Another soon to be US Marine.

Around 3 this afternoon my 18 year old grandson left KCI airport bound for MCRD, San Diego, Ca to start his 13 week boot camp. After boot camp and another month of advanced infantry training he will head to Pensacola, Fla. for almost a year of schooling in helicopter maintenance. He talked about becoming a Marine for about as long as I can remember and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have some influence in his decision though I did have him check the other branches of the service.
I really don't have the words to express how proud I am of this young man. Semper Fi, Ian.

Good on ya grandpa for the positive influence. Godspeed, protection and blessings to this fine young man. He will make us proud!

I have no doubt that Ian will make you proud of his efforts, and I expect that your model of love for God and country had a lot to do with his decision. Godspeed in your travels, Ian. Come home safe.

Good on ya Ken, Godspeed Ian and Semper Fidelis.

.

Well I guess if ya don't go army marines are 2nd best LOL he will learn a lot it will change his life forever I know it did me ......ted

Congrats and thank him for us!

Wow, Ken my friend, you must be bustin' at the stiches with PRIDE and well you should be. This Forum has more Heroes and Hero offspring than any I have ever been blessed to be a part of. Give him a hi-five from me when you can and give yourself one also.

God Bless our Military and Veterans,

Em

Wish the youngster good luck and congratulations for me.

.

E grades in the Marine Corp are not very well known by civilians, so here is an elementary primer to bring you up to speed....
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...73f266522a.jpg

.

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers and I will pass them on to Ian.
The Marine Corps policy is to now have the recruits phone home so their loved ones know that they safely made the journey. Midnight last I received his call and his emotional duress was high to say the least and with all of the shouting and bs in the background I can understand why. Don't get me wrong as I'm not for coddling recruits though I'm glad his mother did not receive the call since I think it would have kept her up all night with worry. I am not a fan of any policy that adds undue worry and distress to parents, especially mothers. I wonder how many angry letters and phone calls are received by Headquarters, Marine Corps along with Senators and Congressmen(women)?
Digressing to my normal Corps verbage, I wonder what candy ass chair warming college boy dreamed that shit up!

Ken, I was Navy, so the level of duress and harassment we were subjected to was about 1/10 (or less!!) that of our USMC bretheren, but I still recall about a week or two into basic we were told to "call home". Once the first "Hello" was done I was done. The emotions kicked in, and I was a stinkin' basket case. Looking back I was totally OK, I had not been mis-treated, and everything was fine but the shock of being totally divorced from life as it had been, and totally on my own kicked in and became reality. Doing a tour of duty was probably one of the best things that happened to me, but those phone calls home are bordering on cruel & unusual punishment, especially for the mothers that receive the calls....

Roger, it didn't really bother me as I expected something like that, but it would have probably kept his mother up for the rest of the night and that is totally uncalled for. For the present I will stay silent, but at graduation somebody is going to get an ear full. Why the Marine Corps would condone such a policy is beyond my comprehension.

The recruit has (had?) the option to not call, considering the hour. I mad my first call at about the half way point. Anyway, you were expecting th call, it's your privilege to decide how you fee about it. He's a lucky kid to have someone he can call in the middle of the night.

Next time you hear from him, tell him HOOAH!

As a civilian engineer, I had the privilege of working with Marine Squadron HMM-774 on hangars, runways, helipads, ordnance and other facilities. The CO, XO and the SgtMaj were definitely some of the most squared-away of the all officers and non-coms I worked with over 8 years at NAVSTA Norfolk. You have reason to be proud, Ken. Godspeed and best wishes to Ian.

Congrats to proud grandpa and tell him from all of us here, "Thanks for your service!"