Author: SgtGrit

Recruit Receiving at PISC 1965-66

This is not about my boot camp days, but it is about boot camp at Parris Island in 1965 and 1966.

I believe it was in last week's newsletter where I read a message posted by Col. M.A. Einsidler.  He stated that he worked at the receiving barracks as a Pfc in 1967.  I can't find his posting again and would like to communicate with him or any other Marines who worked the with receiving barracks crews.  I was crew leader of a seven man crew working the night shift at Parris Islands between November 1965 and October 1966.  Col. Einsidler's comment is the first I have seen from anyone who worked the receiving barracks.  read more

Seagoing Marines

Of all the Marines and Marine Divisions represented in these many stories posted, I don't know why I don't ever find anything about the seagoing Marines.  I know our old draft-dodging president Bill Clinton did away with the seagoing detachments, but there are a lot of us old salts still standing post on the top side of the grass.  We may be getting old, but we aren't dead yet.  Let's hear from some seagoing Marine detachment members. read more

My Interpretation of USMC Boot Camp

Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. My journey began on December 16 and as I sat in the white bus I heard the words that forever frightened me…..and then it began…

“Now without killing yourselves, GET OFF MY BUS!” These are the last four words you will hear prior to your life changing forever. The change begins immediately when you first mirror the yellow footprints. Whatever doubts you had if this is real are quickly gone as yelling is heard from all directions and your heart attempts to escape your frightened body. The night is young and so are you, but you will quickly learn that you have everything to learn once again. We have come from all points throughout the USA. From the big cities, to the rural farms. Different social backgrounds, Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian to name a few. We begin our journey into an elite brotherhood very different, but we will emerge as one, a United States Marine. read more

NCO Sword Tattoo

In 2006 I was stationed on MCAS Beaufort as Crash Fire Rescue, and got augmenting over at PMO. One morning about 3 months after I had been promoted to Corporal I got a call from one of the SSgt’s telling me the Major wanted to see me, and that I needed to be inspection ready in my cammies. Since I had been out the night before I thought for sure I had done something and not remembered it. When I got there I was taken to a room and told the Major was inside. When I opened the door my grandfather, who adopted me and I call my dad was standing there with all of PMO. On the table was a case with a NCO sword inside. My grandfather was a TSgt in Korea and all he said was, “From one Marine to another.” I tried to buy him a sword but he said he was too old to enjoy it, so this is his sword. read more