Your side of the coin

[EGA1957]

Oh ya...if you talk to any Marine...every marine...we are ALL basic riflemen/women. It's a requirement. No pass, no play kind of deal. That is what you are talking about right?

Does that apply in the discussion in the other thread about The Crucible? What is the WM's equivalent if there is a difference?

[wildwoman73]

Does that apply in the discussion in the other thread about The Crucible? What is the WM's equivalent if there is a difference?

Most likely does. I haven't read that one yet.

[ShannonL]

Does that apply in the discussion in the other thread about The Crucible? What is the WM's equivalent if there is a difference?

I wouldn't think there is a difference, you can't have different programs of training. The enemy and the field don't care who/what you are. I don't think there is or should be a difference.

[ShannonL]

Oh ya...if you talk to any Marine...every marine...we are ALL basic riflemen/women. It's a requirement. No pass, no play kind of deal. That is what you are talking about right?

Kinda. When did you know you wanted to be a Marine, what called you? How did your parents feel when you left the farm life for Marine life. Did you tell them that the farm worker was going to become a Marine or did a transport come pick you up?

[wildwoman73]

I knew going into my second year of college that I was military bound. What branch, I wasn't sure. I taught dance, managed a retail store, did secretarial work for a local attorney and went to school full time. Bored....I was utterly bored. My parents were still stirring up dust after a bitter divorce so I doubt they ever took me seriously until I jumped on an airplane. My recruiter made that happen. The day I left, I tossed my truck keys to my Mother and told her to use it as a trade in and get herself something decent to drive.

I knew I would be a Marine the day I decided to visit all recruiting stations. Each did their preliminary visit bs. Height, weight, "can you pour pizz out of a boot if the directions were on the heel" type stuff. At 5ft 9in and 130lbs soaking wet, the Air Force told me I needed to lose weight. Honestly, I bypassed the Army door because at that phase in life, I was very displeased with my father and he had been in the Army when I was a kid. I didn't need or want his advice. I walked into the Navy recruiter's station. They were very kind and informative. Very welcoming. I took a deep breath and opened the door to the Marine office. After being treated well in the other offices and hearing all kinds of promises, I jokingly said "Ok, where do I sign up? I'm ready". I was met at eye level (because when someone walked in the door, they all stood) by a Sgt. He twitched his brow and said "Well, just wait a minute 'Missy'...I don't know if I WANT you in MY Corps.". From that moment. It. Was. On!!

I was a happy go lucky girl. Millions of friends. Worked hard. Accomplished so much in my short life of 19 years old. And it appeared as if it were my own father standing in front of me, telling me "I can't". Cheerleader, cattle raiser, student council, equestrian, basketball, track, county queen's court, choir....I had my hands in everything during high school and college. I juggled many hats to stay busy but mostly for acceptance from my own parents. Barely got a pat on the back most times. Every crowd I stood in front of for whatever award, my parents smiled as if "That's my girl. She gets that from me.".

"I don't know if I WANT you in MY Marine Corps."....that flipped the switch. I became selfish from that moment on in my life. It was about ME and what I wanted to make MINE.

I didn't know it until I came home from boot, but I felt more pride and acceptance. It didn't matter if it was said or emitted from others. I became a Marine and NOBODY did it for me. I did it myself. I made the Marine Corps mine and nobody could lay claim to that accomplishment.

[Mongoose]

As Ive said before. Its hard to stop a woman with guts and determination.

[ladyboss50]

Hi Shannon! Thanks for writing the book and for being willing to share with others what it is like serving in the best FIGHTING FORCE in the WORLD! When I stood on the yellow foot prints of Parris Island, it was January 1987. I was newly engaged, excited about the chance to serve my country (and join my then fiance in the Corps) and ultimately earn my degree via the GI Bill. When I visited the recruiting office, a Navy guy saw me walking toward the USMC office and said 'Where are you going?' When I replied that I was going to enlist in the Marines, his comment was 'You look too good to go into the Marine Corps, you need to go into the Navy or the Air Force! Now I am pretty girly, but I have an inner RUTHLESSNESS, that allowed me to really enjoy my all too short time in the Marine Corps. I served as the lay leader of my platoon (that means I led Bible study, and helped out in church services at the recruit chapel). I was the honor grad at my MOS school - and was accused of sleeping my way to the honor. Never mind that I studied ALL of the time at 29 Palms (like what else is there to do except to go down to San Diego or Palm Springs-I did that too with some of my fellow WMs). As a 2531 (which was the old MOS number for Field Radio Operators), I was the training NCO for my comm platoon (8th Engineer Support Battalion) at Camp Lejeune-but could not often go out to the field because there were no other women in the units going out for training. There was even one male Marine who bet a couple of other guys that he was going to be able to sleep with me before my husband returned from overseas. Despite all of that, my experiences in the MARINE CORPS have helped me throughout life, especially when I am working in my present position as a middle school assistant principal. PLUS, maintaining my bearing really helps when dealing with unruly children and very interesting parents! Would I do it all again? ABSOLUTELY, but probably at a younger age and before I got married or had children.

[ShannonL]

Thank you very much for your replies. This is why I'm here. To get the full story...I can imagine a loud mouthed parent shouting and disrepecting Ladyboss50 here and her standing up and making her drill instructor proud and putting the pleb in his/her place. (every kick that Marines nads into his throat?)

[wildwoman73]

Hahaha! ShannonL you are VICIOUS!! Lady Marines don't "kick that Marine's nads into his throat".....they "GRAB!! TWIST!! PULL!! GRAB!!" Yes...that was actually a line training ditty. No sh*t.

[usmc987332]

Hi Shannon! Thanks for writing the book and for being willing to share with others what it is like serving in the best FIGHTING FORCE in the WORLD! When I stood on the yellow foot prints of Parris Island, it was January 1987. I was newly engaged, excited about the chance to serve my country (and join my then fiance in the Corps) and ultimately earn my degree via the GI Bill. When I visited the recruiting office, a Navy guy saw me walking toward the USMC office and said 'Where are you going?' When I replied that I was going to enlist in the Marines, his comment was 'You look too good to go into the Marine Corps, you need to go into the Navy or the Air Force! Now I am pretty girly, but I have an inner RUTHLESSNESS, that allowed me to really enjoy my all too short time in the Marine Corps. I served as the lay leader of my platoon (that means I led Bible study, and helped out in church services at the recruit chapel). I was the honor grad at my MOS school - and was accused of sleeping my way to the honor. Never mind that I studied ALL of the time at 29 Palms (like what else is there to do except to go down to San Diego or Palm Springs-I did that too with some of my fellow WMs). As a 2531 (which was the old MOS number for Field Radio Operators), I was the training NCO for my comm platoon (8th Engineer Support Battalion) at Camp Lejeune-but could not often go out to the field because there were no other women in the units going out for training. There was even one male Marine who bet a couple of other guys that he was going to be able to sleep with me before my husband returned from overseas. Despite all of that, my experiences in the MARINE CORPS have helped me throughout life, especially when I am working in my present position as a middle school assistant principal. PLUS, maintaining my bearing really helps when dealing with unruly children and very interesting parents! Would I do it all again? ABSOLUTELY, but probably at a younger age and before I got married or had children.

That last sentence interests me. What is your thoughts on being married with young children and being in the Corps at the same time?

[Marine84]

Oh OK.......................myself, like wildwoman, was absolutely bored to tears in a smaaaaaaalllllll town. I was 23 when I went in. I took a year off after high school, had a couple of jobs, went to a Tech school for 2 years and was only 3 courses shy of a degree and said "FK THIS $H!T" and came up with the only answer there was to get me out quicker than the military. So off I went to the local Recruiting Office and went in the AF door (my whole line of thinking was I wanted to fly and the AF flies). He didn't have a good enough "sales pitch" cause I left his office telling him I would think about it.

The MC Recruiter saw me and came out to the parking lot and told me that he didn't think I needed to talk to the AF and that I should come in HIS office and listen to him for a few minutes. LOL! He told me that I was going to spend the next 4 years battin' my big, pretty, brown eyes and smilin' getting anything I wanted! Told me I could fly whatever. Well, in 1984, I wouldn't have been able to fly a KITE, much less a kazillion $ jet.

I lucked out though. I went in open contract and ended up in Ordnance. Had a blast EVERYWHERE I went and the job itself wasn't that bad either. I met some of the most awesome people that have ever gone through my life. I had waaaaaay too much fun to be miserable about anything. Sexual harrassment? What's THAT? When I checked into my last duty station, the Top that I was going to be working for told me that I was going to be working in the office with him and I had to wear Charlies (with a skirt) on Fridays because he liked my legs. All I could do was smile and wear that skirt every Friday.

To a lot of us women, we didn't have any kind of preconceived notion of what we were getting into but, we realized we were stepping into a MAN'S world. If we couldn't take the heat in the kitchen, we would have to get the hell out. The ones of us that made it had to have some pretty thick skin. I can't tell you how many times I heard "I don't know why they let women in MY Marine Corps" and "You don't deserve to wear the uniform".......................that was MY motivation AND, to top it all off, I looked fking HOT in uniform and civilian attire!

Best thing I ever did for myself and, hell yeah, I would do it again...................but, only if I could be 23 again.

[ShannonL]

Hahaha! ShannonL you are VICIOUS!! Lady Marines don't "kick that Marine's nads into his throat".....they "GRAB!! TWIST!! PULL!! GRAB!!" Yes...that was actually a line training ditty. No sh*t.

I hope to never anger a female Marine...

[ShannonL]

Oh OK.......................myself, like wildwoman, was absolutely bored to tears in a smaaaaaaalllllll town. I was 23 when I went in. I took a year off after high school, had a couple of jobs, went to a Tech school for 2 years and was only 3 courses shy of a degree and said "FK THIS $H!T" and came up with the only answer there was to get me out quicker than the military. So off I went to the local Recruiting Office and went in the AF door (my whole line of thinking was I wanted to fly and the AF flies). He didn't have a good enough "sales pitch" cause I left his office telling him I would think about it.

The MC Recruiter saw me and came out to the parking lot and told me that he didn't think I needed to talk to the AF and that I should come in HIS office and listen to him for a few minutes. LOL! He told me that I was going to spend the next 4 years battin' my big, pretty, brown eyes and smilin' getting anything I wanted! Told me I could fly whatever. Well, in 1984, I wouldn't have been able to fly a KITE, much less a kazillion $ jet.

I lucked out though. I went in open contract and ended up in Ordnance. Had a blast EVERYWHERE I went and the job itself wasn't that bad either. I met some of the most awesome people that have ever gone through my life. I had waaaaaay too much fun to be miserable about anything. Sexual harrassment? What's THAT? When I checked into my last duty station, the Top that I was going to be working for told me that I was going to be working in the office with him and I had to wear Charlies (with a skirt) on Fridays because he liked my legs. All I could do was smile and wear that skirt every Friday.

To a lot of us women, we didn't have any kind of preconceived notion of what we were getting into but, we realized we were stepping into a MAN'S world. If we couldn't take the heat in the kitchen, we would have to get the hell out. The ones of us that made it had to have some pretty thick skin. I can't tell you how many times I heard "I don't know why they let women in MY Marine Corps" and "You don't deserve to wear the uniform".......................that was MY motivation AND, to top it all off, I looked fking HOT in uniform and civilian attire!

Best thing I ever did for myself and, hell yeah, I would do it again...................but, only if I could be 23 again.

Thank you Marine. I bet you dont take kak in your life.

[Snelheid]

I am new to this forum... Feel free to check my profile, I am working on getting it done, just wanting to be detailed and accurate so you all don't chase me away...

I graduated high school in 1999, and spent two years working as a paramedic for a company that hated women. I was 5'5" tall and maybe 100lbs, but strong from growing up on a beef farm, and working with horses. I had to prove myself to get on an ambulance, and fight everyday to prove I was strong enough for the job. I did that and more! I loved the work, and was loving my life... One day (after a good drunken night) I woke up hung over and while stumbling around my little apartment realized that I wanted more in life. I had always wanted to join the Marine Corps, and had been running weekly with the recruiters since my senior year. I thought I should finish college first and then enlist, but that morning I realized how stupid that was. I headed out to my local recruiters office, walked in and told him I was ready to go. I went to MEPS two days later, and shipped within the month. I stood on the yellow footprints thinking to myself "what the ---- have you done", but that was the last time that thought crossed my mind... The moment I stepped through the silver hatch I knew I was right where I was meant to be. MCRD PI to SOI-E to NBC School at Leonard Wood (how 4421 turned into 5711 I will never know... typo I guess) and finally to the fleet, I was home. I worded along side mostly male Marines, and for the most part they treated me as an equal. I was lucky enough to be surrounded by good honest and hardworking Marines, and learned more about myself than I ever thought possible. If I had it my way, I would have stayed in the Corps forever. Sadly, in 2007, my leg was shattered, and after 6 months of rehab it was discovered that the nerve damage was permanent, and that meant it was time for me to go home. Now I am a Sheriffs Deputy in my little county, and use many of the skills taught to me by the Corps in my everyday life. I am a ceremonial horseman with an Army Horse Platoon, working with local recruiters showing the world what Marines can do. (I am the only Marine in the unit...) Now, a few years later with the help of some amazing doctors, I am attempting to re-enlist so that I may go back to doing what I miss so much.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Welcome aboard Snelheid!

As well as a hearty welcome to Wildwoman! Ya'll remind me of my wife LOL. She doesn't come on here but reads much of what's written. (PI in 1986, 'Wing admin 0151 until 1991 EAS).

Semper Fi to ALL 'WM's'...a title that was proudly earned!