Yesterday I was at the Sqrn drawing my gear for a weekend hop and there was a new 2nd Lt (still waiting on Fam-0) working the duty desk, so I indroduced myself. He looked a little older than the average stud so I figure he must be a Prior. Turns out he was a 53 Mech on the west coast. I continue to pick his brain about the west coast and what do you know, we were on the same deployment, on the same ship (USS Peleliu - 95-96)! We got to talking about the float and all the crazy stuff that happened.
If you've ever heard the term "It's a small Corps", well it's true. I'm always running into folks I've served with. And I haven't been in that long, someone like 46Driver, PhrogDriver or Frumby could probably tell ya some good stories. It's something to look forward to for some of you guys that are applying, or happen to be at TBS. Many years from now you'll run into your rack-mate from OCS, or someone from your fire-team at TBS or even your Form wingman from Primary. For example, the TBS CO was my Bn XO when he was a Major, my OCS Company Commander was a Phrog pilot on that same deployment I mentioned above, one of the Sgt's running the range at Quantico was from the Sniper Plt from my old unit, Towbubba (here on AW) - we were on 2 floats together (dif ships)...etc And I'm sure it'll happen till the day you die. Someday you'll be old and grey and still happen to find another old Marine that happened to be in the same unit or same place you were.
I've heard the USMC referred to as a "gun club", "largest Fraterity in the world", "brotherhood", "family", I've even heard us referred to as a "Cult" from some outsiders..... However you refer to it, you'll never regret the day you decided to join. Yeah there are some tough times, and you may loose some buds along the way....but if it was easy, everyone would be a Marine!
SEMPER FI
If you've ever heard the term "It's a small Corps", well it's true. I'm always running into folks I've served with. And I haven't been in that long, someone like 46Driver, PhrogDriver or Frumby could probably tell ya some good stories. It's something to look forward to for some of you guys that are applying, or happen to be at TBS. Many years from now you'll run into your rack-mate from OCS, or someone from your fire-team at TBS or even your Form wingman from Primary. For example, the TBS CO was my Bn XO when he was a Major, my OCS Company Commander was a Phrog pilot on that same deployment I mentioned above, one of the Sgt's running the range at Quantico was from the Sniper Plt from my old unit, Towbubba (here on AW) - we were on 2 floats together (dif ships)...etc And I'm sure it'll happen till the day you die. Someday you'll be old and grey and still happen to find another old Marine that happened to be in the same unit or same place you were.
I've heard the USMC referred to as a "gun club", "largest Fraterity in the world", "brotherhood", "family", I've even heard us referred to as a "Cult" from some outsiders..... However you refer to it, you'll never regret the day you decided to join. Yeah there are some tough times, and you may loose some buds along the way....but if it was easy, everyone would be a Marine!
SEMPER FI
