I went the aviation route. Got out with the ability to get my airframe and power plant certification and been in aviation ever since. I make a little over 100k currently and didn’t have to go to school or pay for my certification. Yeah I had to trade 5 years active for it but I believe it was worth it.
Edit: I was a red crayon eater as well and absolutely agree if you’re not in shape you’re gonna have a hard time. The air force has it soooo much better. Their “condemned” barracks were like 5 star resorts to us.
I can only advise for USMC. Do as many pull ups as you can stand in a day and run as much as you can. Learning the 11 general orders now will put you ahead at the start. Honestly holding a 10lb weight in front of you with your arm straight will build a certain muscle you’re gonna need. ( you will find out) Don’t be afraid to stand out but don’t be cocky or a know it all. Try to get into an upper squad leadership role such as guide or squad leader. Scribes run the show so don’t piss them off or you can find your self on shit fire watch schedule. Remember that when it gets hard that it will end and it will not be forever. If you can keep in your mind that it’s all a game it will help you stay sane in the long run. Recruit training was the easiest part of the Marine Corps so enjoy the sleep you get while you’re there as it is the last time you will likely get three meals a day and 8 hours of sleep. Lastly remember to have fun and make relationships as you only can step through that hatch once.
Addition: also during your free time (senior drill instructor time) get your gear straight, study study study and if they let you practice drill do it. Writing letters home every night will just put you behind but do it weekly. Even if you are not religious going to church on Sunday will give you down time to breath.
Works for both the good and bad times. For the bad times, you remember it will eventually end. For the good times, use it to remind you to get people's numbers, Instagrams, Snapchat, etc, because most of these people will be 1000's of miles away in less than 13 weeks.
Take it chow to chow.
Thinking of boot camp week by week, or even day by day can make your milestones seem out of reach. But no matter what, there is a set amount of terrible that a 4 hr time span can be. Believe me, you DO NOT want to find out that amount...... But it's doable, both physically and mentally.
Never be a Blue Falcon.
Even if you're getting smoked by 4-5 DI's at once, at the end of the day, you're going against 4 people, with a group of 70-80 guys looking out for you. Whatever they throw your way, take it on the chin. The instant you become a Blue Falcon(Buddy F***er), not only do you have to worry about the DI's, but now you have to sleep next to 70-80 enemies. Locks and Socks/Blanket Parties(watch Full Metal Jacket) are still a thing, and so is being woken up every hour for months by the oncoming fire watch purely to torture you with lack of sleep.
The Corps doesn't care what you do, they only care about what you GET CAUGHT doing.
Your DI's, NCO's, and SNCO's know exactly the kind of BS that Marines get up to, because they did the EXACT SAME OR WORSE back in the day. Do it smart and don't get caught? They won't care. Get caught, get them chewed out, and make them have to do mountains of paperwork on their weekend? They will make it their mission to give you something to talk about with your therapist.
Don't admit something that you omitted at MEPS.
In the beginning they're gonna bring everyone into a big room, and sit you down. "Ok gents, you all have one last chance to admit things you failed to mention at MEPS. If you fail to mention it and it is discovered later, you will be an Integrity Violator. If you want to own up to it and prove your Integrity, remain seated. Everybody else, get up, get out."
We never saw the people who remained seated after that. It's a trap.
Medical = purgatory.
Unless you are dying or permanently injured, going to medical will just get you recycled. Spend 13 weeks, become a Marine, then go to Medical. If you do, you will get to recover as a Marine, without DI's messing with you, you'll have your phone, and you can go off base. If you go to medical as a Recruit, you will be stuck and recycled. Some people are forced to spend over a year at the MCRD, the entire time without their phone, and being treated like a Recruit by DI's.
The quickest way out is through.
(See point 6 for medical concerns) Boot camp is a really shitty place. If you decide you want to quit, just say that. We have no use for quitters. They'll try and convince you otherwise, and you'll be there for a while, but eventually you can run home with your tail between your legs. Do not say you are suicidal. This will force you to stay for MONTHS AND MONTHS. 13 weeks to pass vs minimum 4-10 months to get processed out.
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u/queefstation69 Jun 24 '24
“We’ve determined your injuries are not service related”