor has it that everyone from my class at SOI will be getting sent to 1/9 the Walking Dead at Camp Lejeune and they were just reactivated a couple weeks ago I believe, so it'll be a few months at least after we get there.
Marine84
05-12-07, 11:04 AM
Oh, and sorry, this is Achped. I'm on my friend's account.

Why? Curious minds would like to know.
Marine84
05-12-07, 11:05 AM
Make sure you post his address - if it's OK with him - we can send mail.
Achped
05-12-07, 01:23 PM
Why? Curious minds would like to know.

Because I was at his house :)

I would love to get the address out, but even I won't be able to get it until I graduate. He leaves June 1st to go on active duty, and I leave June 11th, so he won't know what platoon I'm in to write to me, and I won't know where he's at in NC to write to him. That's the sucky part.
Echo_Four_Bravo
05-12-07, 01:44 PM
With just your company he can get mail to you, it will just be delayed a day or two.