Posted: 7/30/2007 4:53:52 AM EDT
...left for Marine boot camp today. 29 years to the month after his dad did to the same place. A toast to you Brian and all the Marines of today whose bravery and sacrifice continue to show that the Marines still do it right. Semper Fi
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Congratulations! 1 June 08 next year will mark 25 years since I went and allot of the memories are still as fresh as the day they happened. I still have those crazy bootcamp dreams too-- you know; the ones where you're back there again, but this time in your 40's? Anyway, congratulations again. He left a teen, but he'll come back a Marine! |
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OORAH DEVIL DOG. He will get there tonight - just in time to step on those beautiful little yellow footprints....... Just looking at that pic gets me a little choked up............................... First thing that went through my mind when I saw the pic you posted - "Wonder how many feet have DRILLED on that little strip of land ? " I can still feel myself driving the boot heels into it. |
...thousands, and thousands and thousands...that drill deck will always be hallowed ground for Marines. I always stop and think about how many brave souls marched around out there where we did, only to never come home from Tarawa, Iwo, the Chosin, Hue...now new chapters are again being written in the blood of brave young men. God bless them. Oh, and who can forget the footprints...I always get a kick out of the guy with the striped pants and the white shoes. Ooorrah for the 70's baby! 
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Boy, I also remeber that like it was yesterday. MCRD - what a place. And it was 28 years ago (2 weeks ago at least) for me....still remeber the haircut and the smell of the canvas preservative on the Camos we were issued.....what a memory....CONGRATS. I have an 18 year old son seriously considering it. My dad was there in 1947. Probably had the same DI as me !!! |
I remember the footprints. Oh what fun! |
...let's see...28 years, 25 years, 29 years for me, GetSum went in back there in the stone ages too...Day'um fellas, we be gettin' old. Not too old to kick ass when we have to though. Turm, If you want to show your son what it's like, there's a video called "Ears Open, Eyeballs Click"...takes you right through the whole thing in San Diego. Was filmed about a year and a half ago right down in the trenches. All you fairies who went to PI get back...there was a PBS special done on PI a while back if someone needs to watch that. Actually there's been a couple of specials on PI. But anyone coming outta Texas has to go to San Diego anyway (unless you're a legacy and you went to PI, then your son can request to go to PI too. They are pretty good about granting that). You know I'm just kidding about PI, brothers. We're all jarheads under the skin. 
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| Congratulations to your son for making the decision to join our brotherhood, the world's finest fighting force, The United States Marine Corps. 21 August will mark the 26th anniversary of my own graduation from MCRD Parris Island and I remember each and every moment of the whole boot camp experience like it was yesterday. My 11 year-old has already made up his mind that he's going to be a Marine just like his dad; nothing would make me prouder than to see him bring that desire to fruition. By the way, the picture of the MCRD San Diego grinder took me back to my days spent on-board the Depot while attending Recruiter's School back in '84; thanks for the memories. Semper Fidelis to all my Devil Dogs out there... |
I'll tell ya a little secret, GETSUM, MOS2111 and I went to APG two weeks ago. GETSUM set up a 6" X 6" iron plate on a piece of wood 100 meters distant and unloaded on it with his new Eotech equipped AR. I bet he hit that thing 27 out of 30 times rapid fire. I had just bought a Bushnell holosight and attempted the same after zeroing the holosight (nearly) to my irons. Needless to say, GETSUM's ragged Recon ass (j/k) did considerably better. Time to rezero the holosight...  EDIT: clarity. |
You know, our Corps is small enough that it seems I have been in the same place at the same time at some point with most of the Marines that I've met. Hell, I ran into a retired SgtMaj three years ago and we'd been in the same infantry battalion twice--once when I was enlisted and again when I was a zero! A small world fellas indeed. |
Hey you Old Salty sh** Birds - I ain't that old....................... "Wait a minute - I'm getting there. :-> 18 yrs for me. <-- Had to clear that up. OORAH  |