The Road to Becoming a United States Marine

Hello! I am 19 year old Jess from Va. Due to the lack of information and shared experiences about a female prespective of Marine Corps Rectuit Training (boot camp) I have decided to share my experiences as they happen. This blog will follow me from the first step into my recruiters office to my graduation from MOS school. Semper fi!! Jess~

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Mah. Twitter

I made a twitter. Follow it! @jess_m_toms

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Lunchtime doodle- have recently discovered the magnificent future-finn. Sexiest cosplayer ever, had to draw.

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Lololol!

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And this made my day lol

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What happened

To be very clear, I want to explain what happened to me. I made it to training day 45. Passes swim qual, initial drill, SDI inspection (well we all failed but anyway), initial drill, mid cycle PFT, rife range qual, and did all but two hikes (both being crucible hikes). I did very well in training and was a squad leader. What happened to me was the simple fact that though I could mentally and "physically" handle training my body couldn't. I say "physically" as to say I was fit. I got good PFT/IST scores and never had a problem with PT or MCMAP or hikes. But little did I know that my body was slowly taking a heavy toll. I finally went to medical (I was forced by my SDI) during the hike back from the range. They found multiple muscle sprains/strains in my hip flexors and IT band as well as bilateral (both sides) stress fractures in my femoral shaft as well as a stress fracture in my right hip and a hairline fracture on the left hip. Needless to say after an X-ray and a few hospital visits, I was dropped to the Female Readiness Platoon. I was fully motivated and ready to heal and return to training as soon as possible, but soon ran into more complications. Soon after entering FRP, I ended up getting very sick very often. I couldn't manage to stop being sick for more than a day or two at a time. Finally blood tests were ordered and it was found out that I was anemic an my immune system was severally lowered because of it. Also anemia is a disqualifying condition per DoD order. So the very next day I was dropped into the Recruit Separation Platoon. I helplessly watched as my dreams quickly fell apart. Once in RSP, I was told I was going home for COG convince of the government an would be home in 2-3 weeks. I tried to challenge it, but it's hard to question your own blood. Before I knew it I was on a greyhound bus leaving Beaufort. The only glimpse of hope I have now is that I can come back with a waver. And you better believe once my health is in order I will be right back in it! Becoming a marine is my dream and I made it too close I tasted victory. I wore my blues and service uniform. I had my name tapes. And I watched my platoon and two platoons that followed my own graduate. I watched from 4002/3-4020/21. I will finish what I started.

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From when I was deping in right before we left for PI!! A very exciting day

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Broken Recruit

So if being a recruit wasn't bad enough. There is always the constant fear that is set into you right at after you walk threw the huge shiny doors. The one thing there is to fear at Parris Island is not drill instructors or the gas chamber or even the repel tower. (All of which are very fun things I will tell more about later!) the one thing to fear is being dropped. From the moment the drill instructors lay eyes on you they are trying to see if you can hold out. If you can't you get dropped. Run failures, allergies, anxiety, depression, integrity violators, ect. The list goes on and on. They can and will drop you for anything. With that being said, the one place those of us who wanted to make it avoided was medical. Medical means light duty ( you miss training days when on light duty) light duty means you might get dropped if you are on light duty too long you get dropped from training. Getting dropped from training means you get sent to FRP (for females) MRP or EHP (for males depending why you got dropped) that means extra time on the island beyond what you originally planned. There are two places you can be dropped into. RSP (recruit separation platoon) or PEB (physical evaluation board). I'll explain more later. Breaking can result in being dropped into any of these platoons from training. Or in my case being dropped from training into one of these platoons then into another one. The most important thing I can say is take care of your body and go down prepared. Don't cop out and understand you're going to get sick. Try not to go to medical. And if you do break, you better have loads of motivation or else it will be an even longer road to recovery.

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The side they never tell you about

Okay, so I started this journey with big dreams of the best 3 months of my life. I will say Parris Island is more like home to me than any other place in the world and I will say it was the most rewarding feeling in the world to get there and start training! (I will go more into training later) but the one thing I wasn't prepared for was the one think you can never be prepared for. I broke. Breakin at PI makes it a whole new ball game.

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Doodle I did on post.

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Lololol

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"The Hotel"

My roommate and I (my hotel roommate is also shipping out today) were speaking when we woke up at 0300 this morning.

Roommate: "Damn Thomas, these beds are so comfortable!"

Me: "Haha, yeah they are. It's hard to get up."

Roommate: "Yeah man!"

Me: "LIGHTS LIGHTS LIGHTS!!"

Roommate: "You sound too much like my new alarm clock.."

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Parris Island

Okay, I leave for PI (Parris Island) in a few hours. Only thing left to do is swear in again, then climb on a bus. I can't believe it's been a little less than two months since my process began. Oct. 23, I walked in and saw my wonderful and awesome recruiter for the first time. Oct. 26 I had my first visit to meps (military entrance processing station) where I first DEPed in (dep, delayed entry program. Aka promise your branch you are there's.) Dec. 17, leave for PI.

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Last Night

Tonight is the last night I will be sleeping in my bed at home. The last night I will spend with my family for the next 13 weeks. The last night I will be surrounded by the comforts of my civilian life... I can honestly 100% say, I'm ready to go to Parris Island.

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IST

Of every test I have ever taken, I have never disliked/loved one more than the marine corps ist (initial strength test) man crunches never hurt so good! :D

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Every Marine is, first and foremost, a rifleman. All other conditions are secondary.

USMC

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Boring.

A guy broke up with me recently with the reasoning, 'I got boring'. At the time I was in preparation for boot camp (like I am now) so I didn't have time to entertain him anyway. But, I would like to think that after 13 grueling weeks of training, or once I am trained with an M16A4 service rifle, or I have successfully completed a 54 hour mission complete with 6-8 total hours of sleep 2.5 MRE's (meals ready to eat) and 40+ miles of marching, I will somehow be less boring. But who knows. :)

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Proud Black Sheep

As many of my friends blow up my Facebook newsfeed with happy messages of finished finals and holiday homecomings, it reminds me of how much of a black sheep the marine corps has made me. While they are taking their final exams to finish up classes, I am taking my IST (initial strength test) to make sure I can start my learning and growing process. As they are coming home to spend the holidays with their families, I am leaving far away from my family during this holiday time for total transformation. So yeah, the choice to join the Marine Corps has made me a black sheep now. Though, to be honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. :)

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Final Hour

This is it, as I kiss my last few days of my old life goodbye, I sit back and wonder who I will be when I return 3 months from now… The goal; a strong, proud, hardworking member of The United States Marine Corps.

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Pain is weakness leaving the body.

USMC