Leadership Stories
My Marine Corps Boot Camp Experience - 5

This is a continuation -story # 5- of leadership stories on my experiences in Marine Corps Boot Camp. I will continue them through my entire experience of Marine Corps Boot Camp.

The next week was considered processing. When we finished processing we would actually start our training. This was continually stressed to us. Over and over they would tell us that we would be experiencing a whole different environment once training started.

Each minute I was there I could tell I was being transformed. Each time I was able to survive an experience I felt that much better about myself.

A LEADERSHIP SERIES FOR SUCCESSFUL LIVING

Conquer Paralyzing Stress & Anxiety
Begin Living A More Purposeful Life
The Rewarding Life You Deserve


Stand Up and Take Your Turn!
NOW, Is Your Time To Shine

I must have signed a thousand documents. I went into the Marine Corps being able to sign my name so that you could read it, and now to this day, my signature looks like a chicken got loose on a piece of paper with ink on it's foot.

I just remember being told to sign while the Drill Instructor was breathing down your neck encouraging, ya right, you to hurry up a bit. Couldn't tell you what I signed. For all I know I was giving away my vital organs, or my first born. Didn't care, at that time.

Leadership Stories - Our first field day...

During that first week one of our Drill Instructor's said that we were going to have a field day every Wednesday. I have to tell you I was excited. My memory of a field day was that we would be having various track meet type activities.

I wasn't that quick but I was still excited. For the first time I was looking forward to something. And to think we would be doing this every Wednesday. Wow, what could get any better than this.

Well Wednesday started off just fine like most days. In other words, it was hell also. Our normal routine of nothing good enough, fast enough, loud enough!

But now I had something to look forward to. They had not mentioned field day again, but I am certain we would be having one.

Leadership Stories - We started cleaning everything...

Finally we finished our evening meal, fell out into formation, and marched back to the squad bay.

When we got back to the squad bay and prior to being dismissed to go inside, the Drill Instructor finally stated that we would be conducting a field day.

It was finally here. The final thing of the day! It didn't make a lot of sense because we had just ate, but what the heck. Who cared. We were finally going to have some fun.

He told us that upon being dismissed from formation we were to fall out into the squad bay and stand at attention in front of our rack again. No surprise there!

He dismissed us and I flew to the squad bay and was at attention in front of my rack in seconds.

He came into the squad bay and screamed out some directions that the first squad would be in charge of deep cleaning the left side of the squad bay. That the second squad would be in charge of deep cleaning the right side of the squad bay. That the third squad would be in charge of deep cleaning the sinks and toilets, and the fourth squad would be in charge of deep cleaning the showers.

Leadership Stories - We just kept cleaning and cleaning...

Now I thought to myself, how in the world are we ever going to be able to have our field day if we are going to be deep cleaning everything. After all, we did this every day. Well sort of. He used the words deep clean today. He also said we would be inspected. They had always looked before, but this time he mentioned the Company Commander would be by to “Inspect”.

Great! I was kinda of pissed now! You tell me we're going to have a field day and we are cleaning. What kinda sick joke was this. If we didn't get done soon and get on with the field day, we would run out of sun light.

Well, maybe this field day was going to be at night. Never done that before, but shoot, what the heck. I was up for it.

The time just kept slipping away as nothing ever seemed to be good enough for the Drill Instructor. We had to clean, and clean again. A person was practically blinded by the shine, and again, not good enough!

Leadership Stories - I got the meaning of field day...

We had been cleaning now for several hours. The evening turned into night. We were all exhausted. How in the world would I be able to do well now in our field day.

But finally we were finished. We passed the inspection. Shoot, we would have passed the inspection three hours ago, but they took some kind of sick pleasure in making us continually redo everything, over and over again.

We were back in front of our racks standing at attention again. Most of us were full of sweat and breathing a little hard.

The Drill Instructor then said, “You pukes have just experienced your first field day. We will be conducting these once a week on Wednesday evenings. I expect the same results each and every week. Do you hear me?”

Every Marine Recruit in the squad bay including myself screamed out, “Sir, Yes, Sir”.

“I don't hear you”, which became a very familiar response from the Drill Instructor.

Again, even louder this time, “Sir, Yes,. Sir!”

Leadership Stories - All I could think was crap...

Another part of me changed again. Excepting that they were calling all the shots.

I was really looking forward to my version of a field day. But through my own ignorance, I was able to torture myself. Drill Instructor's Staff Sergeant Trotman, Muto, or Spence, had never told us that we would be having the old fashion track meet. I made all of that up in my tiny little head.

I was angry at myself now. All I could think of, was crap!

Tomorrow would be better. After all we would be officially starting our Training. That meant that we would be moving closer to finishing. It would be twelve weeks from tomorrow that I would be called a United States Marine!

Hang on tight! Things are about to get interesting!