Marine Corps Diary, Part III: "Attention on deck!"

The third and final entry of the Facebook journals; expect new posts to come soon regarding what life has been like as a "Poolee" of Marines.

"Last week I went to MEPS for my ASVAB and full physical, and as you know I was scheduled to swear-in at MEPS this week on Thursday morning. So, before work on Wednesday, SSgt. Pelham brought me to the hotel to check in, then to work, and after work a friend dropped me off back at the hotel around 10:30 PM. I had planned on getting something light to eat for dinner and hitting the fitness center for about an hour before turning in for the night, but the hotel restaurant closes at 10 o'clock and every time I went down there, the fitness center was packed with people. On the bright side, one of the hotel staff realized I was wandering aimlessly for food since I had missed dinner, and I was able to score a complimentary turkey sandwich and bottled water.


Near midnight, I gave up on the idea of a late night workout, and figured I'd wake up at 4 AM instead, get an early morning workout, and head down to breakfast at 5:15 AM. Of course, I found myself unable to sleep, so I decided to go check out the fitness center one more time. There were still five or six people in this little room, but this time, instead of turning around and heading back to my room, I noticed one of the guys in the fitness center was actually someone I'd met earlier that night in the elevator. So, long story short, I ended up going into the fitness center and making a few friends to share my evening with.


Of the guys I met that night, one of them was enlisting in the Navy, the other into the Army, and the third was bound for the Marines. My fellow Marine wannabe had been working his ass off in the fitness center trying to make sure that he could meet the weight standard when he weighed in at MEPS in the morning - let's just say that I finally felt like I had people that I could relate to.


After all of the late-night shenanigans, none of us ended up sleeping before our 4:45 AM wake-up call. I took a shower, changed clothes, weighed myself in the fitness center, and headed down to the breakfast buffet. This time, since my weight was safely at 145, I actually treated myself to scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, orange juice, and some mandarin oranges (I had been looking forward to the buffet ALL week). Once breakfast had been devoured, our posse went to the lobby a little early to wait for the MEPS shuttle, and there we ended up taking pictures to remember our time together. We even managed to get the two other guys (Air Force, Marines) we met that morning to get in one of the pictures.


At MEPS, we were all separated since some of the group were there for the full physical and the rest were only there for the quick exam and swear-in, like me. I saw my liaison first, received my nametag second, then was sent to a room with two others just to wait for about 15 minutes. Then back down to medical where they told me I didn't have to take an exam that morning because I'd done it within the last week. I had been fasting for two days, and trying to watch my diet and exercise so closely and I didn't even have to weigh-in that morning. It was liberating and frustrating all at the same time.


Back in SSgt. Tuma's (the liaison) office, I signed 5-10 different forms and my contract. Then I was taken into another room with one of the MEPS staff, Ms. Morales, where I was told to read about three Articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and asked to questions to make sure that I understood how and why my term of enlistment could be terminated. Then I had to select a family member to be my sole beneficiary and to receive my remains should anything ever happen to me - pretty intense stuff.


Around 7 o'clock I was told to call anyone who would be there for my enlistment ceremony, and to make sure they would be there by 8. My mom was the only one who could make it, but she was really happy to be there and it gave her a chance to meet SSgt. Pelham. While this is going on, I'm still being shuffled back and forth between SSgt. Tuma's office and the random back hallways and offices behind the front desk. The very last thing I had to do was give fingerprints that were to be sent to the FBI; this is done by machine, and it can be a very, very irritating process.

FINALLY, I had been briefed on the code of conduct for the ceremony (stand at parade rest until called to attention, then back at parade rest for "at ease", address the officer by "sir" or "ma'am", palm square with your shoulder when taking the oath, and other common sense things) then I had to stand at parade rest in front of the Marine Corps flag, until Captain Wilson, the officer whom would be swearing me in, entered the room at which point I would stand at attention until relieved. He asked me questions to make sure that I had been properly briefed over my contract, terms of separation, and a few other things before making me take the Oath of Enlistment. During the oath, you stand at attention with your palm raised, and repeat the oath as spoken by the officer who presides over the ceremony;

"I, (your name), do solemnly swear (or affirm) to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

I was told that "affirm" is used and "So help me God" is dropped for those who don't believe in God or something to that affect, and even though I am not the most religious person, I decided to go with the original script. My mom had been standing in the back of the room, tearing up, and taking pictures the entire time. We got a few more pictures with Capt. Wilson who swore me in before he and I went over my contract and paperwork one more time.


That was the end of the MEPS process, for the most part. I talked with my recruiter and the liaison a little bit about my contract, and ship date, then SSgt. Pelham gave me a Marines t-shirt as part of the "Welcome Aboard" package. By 9 AM, I was already free to go for the rest of the day.


As of July 1, 2010, I am officially enlisted in the Marine Corps Delayed-Entry Program, which technically counts as part of the Marine Corps Reserve (my time in the DEP actually counts towards the 4 years of Reserve duty on my contract). I have an "open contract", which means at the moment I have no MOS (Military Occupational Speciality), but that's because EVERYBODY has to DEP-in under open contract until a job contract becomes available. Also, I have been contracted for 8 years in total, 4 years on Active Duty, and 4 in the Individual Ready Reserve. I will be shipping to boot camp (Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina) for 13 weeks on October 11, 2010 (anticipated graduation date being between December 30, 2010 and January 14, 2011 - not totally sure yet).


I'll be PT-ing with my RSS every week on Thursday until my ship date, and I'm actually going to be putting a website/blog together with the help of a friend so that everybody can get updates on how I'm doing while I'm in recruit training. I'll be writing her letters, and she will post them online for others to read. If you would like me to write to you during boot camp (or if you'd like to write to me, rather) please make sure that you give me your mailing address beforehand.




Any questions, comments, just send them my way. Thank you all so much for being so supportive!"

Originally posted on Facebook, 07-02-2010.