Posted on 03/09/2006 11:16:26 AM PST by babyface00
Please excuse the vanity - its for a good cause.
I have a friend at work whose cousin has joined the Marines and is leaving in a few weeks, presumably for Parris Island.
As many do, the family is throwing a celebratory party before he leaves.
My friend would like to get her cousin something, preferably that he can use in boot camp or shortly after.
As neither of us has close recent experience with someone entering the military, we're not sure what is useful or appropriate.
Some things I suggested:
Phone cards
Stationary and stamps
Are these good suggestions? Anyone have any others? We're not sure what he can use or, more importantly, what he would be allowed to have in boot camp.
Many thanks in advance.
Because he is a guy, he might object, but when my daughter went into the Corps, she had a pedicure a couple of days before she left. She was the only one in her platoon to come out of the Crucible without blisters on her feet. She also managed to avoid boot rot. She attributes it to the pedicure.
Standing out like that also invites long sessions of extra physical training as punishment. The standard modus is 'bends and thrusts'- sort of a high-powered version of what are otherwise referred to as 'squat thrusts' or 'burpees'. Doing that at absolute top speed in a hot squad bay for fifteen minutes will make you feel like you've been run over. You will also leave a large and elongated pool of sweat on the deck.
The upside is in the long run. When you finally graduate, you are in fantastic physical shape. You're strong, fast and alert. You look good, you feel good, and you can run circles around most of your 'athletic' civilian friends. If it's ninety degrees out, you can knock out a five-miler and not be winded afterward.
My girlfriend at the time sent me a thick, brightly-colored foil-lined envelope with about a half a dozen letters that she had started inside. She had also adorned the outside of the envelope with little cartoons and sayings.
A couple more of those, and I could have tried out for the US Olympic Bends and MFers Team.
I went through Parris Island in 82. I suspect it is still the same.
Don't send him with anything, because it will be taken away. However, you can send care packages starting after about 1-2 weeks after he arrives. He will send you the address.
One thing he will need that you should definitely buy now and be ready to send ASAP: Skin so Soft, which is a skin softener by Avon. It is the only known remedy to the most horrible, miserable, hatefull aspect of Parris Island: SAND FLEAS!!!!!!
I guess that there is a lot about military training I don't understand. All I can say is a great big "THANK YOU" to those who did. We owe a huge debt of gratitude.
The DIs love em' and he will be highly recognized.
It doesn't matter. You pay for what others send you. You get sent something you shouldn't, you pay for it, and presumably send back a letter saying 'Oh PLEASE don't ever do that again!!'
MCRD isn't fair. It's not supposed to be. It is UNIMAGINABLY regimented. You take your hits and carry on. Looking back at it years later- it all makes a great deal of sense. At the time, it's not too much fun.
Oh man. You want to get the kid PTed to death?
"Private Squid, get in the classroom!"
"SIR! PRIVATE SQUID, AYE AYE SIR!!"
Yeah, he'll be 'highly recognized', all right. He'll PT until he glows in the dark.
Anything I can do to keep the rivalry alive.
-Squid 84-89
You be bad !11
While in boot camp I had a guy I did not care for. I wrote my granny and extolled his virtues, and asked her to anomonously send him a five pound box of chocolate covered cherries. She did.
I wish I'd thought of that. :-D
After getting out of the green machine, I ran into him and "fessed" up. He was ready to laugh about it then. But at the time I would have rated a "blanket party".
absolutely the funniest thing I ever saw...hahahahahahahaha
If he were a San Diego recruit, I'd suggest an old Chevy convertible to pick up females on Hollywood and Vine after graduation. Since he's at Parris Island, send a snake bite kit.
Paperback collections of NYTimes crossword puzzles (plus packs of pens and pencils). I understand there's a great deal of hurry-up-and-wait in the military and crossword puzzles would help alleviate tedium.
A Bible ..... he'll need it, presuming he's a Christian. He will be allowed to have during his stay at MCRD Parris Island and "shortly after". I would assume that he'll be heading for the Middle East sometime the following year. He'll need it then ..... for there are NO atheists in foxholes. Wish him luck for me... he is in for the experience of a lifetime.
Tell him to listen to his DI's, stay away from troublemakers in his Platoon, and keep his mouth shut. When he graduates from boot camp give him a gift certificate to Ranger Joe's so he can buy whatever stuff he thinks he'll need.
Nothing of the sort. Not AFTER Basic and assignment to the field or other job. I thought it was abundantly clear that if she wants to give the young man a gift, that she do so AFTER he completeds basic training, not before.
Perhaps you conveniently skipped over the parts of this thread where this nice lady has been advised not to send anything before the lad finishes basic training?
Perhaps you conveniently skipped over the parts of this thread where this nice lady has been advised not to send anything before the lad finishes basic training?
Skipped over it? It was often me saying it and repeating it. Go back and read the thread again.
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