TheSunVanished
Follower of the Vanished Sun
My name is Alexander Morris. I am 19 years old, and I am a graduate of Marquette Senior High School with a Technical Honors Diploma. I plan on entering the Armed Forces into the United States Marine Corps. I talked it over with my friends and they say I should do it.
I’ve decided. I’m going into the Marines. I contacted my local recruiter, and he said he’d tell his CO next weekend. All I have to do is wait. I read over the paper he had given me containing the location of my Recruit Training. “Camp Pendleton...interesting,” I muttered quietly to myself as I read over the rest of the paper.
I woke up at 7:00 AM the day before my deployment. I rubbed my eyes and sighed, standing up and stretching. I walked into the kitchen and made myself some coffee, slowly drinking it as I read over the paper I was given. “I go to California tomorrow..” I sigh again and set the paper down along with the empty coffee mug.
When I boarded the bus to Camp Pendleton, I was very tired. I nearly fell asleep when I sat down. When I arrived at Pendleton, I was jolted awake by the trio of SDI’s screaming at the top of their lungs.
“GET ON YOUR FEET RECRUITS! I WILL NOT ASK YOU AGAIN!” They yelled.
“YES, SIR!”, we responded. We stood up straight and awaited orders. As I looked at the group I was with, I noticed that a majority were of different ethnicities.
“GET OFF MY BUS!” One of the DI’s yelled.
“AYE, SIR!” We all yelled in unison. I exhaled a shaky breath as I got off the bus and onto the iconic yellow footprints.
One of the DI’s looked in my direction before returning his attention to the rest of the pack. “Look straight! My name is Master Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and I am your Senior Drill Instructor. I am assisted in my duties by Drill Instructor Cribbs and Drill Instructor Dominy. Our mission is to train each one of you to become a United States Marine. A Marine is characterized as one who possesses the highest military standards. He obeys orders, respects his seniors, and strives constantly to be the best in everything he does. Discipline and spirit are the hallmarks of a Marine. Each one of you can become a Marine if you instil discipline and spirit. We will give every effort to train you, even after some of you have given up on yourselves. You will treat all Marines with the highest level of respect, for we have earned our places as Marines and will accept nothing less than that from you. We will treat you as we do our fellow Marines; with firmness, fairness, dignity, and compassion. At no time will you be physically abused or verbally threatened any Marine or recruit. If anyone should abuse or mistreat you, I expect you to report such incidents. Be proud of yourself and the Uniform you will wear, Above all that, Never quit or give up. Now from now on every word that comes out of my mouth, you will respond with Yes, Sir, No, Sir for questions and Aye, Sir for Commands. For women, it is Yes, Ma’am, No, Ma’am, and for commands Aye, Ma’am. Now Form a Single File Line on me!”
I’ve decided. I’m going into the Marines. I contacted my local recruiter, and he said he’d tell his CO next weekend. All I have to do is wait. I read over the paper he had given me containing the location of my Recruit Training. “Camp Pendleton...interesting,” I muttered quietly to myself as I read over the rest of the paper.
I woke up at 7:00 AM the day before my deployment. I rubbed my eyes and sighed, standing up and stretching. I walked into the kitchen and made myself some coffee, slowly drinking it as I read over the paper I was given. “I go to California tomorrow..” I sigh again and set the paper down along with the empty coffee mug.
When I boarded the bus to Camp Pendleton, I was very tired. I nearly fell asleep when I sat down. When I arrived at Pendleton, I was jolted awake by the trio of SDI’s screaming at the top of their lungs.
“GET ON YOUR FEET RECRUITS! I WILL NOT ASK YOU AGAIN!” They yelled.
“YES, SIR!”, we responded. We stood up straight and awaited orders. As I looked at the group I was with, I noticed that a majority were of different ethnicities.
“GET OFF MY BUS!” One of the DI’s yelled.
“AYE, SIR!” We all yelled in unison. I exhaled a shaky breath as I got off the bus and onto the iconic yellow footprints.
One of the DI’s looked in my direction before returning his attention to the rest of the pack. “Look straight! My name is Master Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and I am your Senior Drill Instructor. I am assisted in my duties by Drill Instructor Cribbs and Drill Instructor Dominy. Our mission is to train each one of you to become a United States Marine. A Marine is characterized as one who possesses the highest military standards. He obeys orders, respects his seniors, and strives constantly to be the best in everything he does. Discipline and spirit are the hallmarks of a Marine. Each one of you can become a Marine if you instil discipline and spirit. We will give every effort to train you, even after some of you have given up on yourselves. You will treat all Marines with the highest level of respect, for we have earned our places as Marines and will accept nothing less than that from you. We will treat you as we do our fellow Marines; with firmness, fairness, dignity, and compassion. At no time will you be physically abused or verbally threatened any Marine or recruit. If anyone should abuse or mistreat you, I expect you to report such incidents. Be proud of yourself and the Uniform you will wear, Above all that, Never quit or give up. Now from now on every word that comes out of my mouth, you will respond with Yes, Sir, No, Sir for questions and Aye, Sir for Commands. For women, it is Yes, Ma’am, No, Ma’am, and for commands Aye, Ma’am. Now Form a Single File Line on me!”
