I started USMC Recruit Training April 29, 2002 with 2ND Battalion, Golf Company… I received discipline during Week 7(Rifle Week) of USMC Boot Camp Parris Island while practicing marching. Senior Drill Instructor sent me to the side after I made an incorrect motion, and I found myself in front of a extremely energized DI who was about to teach me the consequences of incorrect actions in presence of the SDI…ordering myself and several other recruits who messed up as well to begin exercising in full battle gear, oh it hurt…At the end of punishment exercises the DI ordered us to “port arms” with the M16A4…I obviously was not holding the rifle tight enough, because as the DI smacked the rifle while still in the “port arms” position the rifle swung back and struck my face causing my eyebrow to bleed, which was obviously noticable…I know that it was my mistake that caused this whole situation anyways…there were no options to fix this situation, way too much blood…The battalion was ordered to return to the barracks, the SDI staring at me all the while I took a quick glance at him as I ran past…while in formation a short while, the SDI pulled me aside to a private area one on one…I was questioned about incident and I stuck to the facts, just the facts…nothing was ever said or brought up concerning this incident as well nothing should have…bottom line is USMC Recruit Training is the MOST SERIOUS military training anyone can receive in order to keep our beloved America safe, day in and day out…Many recruits are not built to handle a career in the US Marine Corps…filtering these recruits by such discipline saves US Marines lives everyday whether on the battlefield or on duty on base…God Bless the US Marine Corps it’s Marines…Recruit Training is what gives each Marine his foundation on what a Marine is…The proof is in the final product…There is no “basic” military training in the world produces any finer product than a US MARINE…OOHRAH!…SEMPER FIDELIS! Love ya’ll…
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Amen brother!!!
PI Marine 1976
The worlds Finest, we never lose that connection, Amazing!
Semper Fi
PI 1975
Semper Fi!!! The world can handle only so many Marines…that is why we have the best training and the most elite fighting force. We do not want every person to be a Marine……The Few, The Proud, The Brave, The Best!!! 1968-79 (71-74 active duty)
I was in 2nd battalion 2034 in 91/92 it was really hard but made me the man I am today. Semper Fi…
Well said brother! I might add that the Marine Corps traits and principles are a way of life as well. You can tell a good Marine by the way he or she conducts themselves in their lives after the Corps. Their bearing is ever present. Their organization skills unmatched. Their integrity is inspiring!
Yep. You can spot a Marine from a long ways off. The Marine Corps certainly taught me how to conduct myself for the remainder of my life!
Jerry Tomaschik USMC
Cpl ’81-’85
Always a Marine! Semper Fi Brother!
Outstanding! I became a Marine 1/20/83 and No man will ever take that away. I’ll take my USMC pride to the grave. Semper Fi Devil Dogs!
The training was very hard at Parris Island. I never had a prouder moment then the day I became a Marine for life.
Semper Fi
Ooh-Rah !!!! Semper Fi !!!! …. I served, I sacrificed, I regret nothing….
Platoon 3109 MCRD San Diego June-Sept 1970. Served from 1970 to 1974, discharged as a Cpl. Vietnam Vet. Loved the Corps and have now been in the Marine Corps League for the last 35 years and am the Commandant for the Department of Arizona. I get to hang around Marines everyday. Never happier than when I am with my Marines – that includes family. Just something about us that makes us more comfortable around Marines who think and feel the same way about the Corps. Semper Fi my brothers!!
Was with Plt. 3110 MCRD San Diego June-August 1969. Visited MCRD in 2016 with a former Drill Instructor. It felt like going back to an old childhood home. GREAT memories. I too am a member of the Marine Corps League in Nashville, Tenn. Semper Fi all.
God bless the Corps may it last forever,have been a Marine since I raised my hand April 8th 1967,Ihave never regretted being a Marine.Semper Fi.
Semper Fi you are so right. 67–71
1967 was a great year to enlist. I was a small town kid growing up real fast thanks to our Marine Corps. 22 August 1967 Platoon 1008 Semper Fi
MCRD San Diego 2nd Bn Plt 2098 May 1969
Best damn thing that happened to me. My older brother and much bigger brother always beat my ass when we were growing up and my dad (WWII squid) never said anything about it. Even his harsh style of raising us was nothing to Boot camp. I enjoyed it every day as I kept in mind that this was going to make a man of me. My brother joined the Navy, and all he did was play all the sports on the Sand Diego base sports teams, what a job to do in the Navy. After Boot Camp I went to Pendelton for ITR, while there my brother picked me up for a week end at his apt in San Diego, well we got into it me all of 5’7″ and he 6’3″ and he out weighted me by 100lbs. His girlfriend was ther and he started his picking on me, to make a long story short the fight didn’t last long as he was laying on the floor bleeding profusely around the nose and lips and cuts in his eyebrows. I made him take me back to Pendelton. Most satisfying moment I have ever had with my brother. that was fall of ’69, and today we still do not speak to each other.
You should contact your brother and at least try to make amends. I have lost family with whom I was estranged and have wished that I would have at least tried to contact them.
I GUESS AS I READ THIS & REPLY’S, I AM OLD SCHOOL.PLT.109 1958 AT P.I. IT WAS TOUGH THEN & SHOULD ALWAYS BE SO.EVEN THE COOK HAD TO BE A MARINE. HAVE BEEN USING THAT TRAINING ALL THRU MY LIFE. MARINE FLAG IN DRIVEWAY,HOUSE & VEHICLES. MAYBE OLD NOW, BUT NEVER FORGOT. WHEN I SEE A FELLOW MARINE IN A RESTAURANT I ALWAY’S GIVE A BIG SEMPER FI. IF THERE IS A WW2 VET THERE FROM ANY SERVICE, I BUY THEM THERE MEALS. JUST PLAN RESPECT.
John, you said it all for me. I guess we’re “Salt’s” now. Plt 254 P.I. 1957. Made the trip to Lebanon in 58.
I am one of the old salts I in Ply.138 3rd Bat. In 1955 I was a 17 year old boy and came out a Man Semper FI
Feb 1965 I went to Boot Camp Parris Island SC. The 2nd week of training we got another DI for the total of 3 DI’s. The newest one joined us the 2nd week and made his point that to be a Marine you must be able to handle anything thrown at you. Vietnam was getting hotter and he just returned from duty there. To make a point to us he back handed the first recruit. The recruit started to bleed but said nothing at that moment the DI turned around and saw the recruit standing there bleeding. The DI had a shock look told the recruit to follow him, the recruit did. Sickbay, asked what happened, I fell. They restitch his mouth where he had teeth removed the day before. The DI asked why I didn’t turn him in, You didn’t know i had teeth removed. We stopped by his house had coffee went back to training. Never said anything about it until now.
1977 MCRD SD, Plt 1101; Sgt. Colmenares (sp.?) had duty this night and we were at hygiene inspection. He was known for always bouncing a golf ball, anyway this night one of our fellow recruits was farting around on top of his foot locker behind the Drill Instructors back. Every time he would face to the next recruit, the pinhead would stop. thinking he was getting away with it, he failed to consider those nice big concrete pillars and Sgt. Colmenares bounced that golf ball at him, which on concrete acceles off the bounce; smacked him right in the temple and knocked him off the foot locker. except for “get back up there crazy”, nothing more was said. The recruit tattlefaced at the next health and welfare inspection and Sgt C. was moved to the sister series across the way. It sucked because he was the coolest of all our Drill instructors and we were quick to learn 1) when he says it you do it and nothing goes wrong and 2) if you fail #1…….you will pay dearly.
June 1967 Parris Island Vietnam 67-68 2an Battalion 5th Marines 106s RR Hotel battle for HUE CITY. I was 19 and now 68 it is 50 year for me. Iam as PROUD to be a Marine than and still PROUD today. SEMPER FI TO ALL MY BROTHERS
Parris Island is a real tough place but they make men out of you love the brotherhood of the marines I know I went through hell on the Island and glad I did semper fi brothers I was there in 1973
The facts are: We train in the warrior ethos — we weed out the weak and non-believers in Boot Camp, we want a brother Marine on our left and right we trust with our life on the battle fields, and I as good as them !!! The Marines today are as good as any in the past years, we need to keep our values and training HARD to be the best on any field of battle. I’m partial to P.I., my boot was in the summer of 61, and it was just as good as the movie we saw “The D.I., with Jack Webb. We kid our fellow warriors about “Hollywood”, but it’s in jest since there is no other service that is on par with ours !! Enjoyed my 22 years – went to FMCR as a Gunny (deemed in my book) as the best rank a Marine can have, right hand man for the Skipper in the field and garrison. FSgt of course is the senior Non-Com of the company, but I always thought of a FSgt as the senior Unit Punishment Book Clerk (sorry top), but yall know it’s true !
With that – I say Semper Fi brothers, keep our colors high, have success and stay proud — YOUR MARINES !!!!
Knew a. Gunny O at K Bay Hi , A co 1/3 C O was Capt. Bush. Late 70s
A while back I was given a stack of cards, on the front is Our MCL address, Lakes Region NH but it’s on the reverse side which is most important; You earned the title “Marine”
upon graduation from recruit training.
It wasn’t willed to you; it isn’t a gift. It is not a government subsidy. Few can claim the title;
no one may take it away.
It Is Yours Forever.
Well written my brother. Sometimes in recruit training stuff happens. Sounds like you handled it well along with the DI’s. I can recall several things that happened while I was in boot camp. Along with Woodstock and Charles Manson. Semper Fi. I look back at my boot camp photo book and so proud to see my dad in one of the photos at graduation. Dad was with Fox 2/27 5th Div on Iwo Jima and I with Mike 3/1 CUPP RVN 1970.
Plt 304 PI 1961, retired 1982 as Msgt. will be a Marine forever. Married on boot leave and she is still putting up with me
Platoon 211 January 1955. With broken time retired after 30 in 1995. Maybe not as lean, maybe not as mean, but still a Marine. Now 81 with one son who was a Captain and a second son who retired as a CWO3 after 20. The old Quonset huts we lived in resounded very loud when your head bounced off them. Made me the mature man I am today. OOOORAH. Semper Fi do or die.
Ssgt Joseph lliteras
Once a Marine always a Marine. Semper fi and God bless! 1981-1991. Great write up!
As a Woman Marine, 1951-53, I remember the first Saturday when our Sgt. asked the Catholics to raise their hand; then the Protestants, then “others. Then we were told the time of the Sunday services and what time to be ready to march to the chapel. And, “march”, we did….no, dawdling.
I just love reading my brothers experiences. I’m a Parris Island Marine Platoon 235 and I thank God every day that the Marine Corps taught me how to save my life and make a difference in this world. God Bless the United States Marine Corps.
Harold are you the Marine who worked for Com Ed. You did well for yourself. Thanks for your service.Jim 1961-66 U.S.M.C
P I PLATOON 165 1ST BAT. GRADUATED 1 JULY 1969 SDI SSGT KNIGHT,,ALSO SSGT J H ANDERSON AND SGT MAXWELL, ALSO A SGT CRUZ WHEN WE STARTED BUT HE LEFT ON EMERGENCY LEAVE TO GUAM FOR HIS DAD IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
WE WERE THE HONOR PLATOON OF THE SERIES,WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT WAS TAUGHT AND THE PROUD DAY WE BECAME MARINES
VIETNAM 70-71 HOTEL CO 2/7
Platoon 90 way back in1945 (45-49) Recalled for Korea in 50, Inchon Wanson and the Chosin. Opted to stay in. Did 21 retired as a Capt but by far my best rank was that of Gunnery Sgt. or what they called them back then Technical Sgt.s–Mac
This ^ is stupendous.
I joined the Marines. July 1961, Plt. #246. We were Honor Platoon, had three tough DI’s. That first night was hell on earth and on into the week until we formed a platoon. Alot of dicipline, heard about it but never realized it was going to be that intense. The time flew by, it was time to graduate in October. All I thought about was to not screw up on that final drill on the grinder. Well everything went well, we carried the M1 rifile in those days, and lived out of quonset huts. We had are share of screw ups for which we (the platoon) all paid dearly. Graduated and on my way to Pendleton, for 2nd ITR, four more weeks of training, then leave, then back to Camp Las Pulgas, 0300 infantry. I have never forgot my training in the U.S. Marines. When I see another brother or sister, something in me has to go up to them and thank them for their service and tell them I too am a Marine. Never was i prouder to wear the uniform of the U.S. Marines. Nothing was given to us, we earned it and no one can ever take the title away. It’s ours for life. Semper Fi, Marines, God Bless and you will all be in my thoughts and prayers forever….
Went in 20 Feb 56′ SD 2nd Bat Plt 238 The biggest mistake was telling the DI I was from Chicago (After asked) At that ( he) Oh! I tripped and fell on the deck. He said no hoodlums in the Marine Corp. After that I lucked out and stayed out of trouble. After graduation ITR and Sea school in SD I ran across him and he was another guy and bought me a beer and sandwich. Maybe had that on his mind. At that time was when the Marines were marched in the swamp PI. Semper Fi to all you kids keeping us safe and sound. Every year I go back in for a week and meet with all my Shipmates at Sea Going Marines Association. All you Sea Going Marines out there look us up on internet. Your all welcome to join us. Sea Going Marines .com
Beside my wife of 51 years . The greatest thing that ever happened to me was my time in our beloved corps from 60-64.Where I became a man . That time guided me for life . Thank you to the 3DIs to this day