I hate good byes

[marinegreen]

Print and send her the 3 month schedule of what she will be facing. It is the day to day schedule of what is to come. The not knowing really bugged me.

Now she may or may not have it posted in her squad bay. My son did in his in 2002.

Truth be told, it may have been posted in my squad bay in 1979, but knowing anything about the Corps before I joined, the abbreviations would have meant nothing to me. To Kaydra, they would.

And YES - totally normal what she is going through! They are making her realize just how "not ready" she was for this! LOL

Dont know if such a good idea Shadowman, Has things changed that much where recruits got to see what was there daily scheduel, I never got that LUXURY back in boot and glad I didnt as I feel we would have lost focus on what we were doing in that moment, whereas If we knew what was coming next I think concentration would have been broken. But hey if thats what they do now and its working then who am I to say it isnt right. My opinion, SF.

[Shadowman777]

ROFL!!!!
Will do If you only knew how much I loved playing with graphix ROFL

I'll see what I can find for a smokey bear

[IMG]http://**************/hole.jpg[/IMG]

[Mama]

ROFL...well that saved me some trouble...

Thanks

[Shadowman777]

Dont know if such a good idea Shadowman, Has things changed that much where recruits got to see what was there daily scheduel, I never got that LUXURY back in boot and glad I didnt as I feel we would have lost focus on what we were doing in that moment, whereas If we knew what was coming next I think concentration would have been broken. But hey if thats what they do now and its working then who am I to say it isnt right. My opinion, SF.

Like I said - we may have had it up when I went through in 1979. Thing is, there are so many acronyms, unless was a true poolie, they would have no idea what they meant. When I sent copy to my son, he said they already had a schedule up - the same as what I sent him.

Boot camp is always such a blur of action. I know there were guys who knew what was coming next (leading me to think the schedule may have been up) but I just thought they were full of it.

In this case, we need to hear from former DI's. They would know for sure - because I am sure do not.

The only thing I was concentrating on in boot camp was "not sticking out." The banana that sticks out is the one that gets peeled. That being said, they also get to be Guide and Honor Marine.

[Marine84]

Oh now THAT'S cool as all get out!

Here's another one for her Mama:

Hey Baby Girl!

Almost through the 2nd week! Keep your head up, don't take anything the DIs say to you personally - Marine Corps bootcamp is like daring somebody to do something. You know how when you dare somebody that they CAN'T do it and they do it just to prove they CAN - Marine Corps DIs (God LOVE them ALL) are daring you every time they tell you that you CAN'T do something or you DON'T deserve to wear the uniform - it's all up to you to show them that you CAN, BY GOD, do it, that you DO, BY GOD, deserve to wear the uniform and you WILL, BY GOD, make it through bootcamp. It will take a couple of weeks for you to figure out what it is exactly that they want from you but the day that light bulb goes on over your head and you figure it out - IT'S SMOOTHE SAILING BABY! Hang in there and drink PLENTY of water! We've all been there - we know what you're going through - we ALL know you're going to make it and your last letter home to Mama (like mine was) will have written on one page in big letters - I MADE IT THROUGH MARINE CORPS BOOTCAMP!

[Mama]

Thanks Marine84,... I got it pasted in for ya.

[Camper51]

Mama, If you read the site that has the training schedule it specifically requests that you NOT send the schedule to your recruit. Think about it, schedules always get changed and she is going to be kept busy virtually every minute she is in boot camp. The last thing she needs is to be trying to think about what may happen tomorrow or a week or two from now. She needs to concentrate on what is being done NOW not in the future. Do a big favor and do not send the schedule. If the Drill Instructors have one posted then she already knows, and if not it is because they do NOT feel the recruits have a need to know.

KEEP those form letters she sent to you. The other day I was going through my bootcamp yearbook and found a letter (form) from General L.E. English welcoming me to bootcamp and it explained some of the things that were going to happen and it also said I may write and complain about conditions there. It was quite surprising to find it and I appreciated that my parents actually kept it. I also had a "Certificate of Acceptance" in to the Corps, that I never knew about. I am gonna have it framed. My dad kept the suitcase that I sent my "civvies" home in along with the address tag that was put on it for mailing. It still amazes me that these small things meant so much to my parents at the time that they actually saved them. I am sure after many years have passed that your daughter will see these things and look back on them with fondness and pride as I do now. Mom is gone now but my love and memories of her are strengthened each time I find something like this.

[GySgtRet]

I agree with Camper 51. You do not want your recruit second guessing the training at all. Because the Marine Corps will teach you to be FLXIBLE.

My 2 cents. Tell her take it one minute at a time it may be intense at times but that is what she has signed up for.

[Marine84]

yeah.............sending a copy of the schedule wouldn't be a good idea - if she gets busted with it, a DI will have a field day chewing on her butt for a while. Better to NOT know what's coming at ya.

[Stanley Hroszow]

Tell her to hold on it will get better as time goes on the only thing that is happening is they break the old or new recruit to mold the new Marine, and to put her self in God's hands and he will get her through as the top Marine # 1. the light at the end of the tunnel. I have her in my prayers 2x's a day

[teddyn]

Wow! Those two girls in the USMC t-shirts in your photo look really young!

I don't know if this helps, but in the parent advise section of the 'Candidate Book' for the Naval Academy they suggested that for each of the letters you send, you have a different inspirational quotation- there are tons of sites (such as http://www.quotationspage.com/ ) and books filled with them.
On reading that in the book, I thought it was a good idea, or at least it would probably help me
I love quotes

There are probably hundreds of Marine Corps specific quotes alone to get you started!

Hope that helps!

[teddyn]

Oh, and here's another idea (also from the Annapolis book):

Include a cut-out of a cartoon your recruit likes from the paper in each letter (like Calvin & Hobbes or Garfield or whatever).
A good way to momentarily think about something else that is neither home nor PI!

I only suggest these because they're something I would like my parents to do if/when I go to recruit training myself

[teddyn]

Aaah, just found this one, really lifted me up:

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results."
-Anon


LOL, sorry for posting 3 times in a row, I'll let someone else talk now

[Stanley Hroszow]

The best ones are in the bible. it has alot of good war stories to

[Mama]

Camper, Marine84, Gunny...I won't send the schedule...I do keep one on my fridge, I added dates to the Matrix and the cross off each day for her as I come home from work in the mornings.

Teddy, I have been pasting notes from here, quotes, cartoons, comics and devotionals into her letters for her. She was disappointed she didn't get to take her Bible with her.

I've also sent her a letter from her cat...he's rather funny anyway so it was pretty easy to send that one LOL I think Scruffy will send her a letter today/tonight...I'll work on it while I'm at work...she's kinda lazy and fat but she's unique as well LOL

Anyhow...thanks y'all for all the suggestions...and the messages

Stanley, I pasted your post into her letter today I usually make a section in each letter for "Greetings from your friends at Leatherneck" It includes posts, those who've asked about her in chat etc...anyhow...

Off to get ready for work.

Thank you all *SO* much for all your support and prayers for her! And the advice for me ... I'd hate to get her singled out for something heh