Adventure for 2008
Sgt. Grit,
I may be 59 but I still love my Corps and the traits they instilled in me over 37 years ago!
I realize there will come a day when I am no longer able to have an annual physical adventure like I’ve been doing every year. I’ll get older, less strong, less flexible, less fit. But, that day is NOT today! My adventure for 2008 was to run the Obstacle Course at Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, where Colonel Mike Gilman (retired) and I shared the struggles of becoming a Marine officer. Having remained close friends all these years (over 37 years now since we attended OCS), Mike Gilman agreed to share this adventure with me. And, it was a good thing, too, since we encouraged each other to go every step of the way.
I have rope burns on both lower legs and very sore chest and arm muscles (my 4 mile running course 3 days a week and weight lifting program at the gym each week was simply not enough to overcome the challenges of this “O” course). With a determination to make the Corps proud, though, we got over every obstacle, jumped “the red wall” and climbed to the top of the rope. Pain really is weakness leaving your body as we both felt strong in heart at the end of the course. As my Marines would say, “ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING.”
I’ve attached 9 photos of the course adventure from beginning to end (thanks to our wives, Nancy and Sallie, for the photos and the laughter which just made us run harder!). The last picture was taken in front of The Basic School HQ where Mike and I spent 6 months learning to become infantry officers and leaders of men. I may be “Old Corps” but I still bleed Marine green and that pride I’ll take to my grave.
Semper Fi!
Jim Hill