thedrifter
10-19-07, 01:07 PM
Warriors - Dismissed!
by Jason Blair
Sports Editor
MCB Quantico
When it comes to graduation, The Basic School has it down to a science. Of course, with any Marine Corps event, the music never changes, but there is always that moment when you realize that every TBS graduation is part of a long tradition that has linked America to her Marines for over a century, a tradition by which a nation's mothers and fathers invest in tomorrow's leaders by training sons and daughters to be today's warriors.
But after six months of training, and just 24 hours prior to that longawaited dismissal, about 250 graduating Marines of Charlie Company Basic Officer Course 3-07 had the chance to spend a whole day with family and friends aboard The Basic School's Camp Barrett to experience a day in the life of their Marine.
In order to get the full effect, chow was provided as a Meal-Ready-to-Eat, or they could shuffle through the chow hall line like thousands of second lieutenants before them. The day also included amphibious-assault vehicle rides, live-fire of the M16 assault rifle, a 40mm grenade launcher and a live demonstration of machine guns, pyrotechnics and obstacle course. Static display of various ground vehicles and helicopters allowed family and friends of Company C's lieutenants to experience a small taste of their Marines' training experience at The Basic School.
''Having my family see some of the things I had to do makes me proud of what I accomplished," said 2nd Lt. Peter Ciaston, a 24-year-old combat engineer who is set to spend the next 13 weeks training in Camp Lejeune, N.C. ''Having them see this makes me aware of the importance of my job. Even though it is just a little taste of what I did, it helps them understand what I went through. We're used to thinking of this stuff as part of our job, so it's not out of the ordinary for us. But they seemed really impressed."
As for his girlfriend, he is just glad she didn't think he was goofing off.
''She got to see that I was actually doing stuff during all the time that we had to sacrifice apart," he said, sheepishly grinning as he looked over at her.
Melissa Grimsaw responded with a tolerant smile, rubbing his closely-cropped crown of hair.
''We talked on the phone about all his lieutenant buddies, all the different events and how much he hated this or loved that, but it was always in code, like they were G.I. Joes or something," she said. ''But seeing this stuff made it real and help me understand what he went through.
''A lot of us take for granted how all these young people that could be doing things for themselves are actually dedicating their lives to their country. It's kind of humbling."
Ellie
by Jason Blair
Sports Editor
MCB Quantico
When it comes to graduation, The Basic School has it down to a science. Of course, with any Marine Corps event, the music never changes, but there is always that moment when you realize that every TBS graduation is part of a long tradition that has linked America to her Marines for over a century, a tradition by which a nation's mothers and fathers invest in tomorrow's leaders by training sons and daughters to be today's warriors.
But after six months of training, and just 24 hours prior to that longawaited dismissal, about 250 graduating Marines of Charlie Company Basic Officer Course 3-07 had the chance to spend a whole day with family and friends aboard The Basic School's Camp Barrett to experience a day in the life of their Marine.
In order to get the full effect, chow was provided as a Meal-Ready-to-Eat, or they could shuffle through the chow hall line like thousands of second lieutenants before them. The day also included amphibious-assault vehicle rides, live-fire of the M16 assault rifle, a 40mm grenade launcher and a live demonstration of machine guns, pyrotechnics and obstacle course. Static display of various ground vehicles and helicopters allowed family and friends of Company C's lieutenants to experience a small taste of their Marines' training experience at The Basic School.
''Having my family see some of the things I had to do makes me proud of what I accomplished," said 2nd Lt. Peter Ciaston, a 24-year-old combat engineer who is set to spend the next 13 weeks training in Camp Lejeune, N.C. ''Having them see this makes me aware of the importance of my job. Even though it is just a little taste of what I did, it helps them understand what I went through. We're used to thinking of this stuff as part of our job, so it's not out of the ordinary for us. But they seemed really impressed."
As for his girlfriend, he is just glad she didn't think he was goofing off.
''She got to see that I was actually doing stuff during all the time that we had to sacrifice apart," he said, sheepishly grinning as he looked over at her.
Melissa Grimsaw responded with a tolerant smile, rubbing his closely-cropped crown of hair.
''We talked on the phone about all his lieutenant buddies, all the different events and how much he hated this or loved that, but it was always in code, like they were G.I. Joes or something," she said. ''But seeing this stuff made it real and help me understand what he went through.
''A lot of us take for granted how all these young people that could be doing things for themselves are actually dedicating their lives to their country. It's kind of humbling."
Ellie