When I enlisted in the Corps, my mother told me not to trust everything the recruiters told me, keep a copy of EVERYTHING that I came in contact with. Not to slam recruiters, but it's still a wise choice. I kept everything from the recruiter including my "honorary" PFC stripe for doing a few months recruiting duty prior to boot and my "guaranteed" contract to go to electronics school at 29 Palms.
I kept my papers in a portfolio obtained for me by my DI's from the store during basic. I was "gigged" on every inspection for having it in the bottom of my footlocker. When I graduated with my slick sleeve and orders to MP school, I went to my SDI and told her I had a contract with the Corps, she said "Prove it, we have no record of the rank or school. You were cut orders based on the Corps needs."
I went to my footlocker and pulled out the papers that had cost me so much on inspections and showed the contracts to the SDI. She asked to borrow them and would return them. I trusted her and it paid off. She came to me later in the evening with PFC stripes (no ceremony) and told me to quietly sew them on before I left the base. She also gave me new orders to 29 Palms. The school was filled, so I would have other schools and duty before electronics school, but I would get the school.
When I arrived, I had all the gear and uniforms that I would have needed for MP school and none of the uniforms that I needed for 29 Palms, they wore camos as opposed to alphas. I had to pay for that out of my first couple of paychecks, but I was so happy to be at my promised station, that it didn't matter.
Things went smoothly for me after the first hiccup. I will always be grateful to my SDI for her help and for the valuable training that I received. I was not in long, but carry my time of service with pride. I feel that having served in the Corps, I can do anything, and it's true. You can too. All the best
Semper Fi,
L/CPL De'Borah Bankston (Woodall, McDaniel) 78-80