Any advice to pass on to a 17-year-old who has no idea what he's getting into?
I was talking to our tenants yesterday. Retired USAF couple. He's a Citadel alumnus and thus he's equipped with an extraordinarily high tolerance of pain plus a keen understanding of that skull/brick wall concept of "perseverance". He's working a contract job while he decides what he wants to do all day, and she's running the family. Good people.
She said that their youngest was graduating from high school and was about to change status from "valued family [-]chores slave[/-] member" to "squatter". He did OK in high school but I don't think he's interested in college yet. I joked "Congratulations, when is he visiting the Marine recruiter?" She replied "Tomorrow", and she wasn't joking.
They understand the military, and their kid clearly has no idea what he's getting into. But he has his goal and his plan, two features which have heretofore been in short supply in his long-term thinking, so they'll support him.
Their son is over six feet tall and skinny-- heck, he may be underweight for his height. Generally quiet & respectful around adults but he's articulate when engaged in conversation. He enjoys outdoor activities and he's no couch potato but I'm pretty sure he's not in shape for recruit training. However he's a qualified lifeguard, and around here that requires actual physical conditioning and some skills. He enjoys history and military re-enactments so he's no stranger to the martial culture, but again I doubt he's truly experienced anything like the Marine version of outdoor activities.
With nearly eight years of ER it's possible that my knowledge of military training is no longer on the cutting edge. (Gosh, I sure hope so.) ClifP recommended an excellent book called "Making the Corps" a while back, and I passed that on as well as another one called "Into the Crucible". (Both books are over 10 years old but very focused on recruit training.) There's also useful information on Military.com about the Marine physical-fitness standards (Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test - Military Fitness - Military.com), although I'm sure that's only minimal preparation for the reality of recruit training.
He's been chatting with the recruiter, who seems to be doing a decent job, and of course the parents know how to distinguish between military policies & recruiter promises. There won't be any surprises or unreasonable expectations on their part. He's thinking artillery but I don't know what he's learned about the program or any enlistment incentives. No doubt after a few years of the Marines he'll have a completely different view of college plus the motivation to succeed at it.
Anything else to recommend or to do differently? Anything else you Marines wish you'd known before you raised your right hand?
I was talking to our tenants yesterday. Retired USAF couple. He's a Citadel alumnus and thus he's equipped with an extraordinarily high tolerance of pain plus a keen understanding of that skull/brick wall concept of "perseverance". He's working a contract job while he decides what he wants to do all day, and she's running the family. Good people.
She said that their youngest was graduating from high school and was about to change status from "valued family [-]chores slave[/-] member" to "squatter". He did OK in high school but I don't think he's interested in college yet. I joked "Congratulations, when is he visiting the Marine recruiter?" She replied "Tomorrow", and she wasn't joking.
They understand the military, and their kid clearly has no idea what he's getting into. But he has his goal and his plan, two features which have heretofore been in short supply in his long-term thinking, so they'll support him.
Their son is over six feet tall and skinny-- heck, he may be underweight for his height. Generally quiet & respectful around adults but he's articulate when engaged in conversation. He enjoys outdoor activities and he's no couch potato but I'm pretty sure he's not in shape for recruit training. However he's a qualified lifeguard, and around here that requires actual physical conditioning and some skills. He enjoys history and military re-enactments so he's no stranger to the martial culture, but again I doubt he's truly experienced anything like the Marine version of outdoor activities.
With nearly eight years of ER it's possible that my knowledge of military training is no longer on the cutting edge. (Gosh, I sure hope so.) ClifP recommended an excellent book called "Making the Corps" a while back, and I passed that on as well as another one called "Into the Crucible". (Both books are over 10 years old but very focused on recruit training.) There's also useful information on Military.com about the Marine physical-fitness standards (Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test - Military Fitness - Military.com), although I'm sure that's only minimal preparation for the reality of recruit training.
He's been chatting with the recruiter, who seems to be doing a decent job, and of course the parents know how to distinguish between military policies & recruiter promises. There won't be any surprises or unreasonable expectations on their part. He's thinking artillery but I don't know what he's learned about the program or any enlistment incentives. No doubt after a few years of the Marines he'll have a completely different view of college plus the motivation to succeed at it.
Anything else to recommend or to do differently? Anything else you Marines wish you'd known before you raised your right hand?
