Silly momma has a heavy heart...:/

[Medic!]

I missed that one.
But I went through Navy and Army basic training.

Tuff year!

I'm still not sure if I should run for my life. Or swim?

I'm proud for you both.

 

[Certaindeaf]

His first care package should contain... (some parents can be pretty heartless but it's a tradition, lol).
awesome

 

[rick benjamin]

Pvt Anzilone's older brother wrote him a postcard "say Hi to your DIs from me"
He spent the next 3 months doing bends and thrusts and pushups
On each count he shouted "Hi".

 

[Monica Cowles]

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement!

I AM super proud of my boy!!! He is very intelligent (scored a 98 out of 99 on the ASVAB), is in pretty decent physical shape, and has good character--obedient, respectful, and orderly. These things will help him in bootcamp.

But.

Here's where the heavy heart comes in. He is also NOT athletic, rather awkward and there is not an aggressive bone in his body. I am so concerned about how he will handle the intense physical rigors of training. I am mostly worried about him getting injured because of his physical inexperience. Can a nerd be a Marine?? A 'killler'?? His MOS is Admin/Supply/Legal, which probably doesn't require TOO much in the line of physical endurance, but he still has to make it through boot camp!! I know my fretting and worrying won't be much help to him, but as a homeschooling family, we were very close (up till he became a teenager) and after being with him practically every day of his life for the last 18 years, I know his strengths/weaknesses quite well.

He joined the Marines basically to get a credential that will help him for his career of choice, which is to be a police officer. He was told that the competition for LEO can be stiff, and that ex-military tend to have an advantage...

*Sigh* I know I just need to buck up and stay busy, and write him lots of encouraging letters...and that 17,000 recruits are trained annually at MCRDSD, so he will most likely be just fine...

 

[nwslopoke]

The main thing the military wants is motivated people that WANT to be there. If he wants to be there they will help him through, even if they ride him a little hard.
They rarely get rid of good people.

My friend's son had some level of autism. I saw him a few times and he couldn't take the sound of gun fire. He's now been in the Army almost 4 years. He's a technician of some sort. But he got through it.

 

[tac]

Semper fi!

tac, former soldier for 33 years*

*took 'em that long to find out that they could do without me.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

wish i would have went that route

 

[rick benjamin]

He will exceed all his previous known physical limits
Run 3 miles in combat boots, in formation, every day
pushups, situps, pullups, "the PIT"
Project his voice with his diaphragm
Work with 30+ others in unity
Experience homesickness (the "hump")
Learn his rifle parts and function intimately
6 basic attack movements of the bayonet
Shoot his rifle to 500 yards accurately
"pass the rock" (run in formation passing a 30 lb boulder from front to back, side to side, in the hills of San Onofre)
Operate hand grenades and claymore mines
Field manuevers for days without sleep (the Crucible)
and more...

On leave, after boot camp, a cup of cool water, sipping it slowly, Ahhh, luxury!

 

[WasrNwarpaint]

Semper Fi!

 

[11Charlie]

Congratulations on raising an amazing young man!! I'm sure that he will come back to you a man and one to be even more proud of than you are today.

Thank him for his service from all of us!! With out brave men and women like him, America wouldn't be what it is.

 

[JRuby]

i am a bit jealous I was in the Navy and some of my best times were in the service. There were some bad times as well. If I was twenty i would sign up again tomorrow. He will learn what it is like to depend on others and and to be depended on by others. I wish him well.

 

[maddog]

The main thing the military wants is motivated people that WANT to be there. If he wants to be there they will help him through, even if they ride him a little hard.
They rarely get rid of good people.

He'll be fine Mom. He'll find what he needs to succeed within himself. The best piece of advice I can give is to keep a good attitude. Realize these "monsters" are trying to instill a military identity within him through discipline, training, and education. And to learn what they're trying to teach. The Drill Instructors in my day focused on those of us who molded ourselves to the training, and on those of us who had potential. I watched a grizzled DI (who had spent two tours as an infantryman- rifleman in marine speak, I believe - in Viet Nam, and had been captured by the NVA but escaped) take some physically challenged recruits under his wing and -because they had a good attitude- actually nursed them through basic.

 

[Captain O]

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement!

I AM super proud of my boy!!! He is very intelligent (scored a 98 out of 99 on the ASVAB), is in pretty decent physical shape, and has good character--obedient, respectful, and orderly. These things will help him in bootcamp.

But.

Here's where the heavy heart comes in. He is also NOT athletic, rather awkward and there is not an aggressive bone in his body. I am so concerned about how he will handle the intense physical rigors of training. I am mostly worried about him getting injured because of his physical inexperience. Can a nerd be a Marine?? A 'killler'?? His MOS is Admin/Supply/Legal, which probably doesn't require TOO much in the line of physical endurance, but he still has to make it through boot camp!! I know my fretting and worrying won't be much help to him, but as a homeschooling family, we were very close (up till he became a teenager) and after being with him practically every day of his life for the last 18 years, I know his strengths/weaknesses quite well.

He joined the Marines basically to get a credential that will help him for his career of choice, which is to be a police officer. He was told that the competition for LEO can be stiff, and that ex-military tend to have an advantage...

*Sigh* I know I just need to buck up and stay busy, and write him lots of encouraging letters...and that 17,000 recruits are trained annually at MCRDSD, so he will most likely be just fine...

I was 5' 7.5" and 129 lbs. on July 19, 1973. Wound up a Jet Mechanic on J52-P-408 Pratt and Whitney engines.

He'll be okay, and a man.

Semper Fi, kid, Semper Fi.

 

[x2ndxall]

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement!

I AM super proud of my boy!!! He is very intelligent (scored a 98 out of 99 on the ASVAB), is in pretty decent physical shape, and has good character--obedient, respectful, and orderly. These things will help him in bootcamp.

But.

Here's where the heavy heart comes in. He is also NOT athletic, rather awkward and there is not an aggressive bone in his body. I am so concerned about how he will handle the intense physical rigors of training. I am mostly worried about him getting injured because of his physical inexperience. Can a nerd be a Marine?? A 'killler'?? His MOS is Admin/Supply/Legal, which probably doesn't require TOO much in the line of physical endurance, but he still has to make it through boot camp!! I know my fretting and worrying won't be much help to him, but as a homeschooling family, we were very close (up till he became a teenager) and after being with him practically every day of his life for the last 18 years, I know his strengths/weaknesses quite well.

He joined the Marines basically to get a credential that will help him for his career of choice, which is to be a police officer. He was told that the competition for LEO can be stiff, and that ex-military tend to have an advantage...

*Sigh* I know I just need to buck up and stay busy, and write him lots of encouraging letters...and that 17,000 recruits are trained annually at MCRDSD, so he will most likely be just fine...

He'll either make it or he won't.
But it won't be on account of physical weakness if he doesn't. The physical is secondary. We are all capable of more than we know.
And if he doesn't make it, so what. He signed up and tried. That's more than most mothers can hope for from their children.
So, yes ma'am, he will be fine. Either way.
Thanks again.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Still one of the best things I ever did for my self! Don't fret Monica, He will be just fine! If he has the right attitude the Marines will make him into the Lean Mean Green Fighting Machine they need him to be! My Oldest Son has been in the Corps for 3 years now, and he loves it! Like your son, He wasn't that athletic, and still sort of klutz, but he got through just fine, and he still talks with his D.I. every few months. He was a changed MAN when he came home on his first leave, and I have never been so proud! Congrats to you, and to your son, this is a life journey to be proud of, and every one benefits! Make sure to go to his graduation, it will mean so much to him,, And it's a pretty cool experience for you to look forward to!

 

[Brutus57]

Been there, did that...(Long, long ago). Just don't be a Mom and try to mail him any goodies.
If you do, the D.I.s will enjoy them. And they don't share.

Oh Gawd, I remember that, or they will make him eat every home made cookie at once. Also, if he has a girlfriend...NO risque photos...I am sure "Hog Boards" are still alive and well.

Brutus Out

 

[x2ndxall]

Can a nerd be a Marine?? A 'killler'??

Nerds make the best warriors. Fact.

 

[Joe13]

Monica, this is funny but skip it if it might raise your anxiety - I typed it for a little comic relief but can understand what it must be like to send your boy off - I'm not looking forward to loosing mine to an away college or boyfriend/ husband.


























I went army and my buddy went marine. When he got out we swapped some stories...

Best story he had, out of many, was during PT in a field a recruit asked to go to the bathroom because it was urgent so the DI gave him permission.

Guy gets out of formation and walks all the way to the edge of the field and the DI screams at him to come back, so he heads back.

DI says, "Doesn't look or sound like an emergency. I want to see some hustle and hear sirens!", then dismisses him again.

Kid runs toward the edge of the field making siren sounds and again, at the edge of the field, he is called back.

He runs back and is told that he wasn't convincing enough and to get back into formation for the duration of the PT.

Poor kid ended up crapping his pants which I'm sure was as bad for the folks around him as it was for him.

I got the impression that he wasn't the most motivated individual and had irritated said DI more then once so I'm sure that's a worst case scenario.

Your kid will be just fine with the strong background you have given him - all DI's I met may have been slightly mean but showed more respect to the hard working and motivated kids I was in with.

 

[Larrytpdx]

He'll be fine Monica and that will be a great MOS for him. No worries. OO-RAH!

 

[Ura-Ki]

+1 for nerds! True fact!!!Smart Marines are highly desirable!