I spent some time in two digital worlds today -- Marine Family Network and Facebook.  In one world, I read with growing disgust the illiterate bickering of posters responding to a corporate page advising they would "go off the air" over the weekend and asking all to remember our military and veterans.  Some posters ignored the message and bashed the company for their lousy service.  Others posted that the company was stupid because Memorial Day was for the dead, and Veterans Day was…

I recently was teaching my 2nd graders (or attempting to) a method of multiplication. Now before you ooh and ahh over how I must be SOME fantastic teacher to get 2nd graders to do multiplication know that only about 3-4 out of my 21 are currently ready for it, about 5-6  I was exposing to it and the rest had me ready to beat my head against a brick wall for even mentioning it! (I didn’t write the curriculum for the state….but that’s a whole ‘nother story!)

  Anyway,  when…

School of Infantry-MCT-Marine Combat Training

To my knowledge there is no "offically published" MCT East training schedule.

I have been told by my Marine sons Cpl. Nathan and LCpl Christian it is as follows:

A Platoon is basically a 4 to 1 ratio of men and women Marines.  They are barracked seperately, but they will train together and are in the field together.

Week One:  Classes and Practical…

   It occurs to me, scrolling through the site lately, that we have a lot of people new to this. Not so long ago, that was me. I don't even remember how I stumbled on this site as my son was a poolee, preparing to leave to MCRD. And, it seems like a lifetime ago. Looking at all the posts from those who are walking in the same shoes I donned not so long ago, it occurs to me that perhaps it's a good time to state some of what we who already learned it, think of as 'the obvious.'. The trouble…

Last week I sat in the audience of a leadership awards ceremony for the local college.  This was a new experience for me for several reasons.  The first reason being that I was not there because MY child was nominated to receive any awards.  The second reason being that my son, David’s, girlfriend WAS the reason for my attendance.  Alice (Aleece) was nominated for five awards.  I volunteered to attend if she wanted me to because her family would not be able to attend.  Alice is special to us…

Rifle Qualification – Table 1 and Table 2 – In pursuit of EXPERT!

(Please refer to the previous post for a description of “Grass Week”)

As a Marine, your marksmanship qualification score, just like your physical fitness and combat fitness test scores (PFT & CFT) means quite a bit! And it’s not only about wearing a neat looking shooting badge (although…

Grass Week – “This is my rifle…”

First Phase, which will complete on T24 with Initial Drill Competition, gives recruits foundational knowledge about the tools in their Marine Corps tool box. From the laws which govern their conduct, the history and organization of the Marine Corps which determines their direction and mission, to the techniques in MCMAP and water survival which help ensure their safety on and off of the battlefield. All of this training helps prepare the…

First Phase

Ok folks – a few words from my experience now that we are established in First Phase.

This phase lasts until training day (TD) 24 when the platoons in the series will compete to win the Initial Drill competition! Initial Drill competition is a BIG thing and it will be the focus of just about every drill practice that your recruit will have between now and then.

Learning close order drill in the Marine Corps is fundamental to many…

    This is the time of year, as a teacher, I go nuts. Besides horrible behaviors that seem to rear their ugly heads in the Spring, this is also the time of year I have to try to teach 7 year olds to write. Not the physical act of writing, as in forming letters and sentences, but producing written pieces. I LOVE to write. I write almost daily--its theraputic. I do not remember how I learned to write, just as I don't remember how I learned to read--but I know my writing skills were developed…

Many folks think, that  the Marine Parent journey is like a roller coaster and for the most part I agree. I also like to think of this journey as peeling an onion, one layer at a time. Some layers you have no tears and other layers all the sudden you feel the sting in the eyes and before you know it you have tears running down your face.

You get handed your onion when your child approaches you and says " I want to be a Marine" The outer skin is removed by the recruiter and…

I tend to wander around the Marine Family Network quite a bit . . . I sometimes feel like I live in a really big house, with a really big family party going on 7x24, and I hate to miss any of the good conversations, so I poke my head into discussions here and there, just to see how everyone is doing.  I run into old friends that I haven't talked to in awhile, step into a group that's new to me, stand for a moment and listen in gratitude and amazement as someone shares a beautiful story. …

    As a teacher, I get a lot of apples. So much so my first few years of teaching, I refused to buy apple decorations or anything apple related in protest! (So now parents give me Starbucks cards...me, who doesn't drink coffee at all...but that's a whole 'nother subject!) However, lately I have changed my mind about apples. And I am here to tell you, everything you need to know in life, you can learn from an apple. (Well, okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little...you be the judge.)Bare with…

     Today is 6 months to the day that I bid my son a tearful goodbye and handed him over to his recruiter in preparation for his trip to MEPS and finally to MCRD-SD. He had been in the DEP for a year. And even though I had read things, talked to people, learned things all in preparation for my final destination.....as a Marine Mom, and him as a Marine, I had no idea that  the importance is not in the destination, but in the journey.

    Now six months into it, having endured an…

Our Marine sergeant has been home less than a day, and already his mother and I have bundled him into her car for a road trip. Of course, after enduring years of travel by military ship or aircraft to places as diverse as Iraq, Germany, the Philippines and Alaska, he doesn’t complain. Traveling is a way of life for him.

In fact, he insisted on the trip. He’s going to see grandparents. It’s been a long time, too.

Last night, his flight from California landed in…

Check out this and other great announcements MarineParents.com has for our members/Marine families!

http://marineparents.com/announcements/default.asp

I am again on a mission to reach those parents out there who have an injured or ill Recruit or Marine.  I am posting this message as a blog with the hope of reaching those who may come here to 'touch base':

Sometimes, as a parent dealing with an injury or illness to a child, we retreat into ourselves.  It is a survival instinct, but yet it holds the pain, the worry, and the fear inside where it can create even more havoc.  I know.  I've been there.  So have many others.  You…

Last week I made a decision to get involved with the Care Package Project through Marine Parents.  I can’t go to Columbia, Missouri on January 19 to help on packing day, which is a shame because it’s only three and a half hours from where I live.  I decided, however, that my wallet could afford $24 for two cases of soup (16 cans) that will help fill 8 of the 800 care packages to be sent this month to Marines in Afghanistan.

The other night I mentioned the project to…

It's January 2013, the month of Janus, the two-faced mythological god, one face looking back in time, the other forward to the future.

Almost exactly four years ago, I must have been contemplating good old Janus as well, since I produced the party invitation to the left of me…