A Very Brief Look at My Time in the Marine Corps

My time in the Marine Corps was filled with travel and life-changing events. I could write a book about my entire time, but I need to keep this fairly short. So, I will focus only on some of my peace-time experiences.

As high school was coming to a close, I received invitations to Duke University, and most people expected me to head off to college after graduation. However, a couple of Marine Corps recruiters came to our school, and a friend of mine and I discussed the possibilities, advantages, disadvantages, etc.

I decided to sign up the following week, which was about two weeks before the end of school. Since I was only 17 years old, I needed my mother to approve and co-sign with me.

All recruits that were going to Parris Island, SC were transported to Montgomery for final physicals and to swear in.

We were flown to South Carolina and left in a waiting room with a television that we were not allowed to look at. We were not allowed to speak either. We must have waited seven hours like this, and as around 0345 (3:45am) rolled around, we were herded onto a bus and driven to the island.

Boot camp was an adventure in itself. My platoon had a recruit who tried to commit suicide just a week into boot camp. He cut his wrists in the head (bathroom); the drill instructors shipped him to medical, and brought him back. Ultimately, he was sent to the psychiatric ward, and I really don’t know what happened to him after that.

Before coming to Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) Parris Island, we had to qualify physically. I achieved the bare minimum in pull-ups (three), I did 44 sit-ups in two minutes (minimum is 40), and I ran 1 ÃƔÃ’Ò½ miles in around eight minutes. By the time boot camp was coming to a close, we performed our final Physical Fitness Test (PFT), where I did 22 pull-ups, 119 sit-ups in two minutes, and ran my three miles in 18:00 flat.

Throughout my time in boot camp, we were awakened around 4am, usually by a trash can being thrown down the squad-bay, or something to that effect. Following this, we would head to the chow hall, where you were finished whenever the Senior Drill Instructor got up and put his cover (hat) on. It didn’t matter when you sat down in line (he was always at the front, by the way). There was one time I had only ONE bite in my mouth and I was still chewing when I was told to spit it out, and we were done.

Boot camp was 14 weeks long, followed by four weeks of Marine Combat Training (MCT) in Camp LeJeune, NC. If you’ve ever seen “Full Metal Jacket”, imagine that but with more of the intense moments.

After MCT, I attended Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) school in Meridian, MS. At the end of my occupational training, I was stationed in Kaneohe Bay, HI. Oooohhh yeaaaah! Just under a year from arriving on the island, my squadron, VMFA-212 (Marine Fighter Attack Squadron), shipped off on a WESTPAC, where we pretty much jumped around Japan. I spent time in Okinawa, Iwakuni, Misawa, and Atsugi.

We flew back to the states, where we were re-stationed at El Toro, California, six to seven months later. We then deployed on several mini-deployments, such as desert duty stations, where we trained for our desert conflicts. We tried to make sure we traveled to L.A., Hollywood, Anaheim (Disneyland), and Universal Studios. We were even able to see shows being filmed live such as; “In Living Color,” “Married with Children,” and “Martin.” We tried to experience as much as possible. This same mentality serves you well when overseas, too. Get out and experience the culture. Do something that you couldn’t normally do any other time.

We arrived just after the Northridge earthquake of 1994, and not too long after the Rodney King trial. While there, I was even nearby when O.J. Simpson zipped past as he was being chased through Orange County.

About one year later, another WESTPAC came around and I was off again to Japan. However, this time, along with a few stops in Japan, we traveled to Darwin, Australia as well. En-route to Australia, we stopped in Guam where we were taken to some squad-bay style barracks that had been condemned for nearly 15 years. This is where we were supposed to stay for two days. Asbestos warning signs, bug and rat droppings all over the racks and floors, big, un-recognizable “critters” all added to our luxury accommodations. Most of us decided to sleep at the air terminal, while a few were granted sleep-over privileges by some of our officers.

In Australia, when we were not working, we experienced the outback, crocodile river rides, natural springs to swim in, and the local market that was open every Thursday evening.

I could go on and on about the great experiences I had in the Corps, but I could also talk about the bad times as well. Things like the nerve-racking preparations for our deployment to Iraq, or losing someone you know, etc.

Instead, I’ll say this. The Marine Corps (or any branch of the military) has its advantages, and disadvantages. Surviving Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island is one of the highlights of my life that I’m so proud of, but I wish everyone could see what truly happens there, that you don’t get to see on those watered-down exposes.

It’s a tough road becoming a Marine…a tough road to uphold all that is the Marine Corps mantra…but most importantly, it was the toughest thing I’ve ever done to return to the civilian world instead of re-enlisting and staying with my 2nd family.


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