AHOY, I really do wish I could reveal who I am. However this would I feel endanger people I care for.
So I have had to change some names to protect the innocent. I can issuer you the actual names are no less ironic.
And that everything stated actually happen. IMO every Marine has similar stories. I compared notes with my bub who graduated two week ahead of me.

My dad a Marine, never wanted me to be one. So one day he called me into the study and set me down and began reading to me what turned out to be a series of news paper articles titled “So you want to be in the Corps”. It covered all the sweet and tears, spit and gret, barking etc.

Now at one point the article describes a night scene where the recruits are crawling threw all this brush and this one recruit comes across a large snake just feet from him.

Two years later at MCRD, I to came a cross a large snake in a thicket my platoon was low crawling through, about 3 feet away, it really stopped me in my tracks. All you Marines know its true, the IDs are yelling and flares are going off etc. I then realized that there is a tunnel below me with a trap door and that snake was on a leash held by a DI i.e. I was on a conveyor belt, this was a game. I bet they spray for bugs, no scorpion strings where ever reported. IMO those river crossings are nothing but murky pools.

Now lets go deeper down the rabbit whole.
There was three sgts. The senior who was beyond approach the King. Then there was Sgt Y he was a demon that could not be pleased and always dogged us even going over board when he had us alone. Then there was sgt. X he was the one who at times would talk to you and allow you to stand at ease. And that is the template for every platoon.

So then there was this, everyone knows this one. There was a recruit named (I’m going to use a phonetic spelling) One song, and oriental gentleman. As we stood in open ranks Sgt X approach and with that DI style of intensity began (to my disbelief) the old…. ONE SONG, what kind of name is ONE SONG? ONE SONG, are you from the Philippians or some (place lol). And One song busted out with SIR NO SIR, PVT One song is from TEXAS! And the Sgt. Continued TEXAS! Etc you all know the drill. I’m not joken.

Now hold on to your boots, because there were two other recruits one named Junior who looked like he was 90 years old, I mean frail, wrinkled, hunched over and even had a large lower lip that twitched when the IDs got on him. And the other was Muncer, he looked like a hideous monster, over sided forehead, unbelievable creases and dimples on has face combined with mole and a birth mark that looked like a burn.
Now these two could not get anything right. IMO they were basically used for demonstrating every manor of discipline allowed (and some that were not) at MCRD. Then came the last two weeks of basic final drill and inspection was approaching.
One day the senior sounded off, J U N I O R and we all repeated sir PVT Junior aye aye sir. As he dashed forward to bang on the seniors office hatch, as the senior sounded off M U N C E R. etc. They reserved a good tong lashing and where sent to pack there bangs they were done. And every recruits heart went out to them, they had not quite, but they were being dropped.

Two years later I just happen (lol) to see Muncer in full dress blues at the airport, and I’ll just say he was totally out of character. G-day!

So what Depot did you go to?

Originally Posted by 03USMC

So what Depot did you go to?

AHOY I'm a Hollywood Marine, my Commander and Chief was Ronald Reagan. An Actor right lol but true.
Your picking up on the river crossings comment, very good now can you find the other plant I left for you? sych.
For everyone's benefit; All river crossings were stopped at Paris Island after the drowning of some recruits (about 1976) after a drunken DI had them cross at the wrong point as I recall. MCRD was famous for its hills. Paris Island also had the sand fleas.

And 03USMC I was realizing with all your criticism you remind me of the history channel's Gunny Sargent mail call character.

G-day!

Yeah. The only "Thickets" at MCRD San Diego are on and around the PT field. The PT field is up against the Airport. MCRD is in the middle of San Diego. You don't shoot flares or any other pyro at MCRD let alone near the Airport. Nor do you low crawl in the thickets, because they are dividing hedges. Nor are there tunnels to house pet snakes.

BTW: The Ribbon Creek Incident occured at Parris Island in 1956. It did not stop Drill Instructors at ethier of the Depots from conducting movement across water obstacles. It tightened the regulations on who could authorize such training and the number of DI's that needed to be present for such evolutions.

AHOY, warning you may have to read this more than once;

Okay Newjarheaddean has to admit when ever I talk out my stern. I’m new at this internet bloging and have lots to say. So I make mistakes. ANYWAYS, I mentioned the river crossings hoping 03USMC would bring the mater up and provide some info that would help me research (the Robbin Creek incident) and discover facts to support my opinions.
However at the time of posting, I (was thing MCRD San Diego Ca.) but was only typing MCRD.
So now IMO, 03USMC had indeed picked up on the river crossing comment, but also the lack of San Diego Ca., so IMO (after his question what depot did you go to?) he was waiting for me to type in San Diego Ca. then he was going to ask “and where are the rivers you crossed”?
Longer story storter, lol, I managed to research the (Robbin Creek incident) on line last night and found my memory served me wrong. It was 1957 and I found no mention of the DI having the opinion that Marine boot camp training had gotten to lacked. You see I thought that it was for that reason that the DI had taken the Platoon on that patrol. I also discovered with my research NO mention of river crossings being stopped for good. They my still do them at MCRD Paris Island. Do you know 03USMC? But IMO if they are crossing the river the bed has been modified by the corp of engineers, to minimize the dangers, and sonar is most likely used to keep water moccasins away.
ANYWAYS, we’ve only just begun, and I am trying to keep it honest. G-day!



Now this is interesting, 03USMC are you going to deny the snake tactic?
Your right about MCRD San Deigo, so let me qualify, it was during the two weeks for field training up north near the rifle range (on camp pendelton right?) just being honest I forget the exact designation or term that was used to discrib it. G-day!

Yeah I know I'm right about MCRD San Diego.

AHOY, let me note some things, I did not make all this up, I’ve been telling friends and family these things for years. It would be a hick of a coincidence if the reporter just made up the part about the snake then, me and my bub just happen to see one too under the same circumstances. I had forgotten all about the article until that night, then wrote my bub about it. However I must say it strikes me as odd that no one else has jumped in here to confirm the fact. Are me and 03USMC the only members of IMF who are Marines? 03USMC you must have bubs who could say one way or the other NO? Well give it some time. One other thing with regards to 03USMC, I’m at least two years older than he (according to profiles) I’m thinking maybe the snake tactic ran its course (lol) after ten or so years and quite by coincidence the Corps may have stopped using it shortly after my graduation. T E X A S!

Okay so my introduction post was kind of a quick summery, now lets back track to some additional personal experiences that IMO prove the USMC from boot camp on is a Wizard of Oz. I’m going to get back in the water for a minute, Water qualification week, in the pool at MCRS San Diego Ca. (lol). I bet 03USMC can give us the building number lol.
Real quick like I failed to stay treading water long enough after the laps. The next day me and about 3 others that I recall were sent back to the pool and were qualified under less (hummmm) than the previous days standards. I’ll keep being honest even though it harts. I felt good that I had not been dropped from my platoon. However the fact remains I was a week link in a chain that could fine itself in combat in water (hence Marines) and someone was apparently okay with the risk that I might cause others to die. NO?

Lets consider Recruit Jason Tharp’s story.
By Jim Miklaszewski
Chief Pentagon correspondent
NBC News updated 7:39 p.m. ET, Thurs., Feb. 17, 2005
An autopsy revealed 19-year-old Jason Tharp drowned last week during water survival training at the Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. Video shot on Feb. 7, the day before Tharp's death, by NBC affiliate WIS-TV in Columbia, S.C., shows Tharp, visibly shaken and almost terrified, taking a forearm shot from a Marine drill instructor. In the Marines only five weeks, Tharp had written seven letters home telling his family he wanted out. His father, John Tharp, claims Jason had been singled out by drill instructors because he couldn't keep up with the rigorous basic training.

From Newjarheaddean to Jason Thrap Simper Fi, we all should never forget you sacrifice.

Now let me say this I can’t say recruit Jason Tharp’s letters were read by recruit training command. Or that he ever made anyone at MCRD Paris Island aware of the fact he wanted out.


Quote from article on DI

"He's just afraid because he is not able to do the swim correctly right now, and he just wants to leave and go home," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Davis on the Feb. 7 videotape.

IMO Maybe just standard DI talk you think?.

I can say at one point I did tried to undue my commitment to join the Marines, it seems you are considered perfectly capable of making that choice only when the choice is to join but not to get out, i.e. at that point there must be something wrong with you, yet the Corps still wants you to become a Marine. IMO a member of a Wizard of Oz. G-day!

You know I appreciate 03USMC! While I don't always agree with his opinions, I never doubt his integrity!!! As of yet, whenever I've researched his facts on anything he's stated, they've been dead-on thus far. Kudos and thank you, 03USMC!

No I don't know the Building Number of MCRD SD's Swim Tank. But I believe it's on Guadalcanal Ave.

So why post about Tharp? You could have done a search and found it had already been discussed at length when it happened. The reality check he received from the DI 24 hours prior to his death had nothing to do with the drowning. The CWSSI SNCOIC and OIC paid for the training death in spades. As did a couple CWSSI's. Your beating a dead horse.......or just trying bait me.....(Would ya like to know the color of the boathouse at Hereford?).

So you swam like a rock BFD. Your primary day in swim quals was to qual 1st Class and 2nd Class swimmers. Rocks after being ID'd then get to prove they can stay afloat for the bare minimum. If you were 0311 for 2 years you had 1 minimum requal in the fleet. And plenty of CWSSQ's and CWSSI's to assist you. But you didn't drown so comparing your inability to swim with Tharp is kinda silly.

So you wanted outta the Corps (color me surprised)and they wouldn't let you out (yeah they get silly thata way about enlistments). You signed on, you had a commitment that with 2 yrs TIS you didn't fulfill anyway ....so whats yer beef? That they didn't care about your fragile psyche or what?

Originally Posted by 03USMC

So why post about Tharp? You could have done a search and found it had already been discussed at length when it happened. The reality check he received from the DI 24 hours prior to his death had nothing to do with the drowning.

So you swam like a rock BFD. Your primary day in swim quals was to qual 1st Class and 2nd Class swimmers. Rocks after being ID'd then get to prove they can stay afloat for the bare minimum. If you were 0311 for 2 years you had 1 minimum requal in the fleet. And plenty of CWSSQ's and CWSSI's to assist you. But you didn't drown so comparing your inability to swim with Tharp is kinda silly.

so whats yer beef? That they didn't care about your fragile psyche or what?

(The reality check), ya that's a real cool (dismissive) way to put it. IMO it was typical sacrifice the one to make the rest feel they are somehow better, and really well trained. I read the rest of the article I found on the internet, I'll look up the IMF one. You know the reason I mentioned it, so you would have to admit it's not just me who has had similar experiences.
(Swam like a rock) IMO the minimum is just away of saying forget about the training we just need bodies in uniforms. NO? I did not compare recruit Jason Thraps swimming abilities to mine, I compared his desire to leave the corps to my attempt at one time to do the same.
(If I was a 0311) yes I was 3rd platoon remember not weapons or some other. And it was the red cross how trained us on Diego Garcia.
(what's my beef?) that's simple, way to many brave men an women are being sacrificed not by chance but by design it seems (hence the weak links left in) and people like you want to act like it should be a proud tradition. G-day!