What was going through your mind while standing on the yellow footprints at MCRD?

Cpl Vic Burk — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:16:45 -0400

In my mind was, "What did I get myself into?"

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made Apr 5 at 2021 8:18 PM

MSgt Keith Hebert — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:18:16 -0400

What have I done help help me what have I done

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2021 8:26 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:26:07 -0400

They skipped that part and herded us right inside, around 0200.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2021 8:34 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:34:21 -0400

Cpl Vic Burk June 20, 1968, is a day not to be forgotten. At the time, most of us were thinking that we had made a bad decision.

Response by LT Brad McInnis made Apr 5 at 2021 8:38 PM

LT Brad McInnis — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 20:38:41 -0400

We did a mini Bootcamp at MCRD Parris Island when I was a student at Marine Military Academy. I remember crawling out of the bus (we had driven from Harlingen, Texas. Don't remember much else. I do remember standing in formation one morning getting eaten to death by sand fleas and other no see'ums and seeing our DI standing there at Parade Rest not moving a millimeter !!! This was while watching red dots and welts growing before my very eyes. Total beast the DI was...

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2021 9:18 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 21:18:23 -0400

Oh, shit

Response by SSG Samuel Kermon made Apr 5 at 2021 9:26 PM

SSG Samuel Kermon — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 21:26:28 -0400

What you said. And almost every day for about four weeks.

Response by CW3 Harvey K. made Apr 5 at 2021 9:36 PM

CW3 Harvey K. — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 21:36:26 -0400

I remembered what I was told by a Marine NCO before I left for Parris Island --- "You wouldn't pay a dime to go through boot camp, but you wouldn't take a million dollars for the experience once you finish".

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2021 9:40 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 21:40:21 -0400

I'm here! Followed by "oh shit - will these DIs hit me"? Next 5 days were a blur as receiving chugged on. Then we met our DIs! Wait, what? These guys before were not our DIs? Oh shit!

I would never trade a moment of Boot Camp for anything!

Response by SPC William Carter made Apr 5 at 2021 10:09 PM

SPC William Carter — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:09:22 -0400

I was thinking what idiot doesn’t know how to stand in line.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 5 at 2021 10:35 PM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:35:25 -0400

I was hung over and hoping I wasn't going to get beat to death!

Response by SFC Randy Hellenbrand made Apr 5 at 2021 10:57 PM

SFC Randy Hellenbrand — Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:57:47 -0400

What the "F" did I get myself into? A hair more concise than Burk's thought.

Response by SPC James Neidig made Apr 6 at 2021 12:48 AM

SPC James Neidig — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 00:48:23 -0400

March 3 1978 for me, I was a high school dropout from the 12 grade with only about 2 months till graduation, yes the MARINES were taking high school dropouts then you had 1 year to get a GED or they would put you out. I was scared to death and cold and wet, it was pouring down raining and the DI says it’s only water, Enjoy the Shower

Response by Cpl Gerald Tucker made Apr 6 at 2021 2:11 AM

Cpl Gerald Tucker — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 02:11:27 -0400

Sleep. I needed some sleep to get over that drunken feeling that followed me to MCRD PI.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Apr 6 at 2021 4:34 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 16:34:43 -0400

"What have I gotten myself into" Yes, but that was the thought I had when the DI came onto the bus.

Response by Cpl Bernard Bates made Apr 6 at 2021 11:58 PM

Cpl Bernard Bates — Tue, 06 Apr 2021 23:58:34 -0400

I enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1959. The yellow footprints didn't exist then. After we were told how low we were we were put in a holding area for a week until their were enough recruits to start a series. The 3rd Bn. Plt. 332 lived in Quonset huts. Thats when we met our DI.s The lord may own you soul but I own you ass was the first words spoken by the DI. The yellow footprints were started in 1965 during the Vietnam war. Boot camp was shortened from 12 weeks to 8 weeks. The DI.s would say, your all going to Vietnam, If you want to stay alive you will pay attention to everything you learn. I had a friend that went thru in 68. They didn't get screwed over as much as we did. They didn't have the time .Our Plt. picture in 59 showed us wearing tropical dress uniforms. and in 68 they wore utilities and the plts. were smaller. Semper Fi.

Response by SGT Lorenzo Nieto made Apr 7 at 2021 6:02 AM

SGT Lorenzo Nieto — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 06:02:11 -0400

In 1967 there were no foot steps just drill sergeants yelling at you, saying I am your mother now and your ass belongs to the government and he was the government.

Response by PO2 Dax Hall made Apr 7 at 2021 2:43 PM

PO2 Dax Hall — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:43:43 -0400

No much. Just did what I was told but apparently not fast enough.