The time has come...

petesvx2 · #1 02-29-2004, 08:34 PM

Well I have a week to go from Monday until I ship off to boot camp. I was wondering who is interested in writing letters? From what I'm told, when recruits receive mail, it boosts the morale a little bit. If you're interested, let me know your address, either post it up here or PM me.

ensteele · #2 02-29-2004, 11:44 PM

Pete

Good luck. Yes, it helps to get mail from home and friends. If you get your address to someone here, they could post it for you and then we would all have your address. If anyone wants to write, they could. Good luck and hang in there.

You will be surprised what you can do. This will be an experience that you will remember the rest of your life and nobody can take that away from you.

HighwayUFO · #3 03-01-2004, 12:21 AM

just think about the next time you will get to drive your SVX. That alone would help me get through boot camp, so it might do the same for you.

GreenMarine · #4 03-01-2004, 06:00 AM

Yea dude here's my address... Mail here on base sucks but I'll wait for a letter from ya and post the address here for all to write to ya...

Cpl. Chris Lindley
H&HS (MCCS)
P.O. Box 55010
MCAS Beaufort, SC
29904

Later man

petesvx2 · #5 03-01-2004, 10:21 AM

Hey thanks guys, Chris, you'll get a letter as soon as my Company Commander allows us to write. I'm guessing a couple weeks into it.

GreenMarine · #6 03-01-2004, 01:18 PM

I would imagine that it would be at the end of the first week... (The first weekend that you are there)... That's when we were allowed to write home or to whomever... That one week seemed like forever though... It also seems like you'll never get a letter back either!!! Took 2 weeks for me to get my first letter... TWO WEEKS!!! That felt like 2 months!!! Well you'll have fun man, can't be worse than Marine Corps bootcamp... But remember, don't take crap from anyone, while you are there you are suppose to be the biggest dog of them all!!! Lead them, don't be lead

petesvx2 · #7 03-01-2004, 01:43 PM

I was actually told it was the 2nd hardest basic training behind the Marines. More so because of all the classroom I imagine. Obviously the physical aspect is a little less. I dont have to carry a piece and a huge backpack through the woods!

GreenMarine · #8 03-01-2004, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by petesvx2
I was actually told it was the 2nd hardest basic training behind the Marines. More so because of all the classroom I imagine. Obviously the physical aspect is a little less. I dont have to carry a piece and a huge backpack through the woods!

That's right, you'd have to worry about drowning, where as I would have to worry about getting shot... But to me I think drowning would be worse... That's just me though

petesvx2 · #9 03-01-2004, 02:34 PM

Depends on where you get shot I would think

. If I get on a boarding team like I want to, harder physical training will definitely go along with it. Do you guys wear bullet proof vests in combat? Drowning would really suck!

GreenMarine · #10 03-02-2004, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by petesvx2
Depends on where you get shot I would think . If I get on a boarding team like I want to, harder physical training will definitely go along with it. Do you guys wear bullet proof vests in combat? Drowning would really suck!

Nope we don't wear bullet proof vests... We wear Flack Jackets (Body Armor), but they are not bullet proof... Especially from the muzzle velocity of the M-16 round (over 3100 fps!!)... Flack jackets are to protect us from shrapnel from Grenade blasts and morters and such... If it were up to me though I would not want to wear the Body Armor unless I was fighting in Urban Warfare... Out in the woods or jungle somewhere I want to be as light as possible so I can move quickly... Body Armor isn't light at all... Especially our Kevlars... (Helmets)...

petesvx2 · #11 03-02-2004, 12:07 PM

I always assumed the helmets were really light. That kinda sucks, trying to be sneaky with this 20 lb thing on top of your head weighing you down. How heavy is it?

GreenMarine · #12 03-02-2004, 02:24 PM

It's not 20 lbs... Probably only about 5-7lbs(but that's 5-7lbs on your head) Try being fast with that... It's just VERY not comfortable!!! But hey, ya can't find comfort in war anyway...

and if it's gonna save my life I'll wear it

petesvx2 · #13 03-02-2004, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GreenMarineSVX
It's not 20 lbs... Probably only about 5-7lbs(but that's 5-7lbs on your head) Try being fast with that... It's just VERY not comfortable!!! But hey, ya can't find comfort in war anyway... and if it's gonna save my life I'll wear it

Good point. I remember playing football my freshman year, and although the helmets were light in your hand, on your dome they were really heavy! The Coast Guard has come out with new uniforms that look pretty badass.

Alycone · #14 03-05-2004, 09:22 PM

When one of my friends was in bootcamp, a girl wrote a letter to one of the guys he was with and addressed it like it was to an officer, the guy got in a bit of trouble for misrepresenting his rank to the ladies. I always thought that'd be a mean thing to do to someone....so, what's your address?

lee · #15 03-05-2004, 09:49 PM

Best of luck Pete.

Like Earl said, it will be something you remember for all your life - been 29 years for me and I could probably still find my way around blindfolded (assuming the barracks is still there - God, I hope not).

GreenMarine had good advice. Lead, and the DI/TI (or whatever the CG calls em) will give you a bit of respect (not too much, but some - and any breathing room will be welcome).

One thing I can offer: try not to take anything too personal. The instructors have seen hundreds, maybe thousands of guys, and know VERY well how to push buttons to get under your skin. A big part of their job is to make sure you can handle stress when tired, dirty and sweaty - now when it's non-lethal. Blow up, and they will push even harder to see if you should be flunked out. When real-life stuff happens, you'll be glad they did flunk out the flakes - and unless times have changed a lot, there will be some who quit/get ejected.

And hey, I was in the wimpiest boot camp of all, the USAF