Wow. If there were more Palestinians with Mosab Hassan Yousef's insight and courage, there would be peace in the Middle East already.
Haaretz exclusive: Hamas founder's son worked for Shin Bet for years
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
G-d, Country, Corps
From a Jewish retired Marine Col. I know:
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the courses had a professor who was a devout atheist.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, “God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes.”
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, “Here I am God. I'm still waiting.”
It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.
The other students were shocked, stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, “What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?”
The Marine calmly replied, “God was too busy today protecting American troops who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."
A United States Marine was attending some college courses between assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
One of the courses had a professor who was a devout atheist.
One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, “God, if you are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes.”
The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes went by and the professor proclaimed, “Here I am God. I'm still waiting.”
It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair, went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him, knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.
The other students were shocked, stunned, and sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to, noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, “What the heck is the matter with you? Why did you do that?”
The Marine calmly replied, “God was too busy today protecting American troops who are protecting your right to say stupid stuff and act like an idiot. So, He sent me."
-----
Friday, January 29, 2010
As promised, I'm going to try to keep these updates more regular. I've added fiber to my diet, and that helps.
I'm back from EMV (Enhanced Mohave Viper, the big exercise in the desert). It was a great learning experience, and I got about 100 hours of controlling under my belt. The TRAP mission I mentioned last time was awesome - I got dropped off in the middle of nowhere with a Harrier pilot who was playing a "downed" pilot. Some Hueys came by, shot up some "enemy" near us (not too near) with rockets and guns, swooped in to pick us up, shot up some more enemy, and went home. They don't seem all that flashy but hueys, I learned first-hand, are very capable and maneuverable platforms.
I didn't have a camera with me, but google images did, so here's a huey...ours weren't nearly as clean and new-looking:
UH-1N Huey
The last few days of EMV were the best. The air traffic picked up, so I had to pay more attention to make sure I deconflicted aircraft from each other and from mortars/arty. We also did a few mock casevacs, which meant I was briefing a pilot on where he was going and other such info as he was lifting zone and en route.
In other news, it rained, biblically, in CA last week. There are large ponds in the desert where there was previously dust, and the mountains are snow-covered.
The desert
It's cold in the desert!
Also went to Palm Springs and played blackjack. I just can't lose at this game (I know, famous last words). Won back for my friend the $ she'd lost and called it a night.
Next week I start pre-deployment stuff down in Miramar. Oh yeah. I met my Gunny at 29Palms (the one who will be my chief in my wing billet) and he's great. 18 years in the Marine Corps and lots of experience in the kind of work we'll be doing. Any good 2ndLt knows how little he knows, and how much he needs dependable SNCO's to help and teach him, so I think I'm in good hands.
The adventure continues...
Sunset in Twentynine Palms
I'm back from EMV (Enhanced Mohave Viper, the big exercise in the desert). It was a great learning experience, and I got about 100 hours of controlling under my belt. The TRAP mission I mentioned last time was awesome - I got dropped off in the middle of nowhere with a Harrier pilot who was playing a "downed" pilot. Some Hueys came by, shot up some "enemy" near us (not too near) with rockets and guns, swooped in to pick us up, shot up some more enemy, and went home. They don't seem all that flashy but hueys, I learned first-hand, are very capable and maneuverable platforms.
I didn't have a camera with me, but google images did, so here's a huey...ours weren't nearly as clean and new-looking:
UH-1N HueyThe last few days of EMV were the best. The air traffic picked up, so I had to pay more attention to make sure I deconflicted aircraft from each other and from mortars/arty. We also did a few mock casevacs, which meant I was briefing a pilot on where he was going and other such info as he was lifting zone and en route.
In other news, it rained, biblically, in CA last week. There are large ponds in the desert where there was previously dust, and the mountains are snow-covered.
The desert
It's cold in the desert!Also went to Palm Springs and played blackjack. I just can't lose at this game (I know, famous last words). Won back for my friend the $ she'd lost and called it a night.
Next week I start pre-deployment stuff down in Miramar. Oh yeah. I met my Gunny at 29Palms (the one who will be my chief in my wing billet) and he's great. 18 years in the Marine Corps and lots of experience in the kind of work we'll be doing. Any good 2ndLt knows how little he knows, and how much he needs dependable SNCO's to help and teach him, so I think I'm in good hands.
The adventure continues...
Sunset in Twentynine PalmsSaturday, January 16, 2010
The adventure begins
Welcome...or welcome back. It's been a long time since I posted, but I wanted to start (again) using this space to bring people along for the Marine Corps ride that I've been on since the fall of 2008.
Since we last saw our hero in this here blog, a lot has happened. A quick (haha, you know me better than that) rundown:
In May, while still a student at The Basic School, I got my MOS. I am a 7208: Air Support Control Officer. Actually I got my top choice first - intel - but higher powers determined that with my many connections abroad, it would take too long for me to get clearance. My next choice was combat engineers but that was extremely competitive and I ended up with #3 (still not bad). The job is awesome and one to which I think I'm well-suited. Just as an air traffic controller (ATC) controls aircraft over the airfield, my job is to control aircraft over the battlefield, deconflicting them from one another, from other supporting fires and from enemy threats, in order to get them where they're needed (e.g. close air support, CasEvac, assault support, etc.). It's not a terribly difficult job under most circumstances, though in a high-tempo environment it can be challenging.
I State Your Name, Do Solemnly Swear...
In July, I graduated and took leave to see family, and then drove cross-country in 3 days (plus one spent at the Grand Canyon) to s. cali. If you've never seen the desert, I highly recommend it. I've never seen anything like sunset on the red rocks of Sedona, AZ.
The Grand Canyon
Sedona
In August, I reported to my unit - Marine Air Support Squadron 3 (MASS-3) based in Camp Pendleton, CA.
In September, after 6 weeks of on the job training at MASS-3, I went to air schools in 29Palms, CA - about two hours inland in the high desert. I learned a lot about friendly and enemy air assets, how to control aircraft without being able to see them (we don't use radar, which makes us a lot more versatile and expeditionary than we would otherwise be), and related stuff. I went to Vegas and gambled for the first time in my life, and somehow came out ahead. I watched the Yanks win #27 and lost my voice.
It's hot in the desert
In November, I finished air schools and went for a quick visit to Atlanta/Montgomery for Thanksgiving, where I went hunting for the first time and dropped a deer within my first hour (ok maybe 70 minutes). Watched my brother miss a buck at 50 yards, scope notwithstanding. A marksman not is he. Watched him and his wife have borderline coronaries before Alabama finally put away Auburn.
In December I went on leave again for the holidays and got to see my whole family for once. Watched Tebow cry. In NH I took the brothers to the range where I taught the middle one the basics of marksmanship (brass to the grass, pointy end toward the enemy/deer). In his defense I should say that he is pretty good with a bow, having killed numerous stationary targets (but no deer) in the eight years he's been using one. The youngest brother is no doubt a killer with his IDF-issued bullpup, but should not be allowed near a pistol. But I digress.
The youngest bro with his bullpup
While on leave I was offered - and accepted - the opportunity to deploy not with my unit, MASS-3, but with the Wing - the air equivalent of a division - in a billet outside my MOS. Erring on the side of caution, I won't post specifics here but just say that it's an opportunity I've been waiting for, in which, I'm told, I'll be working with and training Marines on security-related matters. The one drawback that I identified in my MOS even before I left TBS is that you don't get much of an opportunity to lead Marines - to train them in a specific mission and help them execute it. I think I'll have that chance in this billet.
So now it's January. Last week, I watched Alabama win #13. The tide rolls on. Now, I'm out at 29Palms again, this time supporting Enhanced Mohave Viper (EMV), the Marine Corps' biggest training exercise. My job is pretty easy - I talk to pilots and get them from point A to point B safely so they can support the troops on the ground. Two days ago, I got to go out with a FiST (Fire Support Team) and watch how they integrate supporting fires from mortars, artillery, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft. A day observing what they do, how they do it and what challenges they face in doing it is worth all the classroom instruction I've ever gotten on the FiST, and helps me understand what I can do in the DASC (Direct Air Support Center - the agency I work for when I'm controlling aircraft) to make their jobs easier. On Monday (MLK day) I'll watch choppers practice evading/returning ground fire, and then watch a TRAP mission (tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel). Cool stuff.
In February I'll leave EMV and actually get to sleep in my apartment for more than a few nights in a row, as I report to Miramar for pre-deployment training. Then, some time shortly thereafter (it's best not to be too specific online though it's hardly a secret) I'll deploy to Afghanistan. I'll do my Wing billet for six months and, if everything goes according to plan, transition to doing my actual job, controlling aircraft, for six more months. In all the deployment will be around a year; not more than 13-14 months at the most I would think. It's the equivalent of two back-to-back deployments for most Marines, but it allows me to get experience both in and outside my MOS - something that every Marine wants and needs but few get so early on.
Ok, as always I've gone on far too long. I promise to try to make future posts more frequent and thus shorter. One final note on my safety, because I know many people just have a vague picture of Afghanistan as an unsafe place. Like any place, there are parts that are "better" and parts that are "worse." I'll be spending most of my time in the "better" parts, trying to support the Marines who are in the "worse" parts. My challenges will be those of most Marines and other troops in Afghanistan - trying to stay productive amidst boredom, connected despite distance. So no matter how inconsequential it seems to you, trust me, I want to hear what's going on with you while I'm away. Check back here for ways to reach me once my deployment date gets closer.
Semper Fi
Since we last saw our hero in this here blog, a lot has happened. A quick (haha, you know me better than that) rundown:
In May, while still a student at The Basic School, I got my MOS. I am a 7208: Air Support Control Officer. Actually I got my top choice first - intel - but higher powers determined that with my many connections abroad, it would take too long for me to get clearance. My next choice was combat engineers but that was extremely competitive and I ended up with #3 (still not bad). The job is awesome and one to which I think I'm well-suited. Just as an air traffic controller (ATC) controls aircraft over the airfield, my job is to control aircraft over the battlefield, deconflicting them from one another, from other supporting fires and from enemy threats, in order to get them where they're needed (e.g. close air support, CasEvac, assault support, etc.). It's not a terribly difficult job under most circumstances, though in a high-tempo environment it can be challenging.
I State Your Name, Do Solemnly Swear...In July, I graduated and took leave to see family, and then drove cross-country in 3 days (plus one spent at the Grand Canyon) to s. cali. If you've never seen the desert, I highly recommend it. I've never seen anything like sunset on the red rocks of Sedona, AZ.
The Grand Canyon
SedonaIn August, I reported to my unit - Marine Air Support Squadron 3 (MASS-3) based in Camp Pendleton, CA.
In September, after 6 weeks of on the job training at MASS-3, I went to air schools in 29Palms, CA - about two hours inland in the high desert. I learned a lot about friendly and enemy air assets, how to control aircraft without being able to see them (we don't use radar, which makes us a lot more versatile and expeditionary than we would otherwise be), and related stuff. I went to Vegas and gambled for the first time in my life, and somehow came out ahead. I watched the Yanks win #27 and lost my voice.
It's hot in the desertIn November, I finished air schools and went for a quick visit to Atlanta/Montgomery for Thanksgiving, where I went hunting for the first time and dropped a deer within my first hour (ok maybe 70 minutes). Watched my brother miss a buck at 50 yards, scope notwithstanding. A marksman not is he. Watched him and his wife have borderline coronaries before Alabama finally put away Auburn.
In December I went on leave again for the holidays and got to see my whole family for once. Watched Tebow cry. In NH I took the brothers to the range where I taught the middle one the basics of marksmanship (brass to the grass, pointy end toward the enemy/deer). In his defense I should say that he is pretty good with a bow, having killed numerous stationary targets (but no deer) in the eight years he's been using one. The youngest brother is no doubt a killer with his IDF-issued bullpup, but should not be allowed near a pistol. But I digress.
The youngest bro with his bullpupWhile on leave I was offered - and accepted - the opportunity to deploy not with my unit, MASS-3, but with the Wing - the air equivalent of a division - in a billet outside my MOS. Erring on the side of caution, I won't post specifics here but just say that it's an opportunity I've been waiting for, in which, I'm told, I'll be working with and training Marines on security-related matters. The one drawback that I identified in my MOS even before I left TBS is that you don't get much of an opportunity to lead Marines - to train them in a specific mission and help them execute it. I think I'll have that chance in this billet.
So now it's January. Last week, I watched Alabama win #13. The tide rolls on. Now, I'm out at 29Palms again, this time supporting Enhanced Mohave Viper (EMV), the Marine Corps' biggest training exercise. My job is pretty easy - I talk to pilots and get them from point A to point B safely so they can support the troops on the ground. Two days ago, I got to go out with a FiST (Fire Support Team) and watch how they integrate supporting fires from mortars, artillery, and fixed and rotary wing aircraft. A day observing what they do, how they do it and what challenges they face in doing it is worth all the classroom instruction I've ever gotten on the FiST, and helps me understand what I can do in the DASC (Direct Air Support Center - the agency I work for when I'm controlling aircraft) to make their jobs easier. On Monday (MLK day) I'll watch choppers practice evading/returning ground fire, and then watch a TRAP mission (tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel). Cool stuff.
In February I'll leave EMV and actually get to sleep in my apartment for more than a few nights in a row, as I report to Miramar for pre-deployment training. Then, some time shortly thereafter (it's best not to be too specific online though it's hardly a secret) I'll deploy to Afghanistan. I'll do my Wing billet for six months and, if everything goes according to plan, transition to doing my actual job, controlling aircraft, for six more months. In all the deployment will be around a year; not more than 13-14 months at the most I would think. It's the equivalent of two back-to-back deployments for most Marines, but it allows me to get experience both in and outside my MOS - something that every Marine wants and needs but few get so early on.
Ok, as always I've gone on far too long. I promise to try to make future posts more frequent and thus shorter. One final note on my safety, because I know many people just have a vague picture of Afghanistan as an unsafe place. Like any place, there are parts that are "better" and parts that are "worse." I'll be spending most of my time in the "better" parts, trying to support the Marines who are in the "worse" parts. My challenges will be those of most Marines and other troops in Afghanistan - trying to stay productive amidst boredom, connected despite distance. So no matter how inconsequential it seems to you, trust me, I want to hear what's going on with you while I'm away. Check back here for ways to reach me once my deployment date gets closer.
Semper FiSaturday, April 25, 2009
it's 5:09 AM...
and thanks to an f-ed up night I'm wide awake, stone sober and sitting on the balcony of our hotel room overlooking VA beach, typing this. But if my night turned out to be a complete waste (not in the sense I'd hoped), maybe my pre-dawn will atone. It has, after all, been a long time since most of you heard from me, though a loyal few keep calling and for that I'm grateful. So until I can call you back, I hope this little update will do.
Let's see. We're definitely past the half-way point in the POI (program of instruction) at the basic school, and it feels even further than that because we really only have a few major events left: some field exercises/urban combat stuff, the 15 mile hump (this Thursday), a few exams. Today (actually yesterday) we went out to the range and got "familiar" with some crew-served weapons we'd been studying for the past week or two. We fired the 240B med machine gun (dinkadinkadinkadinka), the 50-cal heavy MG (thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack) and the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher (thunk thunk thunk...whomp whomp whomp). It was, in a word, awesome. Of course, for 2 minutes or less of trigger time each we waited around about 8 hours or more (of course wearing flaks and fliks and all that jazz), so all in all a pretty average day here at TBS (The Big Suck). But we're finally getting to the good stuff - big guns (I fired a 155mm howitzer the other day), platoon-sized evolutions, fire and maneuver (instead of what amounts to a bonzai charge every time we spot - or think we spot - the enemy), setting up a defense (read: digging holes and filling sandbags), and in just a few short weeks - MOS's.
MOS stands for Military Occupational Specialty - your job in the Marine Corps. There are 22 MOS's open to active duty Marine Officers such as myself - everything from infantry to PAO (public affairs officer). There are a set number of slots for each. I'm going for intel, with my main back-up being combat engineer. There are more slots for each than I expected, but it's still going to be extremely competitive. I got my 1st command eval today and my SPC (staff platoon commander, a captain) thinks I'm doing a good job. He thinks I'd be a good fit for intel, but also for comm or logistics. I think not...but I told him I'd think about it, so who knows.
Anyway, we find out our MOS's in about a month, or a little less. If I get intel, I'll be training at the Navy/Marine Corps Intel Training Center in Dam, Neck, VA, which is probably a five minute low-crawl from where I'm sitting right now (incidentally, starting to watch the sun rise over the shore - life could be worse). I have no idea when I'd start there, so I might be doing some temporary duty in DC or theoretically even with my 1st unit, while I wait for the next class to start up. Regardless, I graduate TBS on July 2 (note the change from July 3 if you already had it on your calendar), all dressed up my blues and sword and the whole schtick. So that's my way of saying - come! In just a few short months I could be on my way to Afghanistan (or Hawaii, you never know), and it's been far too long since I've seen most of you anyway. So while you'll definitely be getting a bit more personal of an invitation, I just wanted to let everyone know when it is in the hopes that you'll set aside the date and join me for it. It's in Quantico, VA of course, about 40 minutes south of DC.
Two teens just skate-boarded by me down on the board-walk. It's 5:47 AM. One was wearing a kippah. We're entering the realm of the bizarre, and I think it's time to sleep. Hope to hear from you!
Let's see. We're definitely past the half-way point in the POI (program of instruction) at the basic school, and it feels even further than that because we really only have a few major events left: some field exercises/urban combat stuff, the 15 mile hump (this Thursday), a few exams. Today (actually yesterday) we went out to the range and got "familiar" with some crew-served weapons we'd been studying for the past week or two. We fired the 240B med machine gun (dinkadinkadinkadinka), the 50-cal heavy MG (thwack thwack thwack thwack thwack) and the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher (thunk thunk thunk...whomp whomp whomp). It was, in a word, awesome. Of course, for 2 minutes or less of trigger time each we waited around about 8 hours or more (of course wearing flaks and fliks and all that jazz), so all in all a pretty average day here at TBS (The Big Suck). But we're finally getting to the good stuff - big guns (I fired a 155mm howitzer the other day), platoon-sized evolutions, fire and maneuver (instead of what amounts to a bonzai charge every time we spot - or think we spot - the enemy), setting up a defense (read: digging holes and filling sandbags), and in just a few short weeks - MOS's.
MOS stands for Military Occupational Specialty - your job in the Marine Corps. There are 22 MOS's open to active duty Marine Officers such as myself - everything from infantry to PAO (public affairs officer). There are a set number of slots for each. I'm going for intel, with my main back-up being combat engineer. There are more slots for each than I expected, but it's still going to be extremely competitive. I got my 1st command eval today and my SPC (staff platoon commander, a captain) thinks I'm doing a good job. He thinks I'd be a good fit for intel, but also for comm or logistics. I think not...but I told him I'd think about it, so who knows.
Anyway, we find out our MOS's in about a month, or a little less. If I get intel, I'll be training at the Navy/Marine Corps Intel Training Center in Dam, Neck, VA, which is probably a five minute low-crawl from where I'm sitting right now (incidentally, starting to watch the sun rise over the shore - life could be worse). I have no idea when I'd start there, so I might be doing some temporary duty in DC or theoretically even with my 1st unit, while I wait for the next class to start up. Regardless, I graduate TBS on July 2 (note the change from July 3 if you already had it on your calendar), all dressed up my blues and sword and the whole schtick. So that's my way of saying - come! In just a few short months I could be on my way to Afghanistan (or Hawaii, you never know), and it's been far too long since I've seen most of you anyway. So while you'll definitely be getting a bit more personal of an invitation, I just wanted to let everyone know when it is in the hopes that you'll set aside the date and join me for it. It's in Quantico, VA of course, about 40 minutes south of DC.
Two teens just skate-boarded by me down on the board-walk. It's 5:47 AM. One was wearing a kippah. We're entering the realm of the bizarre, and I think it's time to sleep. Hope to hear from you!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Cold enough for ya?
How cold was it this week? It was so cold...
But...I can't complain. Miraculously, on Friday, the actual day we qualified on pistol/rifle, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and it was a balmy 45 or so degrees. We felt, as someone else in my platoon put it, like we'd won the damn lottery. And most of us shot better as a result. I got "expert" on rifle (the top ranking) and missed it by 3 points on pistol, getting "sharpshooter" instead. I'm definitely happy with those results, though I'm looking forward to getting more practice on the M9 Beretta.
Aside from the cold, the past few weeks have been pretty awesome. We earned our tan belts in MCMAP (Marine Corps martial arts program) a few weeks ago by throwing one another around (and into the ground comma frozen solid). While I initially hated MCMAP because the fundamentals are much closer to boxing than to the fluid, low-center-of-gravity techniques I'm used to, I've grown to like it, especially as we learn techniques that are straight out of Aikido. MCMAP is supposed to combine the best and most martial elements of all the other arts (while leaving out impractical, sport-oriented stuff) and I'm starting to see how, at the higher levels, it does exactly that. I'm hoping to find the time to earn my grey and green belts while I'm here.
Next week, we do some more advanced rifle stuff - moving targets, etc. It will still involve early mornings, the 3 mile pre-dawn hump out to the range and whatever temperatures G-d throws at us, but I'm looking forward to it.
- within an hour or two of leaving the barracks for the rifle range, the water in our canteens/camelbaks was frozen solid
- despite wearing some 4-5 warming layers (underarmour, polypro, fleece, gortex) we were still shivering and stomping and blowing like spastic, rabid horses
- I heard one guy trying to give away a block of ice disguised as an apple
- thanks to uselessly numb fingers, during pistol cleaning we sent multiple spring-loaded parts whizzing past unsuspecting ears
- even Sgt. G put on gloves
But...I can't complain. Miraculously, on Friday, the actual day we qualified on pistol/rifle, the clouds parted, the sun came out, and it was a balmy 45 or so degrees. We felt, as someone else in my platoon put it, like we'd won the damn lottery. And most of us shot better as a result. I got "expert" on rifle (the top ranking) and missed it by 3 points on pistol, getting "sharpshooter" instead. I'm definitely happy with those results, though I'm looking forward to getting more practice on the M9 Beretta.
Aside from the cold, the past few weeks have been pretty awesome. We earned our tan belts in MCMAP (Marine Corps martial arts program) a few weeks ago by throwing one another around (and into the ground comma frozen solid). While I initially hated MCMAP because the fundamentals are much closer to boxing than to the fluid, low-center-of-gravity techniques I'm used to, I've grown to like it, especially as we learn techniques that are straight out of Aikido. MCMAP is supposed to combine the best and most martial elements of all the other arts (while leaving out impractical, sport-oriented stuff) and I'm starting to see how, at the higher levels, it does exactly that. I'm hoping to find the time to earn my grey and green belts while I'm here.
Next week, we do some more advanced rifle stuff - moving targets, etc. It will still involve early mornings, the 3 mile pre-dawn hump out to the range and whatever temperatures G-d throws at us, but I'm looking forward to it.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Looking back and looking forward - part II
I'm back at Quantico and have some time before things kick off again tomorrow morning. When we last saw our hero, he was making it through week five and a runny nose. We gave him a tissue.
Anyway, in the second half of OCS, things got easier, and harder. The PT got harder, both objectively - more repetitions, harder runs, etc. - and subjectively, insofar as my body was slowly breaking down. The yelling gradually lessened, and though it never really went away, it was even less of a big deal than it had been at the beginning. The expectations rose, of course, and the leadership evaluations got harder - squad-sized groups instead of fireteam, more complex orders to receive and issue, etc.
But as we got through one event after another - the 9 mile hump, various field exercises, the night IMC - we got stronger, physically but more importantly mentally. We could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we had confidence in our ability to handle whatever was thrown at us.
Along the way, we lost lots of candidates - 50% in my platoon. We lost a rather large handful in week four, the first opportunity to drop on request. We lost some candidates who will make great Marine officers, including at least one who had already been a great enlisted Marine, but had the bad luck to get injured or sick. And we lost some candidates who the staff felt didn't have what it takes, at least right now. The last of these was dropped two days before graduation.
The last few days of OCS, I felt at times elated but mostly tired and relieved. Our very last event was a five-mile "moto run" which, believe it or not, was in fact a ton of fun. At the end the Col. jumped up on the PT table and lets just say he knows how to motivate Marines. That was probably the happiest moment at OCS for me aside from commissioning - I was sweaty and a little tired from the run but I felt great, pumped and proud to be part of that swarm of almost-Marines screaming OOH-RAH in response to the Col.
Friday, Dec. 12, we graduated from OCS in the morning and, after lunch with my parents, I headed to the museum, changed into my rank-less Alphas, and took the oath with the roughly 180 or so candidates of Delta Co. that remained from a starting company of about 360. Technically, that was the moment I became a Marine, but in my mind, it happened two nights earlier, when our platoon commander, a captain, handed each of us our first Eagle, Globe and Anchor, shook our hands and said "congratulations, Marine." Anyway, after the commissioning, my parents pinned me on, I stepped outside and received my first salute from my former instructors, and then I went straight to TBS to check in, without passing Go or collecting $200.
The next week consisted of long hours of in-processing, and that's what this coming week will be too - plus a PFT and Swim Qual. So wish me luck on those. Assuming I don't bomb those, the following week 299 Marines and I will start the 6 month POI (program of instruction) known as the BOC (Basic Officers Course). Around April or May, I'll find out my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty, or job) in the USMC. It's based on class rank at TBS, my ranking of preferences, and the needs of the Corps. On July 3, G-d willing, I'll graduate TBS and head off to my MOS schools. Depending on the school, that will take a few months, and from there it's off to the fleet. I'll be assigned a unit at a given location (e.g. Camp Lejune, Okinawa, Camp Pendelton, etc.) and that'll be home for the next few years - the place where I train and from which I deploy (probably to Afghanistan, from everything we're hearing). And I'll meet my first platoon - the Marines whose lives and livelihoods will be in my hands, the Marines whom I will command, but whose experience will far exceed my own. I can't wait.
So that's what the next year or so holds for me. TBS is physically and mentally demanding - we'll have various fitness tests, lots of exams (it's equal to 2.5 years of college crammed into 6 months), all kinds of field exercises, rifle and pistol qualification, etc. etc. etc. Dropping even a fraction of a percentage of your GPA can drop you tens of places in your class ranking, which not only impacts your MOS but will affect your promotion timing for the rest of your career.
But at the same time, we're treated like adults. Eating, sleeping, working out is up to us. The days will be long but at the end of each day we'll have liberty, just like you do in the civilian world when the workday is over. Most of our weekends will be ours. Of course, we'll have plenty of studying and working out to do in that free time, but it's still nice to have regular access to the world again.
I guess that's it. If you have any questions about OCS or TBS or anything else, don't hesitate to write or call me - I'm happy to answer them and I would love to hear from (and see) you! Especially those of you who don't live in the DC area - if you're ever around please let me know, and if you want I can even show you around the picturesque environs of MCB Quantico.
Semper Fi.
Anyway, in the second half of OCS, things got easier, and harder. The PT got harder, both objectively - more repetitions, harder runs, etc. - and subjectively, insofar as my body was slowly breaking down. The yelling gradually lessened, and though it never really went away, it was even less of a big deal than it had been at the beginning. The expectations rose, of course, and the leadership evaluations got harder - squad-sized groups instead of fireteam, more complex orders to receive and issue, etc.
But as we got through one event after another - the 9 mile hump, various field exercises, the night IMC - we got stronger, physically but more importantly mentally. We could see the light at the end of the tunnel, and we had confidence in our ability to handle whatever was thrown at us.
Along the way, we lost lots of candidates - 50% in my platoon. We lost a rather large handful in week four, the first opportunity to drop on request. We lost some candidates who will make great Marine officers, including at least one who had already been a great enlisted Marine, but had the bad luck to get injured or sick. And we lost some candidates who the staff felt didn't have what it takes, at least right now. The last of these was dropped two days before graduation.
The last few days of OCS, I felt at times elated but mostly tired and relieved. Our very last event was a five-mile "moto run" which, believe it or not, was in fact a ton of fun. At the end the Col. jumped up on the PT table and lets just say he knows how to motivate Marines. That was probably the happiest moment at OCS for me aside from commissioning - I was sweaty and a little tired from the run but I felt great, pumped and proud to be part of that swarm of almost-Marines screaming OOH-RAH in response to the Col.
Friday, Dec. 12, we graduated from OCS in the morning and, after lunch with my parents, I headed to the museum, changed into my rank-less Alphas, and took the oath with the roughly 180 or so candidates of Delta Co. that remained from a starting company of about 360. Technically, that was the moment I became a Marine, but in my mind, it happened two nights earlier, when our platoon commander, a captain, handed each of us our first Eagle, Globe and Anchor, shook our hands and said "congratulations, Marine." Anyway, after the commissioning, my parents pinned me on, I stepped outside and received my first salute from my former instructors, and then I went straight to TBS to check in, without passing Go or collecting $200.
The next week consisted of long hours of in-processing, and that's what this coming week will be too - plus a PFT and Swim Qual. So wish me luck on those. Assuming I don't bomb those, the following week 299 Marines and I will start the 6 month POI (program of instruction) known as the BOC (Basic Officers Course). Around April or May, I'll find out my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty, or job) in the USMC. It's based on class rank at TBS, my ranking of preferences, and the needs of the Corps. On July 3, G-d willing, I'll graduate TBS and head off to my MOS schools. Depending on the school, that will take a few months, and from there it's off to the fleet. I'll be assigned a unit at a given location (e.g. Camp Lejune, Okinawa, Camp Pendelton, etc.) and that'll be home for the next few years - the place where I train and from which I deploy (probably to Afghanistan, from everything we're hearing). And I'll meet my first platoon - the Marines whose lives and livelihoods will be in my hands, the Marines whom I will command, but whose experience will far exceed my own. I can't wait.
So that's what the next year or so holds for me. TBS is physically and mentally demanding - we'll have various fitness tests, lots of exams (it's equal to 2.5 years of college crammed into 6 months), all kinds of field exercises, rifle and pistol qualification, etc. etc. etc. Dropping even a fraction of a percentage of your GPA can drop you tens of places in your class ranking, which not only impacts your MOS but will affect your promotion timing for the rest of your career.
But at the same time, we're treated like adults. Eating, sleeping, working out is up to us. The days will be long but at the end of each day we'll have liberty, just like you do in the civilian world when the workday is over. Most of our weekends will be ours. Of course, we'll have plenty of studying and working out to do in that free time, but it's still nice to have regular access to the world again.
I guess that's it. If you have any questions about OCS or TBS or anything else, don't hesitate to write or call me - I'm happy to answer them and I would love to hear from (and see) you! Especially those of you who don't live in the DC area - if you're ever around please let me know, and if you want I can even show you around the picturesque environs of MCB Quantico.
Semper Fi.
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