My oldest son made a huge commitment by signing up for the Marine Corps today. I'm very proud of him for making that big choice, but also makes me a little bit nervous as a parent. I'm sure it will get a lil worse come Sept when he leaves for bootcamp. I'm proud he chose Marines but would have been just as proud with him chosing a different branch.

You should be proud. I am. Thank him for me.

That is def a Proud Papa moment. Tell your son Good luck and thanks for his future service to this Great Country!!

We very much appreciate your sons commitment, very brave

let him know we appreciate the service.

I know what your going trough mine leaves in July for the army

GET SOME!!

Oh yeahhhh....the next generation of the world's finest!! Congratulations Marine!!



SSgt, USMC
1995-2003

The good ole days lol.....
A little bit weird.....I went Sept 4th....he is Sept 9th.....I was hotel Company 2nd battalion ....so will he be.....I wanted 1371 combat engineer mos ....that is what he did get........crazy

Hats off to your son.


I originally set out to join the Marine Corps. It really appealed to me.

Because of my higher ASVAB score, the Army allowed additional money (Army College Fund) to be added onto the GI Bill, and I found out the Army would allow me to get a guaranteed Ranger Slot, but I could not get guaranteed Recon from the Marines, thus I went the Army route.

To this day, the Marines still appeal to me, and wish I could have gone to Marine Boot camp, just to say I did it.

I served with Marines in Helmand during my last trip to Afghanistan. They are a tough group, and there is just something about tough young marines, that this old Ranger just loves to be around them.

Barnes - Almost every year, I go compete in the All Army Marksmanship championships, shooting service rifle, service pistol, and multi gun.

I do pretty well, and the better shooters at these events hang out and compare notes.

I always chuckle, becuse one of the most common things your hear from many of the top shooters in the Army is "back when I was in the Marine Corps...."

Being a shooter, I have alwasy been envious of the Marine's value to real marksmanship.

Barnes -

I joined in 1987. I will never forget looking at the Ranger recruiting movies, and liking what I saw. Then I would look at the Army Recruiters, and all but one of them looked fat, sorry, and lame. There was one Army Recruiter that had an 82nd Airborne Combat patch, and he looked fit.


On the other hand, the Marine Recruiter (SSG Woodsen - funny how I still remember his name) was a light skinned black dude. He was lean, and looked to be tougher than wood pecker lips. I had to really wrestle on which way to go. Looking back, I think either one would have been a good choice.

We need to get together, and hunt one day.

LOL...ironic you mention that. I grew up with a gun in my hand pretty much. When I got to recruit training the PMOs on the range were taking bets who was going to finish high score on the range, me or another guy. I'll admit, the other guy got me by one round. Was always multiple expert with rifle and pistol qual my entire enlistment while in the Marines. The value they put on marksmanship is unreal. Every Marine a Rifleman! They hold true to that core value. So much so that it becomes muscle memory years down the road long after your enlistment. I recently re-newed my CCP and the instructor asked if I was ever in the Marines. I asked why and he said because all of you guys have the same stance and can shoot like hell!!

I never had the opportunity to train with the Army though. All of my billets and joint training were with the Navy and Air Force.

The Marines definitely place an emphasis on marksmanship. Just look at the aurora that surrounds a Marine Sniper.

Be proud!
Thank him from our family as well.

Barnes -

I thought about you today. I was doing some load testing with the bolt gun I compete with in unknown distance matches. I am going to drop down to a 155 AMAX round, allowing me to dial in less corrections, and do more holds.

The wind was gusting up to 12 MPH, and giving me fits. If I would have had a Marine doping wind for me, I would have been on top of that three inch red circle, instead of sitting off to the right of it

I wanted to join a service out of high school but I was fat

Tell your son thank you for his service!!

I will tell him....but his scrawny ass has to survive those 12 weeks of hell and mean ass DI's

That's right ranger....Marine dope lol

Hell yeah Barnes.....1 shot 1 kill

I'm 30 now and I wanted to join the army at one point in my late teens then soon realized i don't have the kahunas to do it, so my hats off to your son

Good for him!!

Good luck to your son. Tell him to stay motivated and he will do fine. Ensure he works on Pull Ups and running everything else will come.



------------------------------------------------
Semper Fi

Maj USMC (Ret) Aug 1987 - Dec 2007

OHHRAH!

Your son is doing a special thing for all of us. Thank him. Regarding Barnes and RangerP, we may be on difference ends of the spectrum politically, and you may not like me at all, but that's no reason for me not to say thanks for putting your asses on the line for all of us so thank you.

Semper fi from me

H Finn 90-94 cpl usmc

Well my boy departed yesterday for bootcamp, got to admit it was harder on me than I anticipated. None the less an extremely proud father!!! Just received my "I've arrived safely phone call", oh how I remember being there 23yrs ago, he sounded surprisingly unfrazzled especially with that sweet sound of the DI barking in background. Now I sit and wait on letters and for Sept 19&20 to roll around so I can see my son again so i can say to him OooooRah Devil Dog and fellow Marine.

Congratulations, very proud time for you guys.

Proud of him and proud of you for raising him right . Like you I remember it like yesterday . Semper fi

H Finn

Right about now , he is itching and bleeding from a shaved head, hasn't slept , ran everywhere he's gone and wondering what the hell was I thinking . Stay hard stay strong young devil dog .


H Finn

My youngest son is 18, has one year of high school left, and he joined National Guards on his own. He also enlisted in the MP training. He left June 1Oth for Basic Training. He also has 3 months MP training next summer after he graduates. He also enlisted for GI bill. With MP training he can get a job as City Cop or Sheriff Deputy and go to college.
Thanks to all our youth for believing this country is still worth defending and fighting for!!

This makes me think back about my first 24 hours at the depot!! Man that was crazy. I remember when we actually got to sleep several days later and laying down in my rack thinking what the hell have I gotten myself into. I would do it all over again. I miss those days!! You have got to be proud!!!

Semper Fi!!!ImageUploadedByTapatalk1372181988.068975.jpg

Day I left the "sand box" , got on a CH46 and the rest was down hill !!

tell him thanks for his service (and all that are serving now or have) and to all those parents that their kids are in the service, thank you too., I know you are proud but a little nervous.

Congrats! A special thanks for him and those who serve our country.

I know it's a scary time in the world, but just want to let you things in Afganistan have really slowed down. I am an Army Critical Care Nurse and I work at Walter Reed (the new one). This time last year we were slammed full of soliders. This year we get about 2 a month. We don't even have any in there right now. Hope this eases your mind a bit.

Thank You!!!

Thank him for his service.