Semper-fit- Third Poolee Function

I've decided to switch to past tense for now. I'll only use present tense for special occasions. 

I knew well in advance when this pool function would be. I got a text from my recruiter, Sergeant Lovett, two days ahead of time that said simply "Pool function Saturday at 0745. Mandadory and locked on. If you don't know what that means then call me." followed by the uniform requirements. I did text him and ask what "locked on" meant, and he explained it simply meant to come prepared to follow instructions and protocol and be motivated no matter what. I knew that wasn't an indicator of an easy day. 

Saturday night I couldn't sleep, thunderstorms woke me up at 4am, and I never went back to sleep. It was still raining pretty good when I arrived a good ten minutes early at the recruiting station. I was surprised to find about a dozen other poolees already inside. More piled in pretty quick and we just stood around speculating about what we would do, considering the rain. There was a brand new Marine, fresh out of boot camp there in his desert cammie bottoms and boots, and tight fitting Olive T shirt. We all crowded around him asking questions about boot camp, which he happily answered. At 0745 Staff Sergeant Castleberry (male, his wife is also a Marine recruiter at the office) called for us to line up in alphabetical order to be weighed and sign in. We all immediately turned to each other and began sharing last names. We got worked out into line pretty quickly. In Boot camp it would never be fast enough, but it satisfied the recruiters. I was only 2 pounds over my minimum weight for my hight, definitely need to gain weight. 

After that a list of names was called for the IST (Initial Strength Test). The IST consists of a max set of pull-ups, max number of crunches you can do in 2 minutes, and a 1.5 mile timed run. Those individuals who were called lined up in front of the pull-up bar. The rest of us milled about briefly before being instructed to form ranks and sit down. This we did, all crammed together on the floor. We sat for quite awhile watching poolees doing their pullups. We cheered them on and boo'd the ones who quit before they were really finished. As the last of them headed for the bar the recruiters worked out a SNAFU and decided everyone else was going to do an IST as well, while those who'd finished pullups went outside to do crunches. By this time the rain had stopped, so it was on. We all got in line for the pull-up bar and waited our turn. When we got to the bar we had to say "Poolee Glass requesting permission to mount the bar." Then the recruiter would say "mount" and then "begin," and count for us. I managed 11 pullups, despite giving my all to get one more. I had done 12 less than a week ago and was hoping to repeat that performance. As soon as I finished my pullups I jogged out to a grassy area a short distance away where poolees were being lined up for crunches. I took a spot at the end of the line and the next poolee to arrive became my partner. After filling the grassy area we got down and began. My partner did 60, I matched my all time record with 86, but just wasn't able to exceed it. The ground was very wet from the rain, and our backsides got all muddy. I didn't let it bother me, which would turn out to be a wise move. Once we gave our scores to a recruiter with a clipboard, we were sent back up to the parking lot to form a formation. From there we lined up and re-filled our water-bottles, then re-formed again and were split up. Those completing the IST were sent one way to do their run, the rest of us were instructed to go to the nearby college track for PT. 

I hopped in with somebody and we carpooled the short distance to the track. It was a very short track, probably 1/8th of a mile, with just open grass in the middle. There our little crowd of poolees was greeted by a very large, heavily muscled man wearing a Marine shirt and woodland marpat Bottoms and combat boots. He was wearing a Marine Veteran ball cap, so I deduced that he was not an active duty Marine, but somebody brought in to torture us. As he introduced himself my deduction was proved 100% correct. He introduced himself as a Veteran of OIF and OEF, a former Football player, and current certified "Semper-fit" instructor working at a nearby fitness gym. He briefly explained that we would do a short warm-up formation run, some formation PT, and then split up into a circuit using various exercise tools that were placed in intervals around the edge of the field, along with some stations with no equipment that involved simple exercises. Once his short explanation was finished, he called for four squad leaders to step forward. I know I want to be a leader, so I stepped up along with three others. The rest of the poolees fell into lines behind us, and the Boot Marine acted as guide. We swung our formation around onto the track and ran around it once calling cadences with the Fitness trainer. From there the trainer instructed us squad leaders on what to do and had us form up facing the rest of the poolees in a wide open PT formation. We then proceeded to do some of the Marine Corps PT staples: side straddle hops, leg lifts, pushups, and mountain climbers. We performed these with the fitness instructor setting cadence, and us providing the count. He frequently stopped the exercise to correct our various and sundry mistakes, then making us start the count over. I also learned that you can never move fast enough from position of attention, to exercise, or back again. You have to move as fast as possible, and when somebody isn't fast enough everyone has to do it over till they all get it right. When you go down for pushups, you don't lower yourself, you just fall straight down. I'm happy to say that after the first time we were corrected I was one of the fastest. I figured that as a temporary squad leader I needed to set an example. 

Once we were all panting, we were given a walk-around of the circuit stations, where it was explained to us what to do at each one. But when the instructor tried to have us set our water bottles down in an orderly fashion it went FUBAR in a hurry. We were yelled at roundly and placed back into the formation we had used to PT. From there I figured we would divide up by squad, but instead we split up by rank, which put all four of us squad leaders as one group. This turned out to be interesting, since being high level A- type personalities, who felt that we should be setting an example, we probably pushed ourselves and each other much harder than would otherwise have happened.  At each station we assumed the position of attention until instructed to prepare, then we would exercise for one minute at the max pace we could manage before running to the next station within 30 seconds, standing at attention, and beginning the next exercise. There were 8 stations total. Our squad leader team tried to be as organized as possible, even setting a cadence for ourselves for some of the exercises. Halfway through it started pouring rain, and we just kept right on going through it, slipping and sliding in the mud the field had become. By the end of this mad dash PT session I thought I was feeling the hurt. We re-formed into formation for water and rest. But when the instructor asked if we thought we could go another round, I loudly joined in with a hearty "yes sir" along with most everyone else. This time we did 30 second sessions with 30 second breaks in between. It wasn't raining anymore, which made it a little more bearable, but this time around you could start seeing the strengths and weaknesses of our little group. I petered out on pushups, and mountain climbers, but I had no trouble with squats, crunches, or weight swings. Others excelled or flagged at different stations. We stayed motivated through it all. By the end of the second round I was definitely hurting everywhere. Once I caught my breath it felt really good. We re-formed for water and rest and after a short speech from the instructor about the pride that comes with pushing yourself and not quitting, and the pride of earning the title Marine, we were dismissed to return to the recruiting station. 

The last half hour at the station once we got back consisted entirely of hanging around chatting with other poolees, and the Boot Marine. We swapped stories of the amusing things that happened to us at MEPS and the hotel, and talked about the stories our military friends had told. Eventually everyone who didn't have shipping paperwork to do was dismissed, though a couple of us hung around talking for a few more minutes anyway. 

It I had had any ideas that boot camp would be easy (and I didn't) they would have been crushed by this pool function. The new Marine fresh out of boot who was with us at the field PT, assured us that PT in recruit training is harder, and the drill instructors aren't as nice as the fitness instructor was. He also said that those who excel in boot camp, those who do well, get extra attention as the drill instructors try to push for their breaking point. I want to earn PFC in recruit training by being a leader and setting an example, so I suppose thats what I have to look forward to. I went away at the end of the day with fresh determination to never quit or give up, to give 100% at all times, at work, church, or boot camp. 

"Double Time!" Poolee Function on the Beach

(All set up to grill some burgers and hot dogs.)

I arrive a good fifteen minutes early, a good habit to have. The Recruiting office isn't even open, so I just sit in my car. This Pool function was well announced and all the Poolees for the Pensacola and Pace Marine recruiting stations are supposed to be here today. Within a minute a truck pulls up next to me. I see a Marine Corps sticker and figure that it's another poolee. When the driver gets out wearing his poolee uniform, the navy blue shirt with maroon emblem, and required black shorts, I'm proven correct. I get out of my car too and greet him. Within a couple minutes we are joined by several more poolees. We discuss when we ship out, and the plan for the day. Originally we know this function was supposed to be a run on the beach followed by a grill out. The weather was really nasty yesterday calling this plan into question, but by the looks of the morning it might be back on. We won't know till later. By the time 7:30 arrives, the time I was told to be there, there are many poolees gathered around the door to the recruiting office. More keep arriving too. I hang around chatting with various and sundry poolees. Most are pretty sharp, both in appearance and intelligence. Most are between 17 and 19, only a couple others are in their 20s. I estimate around 40 poolees in total, and an exact count later gives 37. Around 7:30 the recruiters start arriving. Staff Sergeant Thorne opens the office and comes out a minute later with a clipboard. He gives it to a poolee and tells him to start having people sign in. The poolee he gives it to wears a black "Pain is Weakness Leaving the Body" shirt. I met him at the last pool function. He is a fitness nut and has a lot of experience in NJROTC. He apparently passed some insane challenge at a previous poolee function, which is how he earned the shirt. He ends up selected as the de-facto platoon sergeant for the pool function. While everyone signs in, conversation continues. Staff Sergeant Throne pulls his truck up and calls for volunteers to unload the grill and propane. I quickly hop up with another poolee and we hand the grill down to other willing hands. After a time, I hear a voice loudly call "Fall In", which just about causes me to fall apart. I have no idea what I'm doing. I see other poolees scrambling into a formation and I find a place in it as best I can. Eventually we form a very sloppy formation standing at attention. First off we have to fix our formation. We are instructed on how to spread out our squads (rows) by having the first rank take so many steps forward, the second rank (where I am) take so many steps forward, the third rank stands still and the fourth rank steps back. Then we are allowed to relax to parade rest. 

Next Staff Sergeant Thorne reads off the names of the six week and thirty day shippers. These are the poolees who are within six weeks, or within 30 days of their ship date. He reminds them that they must be ready to go to boot camp right now, as within the 30 day window he can call them at any time and tell them they're leaving tomorrow. Six weeks shippers also have some paperwork to do in order to be ready for their 30 day shipping window. Now for the fun part. Staff Sergeant Thorne announces that we will have inspection. We should be wearing the correct uniform, have our Marine water bottles and knowledge books, and we should be clean shaven. I'm good on all of those except the knowledge book. I forgot I was supposed to bring that. Staff Sergeant Thorne starts at the back of the formation, Sergeant Hensley starts at the front. Neither go easy. I can hear Staff Sergeant Thorne somewhere behind me asking Poolees if they're going to "forget" their rifles or ammunition or other crucial equipment if they become Marines. These poolees forgot their water battles or knowledge books, or forgot to shave. That last one seems to be a big one. Sergeant Hensley is verbally more abusive. I hear him calling every other Poolee a "Nasty little thing" for not shaving. Some tried shaving the night before in order to sleep in a little longer this morning, they don't get any mercy either. I consider myself lucky, Sgt. Hensley walks right past me and looks at my face. He shakes his head and says something about "Nasty little thing" as he walks away but I'm not sure if he's addressing me or still grumbling about the previous poolee he inspected, who got a real dressing down. He is so focused on the shaving (which appears to be a big issue with todays poolees) that he does not ask about my knowledge book that I forgot. I resolve to put my lucky escape on this issue to good use by not forgetting it next time! Once the inspection ends the recruiters address us as a group about the shaving issue. All poolees must shave the morning of pool functions. If we have this problem at the next pool function, we will do group PT as punishment. The threat of what happens if you "forget" things in boot camp, is held heavily over our heads. 

Next we do hight and weight. By squads (rows) we go into the office where Staff Sergeant Castleberry (female) has us give our name, step on a scale, and give our hight. I only weigh in at 146 pounds, 2 pounds over the minimum for my hight. Granted I haven't eaten yet today, but still, I feel the need to gain weight. After the hight and weight It feels like we stand in formation for quite awhile. At one point I hear a poolee in the first squad try to request a head call. He gets it wrong and is told by Sergeant Hensley to try again. He still gets it wrong, about five more times before he manages to get it correct at the top of his lungs. "This Poolee requests permission to make a head call!" Then he is allowed to go use the restroom. Staff Sergeant Thorne addresses us about the day's plans. We're going for a "fun run" on the beach in formation while calling cadence. He calls up Staff Sergeant Castleberry (male) who is going to start off the cadences. Staff Sergeant Castleberry asks who does not know how to run to cadence and I raise my hand along with about half the poolees. He has us run in place and demonstrates. I'm getting a little pumped by this point, this sounds like a lot of fun. They ask if any poolees know cadences and would be willing to lead them, much is made about how "C130 rolling down the strip" doesn't count because everybody knows that one. Nobody volunteers. 

Staff Sergeant Thorne also explains that we will need to carpool to Pensacola beach. He instructs us to figure out within our squads who is driving and riding. I turn to my left and right and announce that I have two seats. The two poolees on my left need rides so that pretty well settles it. A little later Staff Sergeant Thorne asks if everyone has rides and who the drivers are. He gives final instructions and dismisses the formation. I grab the other two poolees who are riding with me and we hop in my car. One sits in the back and is really quiet. He doesn't say much at all. The fellow in the front and I enjoy conversation about various things. Turns out he has played a lot of airsoft, like me, so that makes for fun talk. At the meeting spot at the beach we meet other poolees gathering outside the bathrooms. We stand around talking about what our run will be like and how hot and sunny it is. When the recruiters arrive they have us move to a large pavilion. A a few poolees help unload large coolers of water as well as the grills and food supplies. I start stretching, along with some of the other poolees. I don't know how hard this run is going to be, but it will be easier if I'm stretched out. A poll goes out who would prefer to run barefoot and who would prefer to wear shoes. Barefoot wins and everyone has to take their shoes off. After a time we are called into formation again inside the spacious pavilion. This formation is not the same as the previous, we don't all end up in even remotely the same spots. Once it's formed it gets slightly re-arranged when Staff Sergeant Thorne has slower runners take the spots that will be at the front of the run. He says he wants to set a slow pace and not wear everyone out. 

When we're ready, we move down out of the pavilion, then right face, which aligns the formation for the run, and head towards the beach. One of the recruiters sets the marching cadence. We mostly don't know squat about marching, and the formation sort of gets messed up, especially trying to weave around beach goers, but I do my best. When we reach the beach we wheel left and come to a halt. I am on the right side of the formation, and I'm knee deep in surf. I realize that this is going to be a little bit wetter than I'd imagined. Recruiters hand out final instructions, at the command double time we are to shout "Marine Corps" and start running. Then the order comes, "forward march" and we start walking. When the double time command comes a few moments later we shout "Marine Corps" and start running. Sort of, it seems like the shout fizzled out. Once we start running Staff Sergeant Castleberry starts out the cadence with what I call the "lefty righty" cadence. It consists entirely of variations of "left" and "right" along with calling noises. I think it is designed to set the cadence and help us get into rhythm. A problem immediately becomes apparent however. We're running in the the surf, the noise is crazy. I can barely hear Staff Sergeant Castleberry and sometimes I can't hear him at all. As soon as he leaves the lefty righty cadence and tries a real one, most of the formation is unable to hear or follow along, and the thundering unison turns into more of a weak quartet of whoever is closest to Staff Sgt Castleberry. I resolve to just make noises that sounds vaguely like whatever I thought i heard, and I wind up doing that quite a bit to be honest. Things improve slightly when Sergeant Lovett or Hensley takes their turn at the cadences. Their voices are a little louder and they alternately speed up and slow down so that they are sometimes near the back of the formation and sometimes near the front, which helps keep everyone able to hear sometimes and thus motivated enough to at least make those vague noises when they can't hear. Sergeant Lovett has a nice simple call he starts his cadences with that everyone can follow. First "Left foot!" a couple times, then "Drill Foot" then back, or sometimes "Kill foot!" then he'll launch into a cadence. He calls a couple that sound a lot like those called by the fictional Drill Instructor Hartman in the movie Full Metal Jacket, which makes them a lot easier to follow since even when I can't hear I know what is supposed to come next. The running itself is not that hard. I'm slogging through water that is sometimes up to my waist, but the pace is pretty slow and a couple times we halt briefly or walk to give us a chance to catch our breath. To my surprise I notice that some people are falling out. I know this only because several times I have to move position in the formation as the people in front of me are shifting to fill gaps toward the front of the formation. After awhile we come to a stop, then wheel all the way around and start back toward where we started. Now I'm on the beach side of the formation, which is nice since it's a little easier to run with water only around my ankles, and I can hear a little better. On this side I'm able to notice that we are running past hundreds of beach goers. Many are cheering us on and taking pictures. On the way back I notice more people falling out of formation. One comes right down the middle, flagging and slowing down with the formation flowing around him. We all slap him on the back and shout encouragement as we pass. In filling gaps I wind up moving from the back to almost halfway to the front of the formation. I'm in the zone by now, calling cadences and running steadily at a slow pace. The recruiters seem to have recognized the hearing problem and are calling the "lefty righty" cadence a lot, since it's easy to follow even when you can't hear. Sergeant Hensley even does the "C130 rolling down the strip" cadence he said we weren't going to do, presumably because if everyone knows it they can follow better. When we come to a halt where we started my first thought is "that's it" I don't feel very taxed at all. My body is telling me I've been using it, but I'm not winded, tired, or sore. For our finisher we receive instructions on falling out by column into single file and running back to reform in the pavilion. The guidon carrier (carrying the maroon colored standard for our recruiter's unit) takes the lead, with the column behind him running behind him as he heads off, then as soon as the last person in that column passes the first in our column we fall in running behind them in single file, and so on all the way back to the pavilion. This short run, up hill through deep sand, gets my wind going more so than the whole beach run up till that point. I'm actually breathing heavily by the time we sloppily re-form the formation. 

The recruiters immediately instruct us to retrieve our water bottles and begin sipping them to hydrate. We stand at parade rest sipping on water for a little while. I hear one girl ask to retrieve hers as well. Sgt Hensley asks why she did not get it when she was instructed, and tells her to listen closely to instructions. Then he tells her to go get and double time. She starts walking and he starts yelling "go go! Faster! 13, 12, 11," he counts down and she doesn't make it back to her spot in time. He yells "on your face!" And a random poolee in the first rank drops to the pushup position. "No not you." Sgt Hensley begins, then changes his mind. "Nevermind, everybody on your face!" He tells us that we need to pay attention to instructions, and to move quickly when we are instructed. Then we all do 20 pushups. After this Staff Sergeant Thorne addresses the group. He asks who was embarrassed and a lot of hands go up. He says they should be and scolds everybody for not showing motivation and sounding off loudly in cadence. He does say that plenty of us did fine, but that it seemed like some people were acting like they didn't want to be there. I certainly don't feel embarrassed. I ran steady, sounded off loudly, and at least made noise when I couldn't hear. It really was hard to follow the cadences over the sound of the surf. Once Staff Sergeant Thorne walks away Sgt Hensley gives a more sympathetic address, which I find amusing considering how hard he has been on people so far. He says that we did good, and that most of us should be proud of ourselves. Then he allows the de-facto platoon sergeant poolee to dismiss the formation. Some of the recruiters and poolees go to cook burgers and hot-dogs. A couple other recruiters are talking with poolees about their experience. I hang around chatting with poolees I know while we wait for dinner. I bump into Sergeant Lovett, my recruiter, who asks me how it was. I tell him it really wasn't hard, just fun and I could do it again. After a while Staff Sergeant Thorne gets everyone's attention and instructs us to form a line down the pavilion ramp and around to the grills. I realize that where I've been standing I'm at the very front of the line, and poolees begin falling in behind me. "Ladies first!" I call out, and others echo. The female poolees gratefully come around and form the line in front of me, leading us off to lunch. The burgers are good and I enjoy chatting with the poolee I drove down with too. Eventually the recruiters call for their particular recruits to gather around. Sgt. Lovett congratulates myself and his other poolees for running well. None of us fell out of formation and some of us expressed willingness to go again. He tells us that we are free to go or we can stay and continue to hang out. One of the poolees I drove up with needs to head back so all three of us throw away our lunch plates and cups and head back to the station. I drop off the other two and bid them farewell. I actually go back to the beach, my wife works right nearby the beach and I have to pick her up in the near future. But it has been a full hour by the time I get back to the beach and everyone is gone, so I simply go to my Wife's place of employment to wait the hour till it's time to take her home. The poolee function is officially over for me. 

(Some of the other poolees hanging around talking after lunch.)

This poolee function was a great time, I got to experience an inspection and some formations, and had a motivating cadence run. It is a good reminder of what I am getting into. The close order drill maneuvers we butchered so horribly as poolees must be performed to perfection by the end of recruit training, and the drill instructors who will teach us will not be merciful like our recruiters are. The verbal grilling offered by our recruiters during the inspection paled in comparison to what we will face when our drill instructors inspect us. The recruiters didn't raise their voices, or get in anyone's face, something they made sure to remind us. Everything the Marines I've met in this enlistment process have done has had a purpose. At MEPS the Marines did their best to intimidate those who were processing to join. Why? Because they don't want undisciplined recruits. In describing my experiences to others I have frequently heard "I couldn't handle that," "I'd get mad." "You're not even in yet!" To which I respond that that is the point. The Marines don't want people who can't handle that. They want people who can handle anything that might be thrown at them, from harsh words to hand grenades. So the recruiter's goal with the pool function was to help prepare poolees mentally for boot camp, as well as motivate us and keep us excited about what we're doing. It sure works for me. 

"I Love The Staff Sergeant's Surprises." My First Poolee function.

Well what do you know, I enlisted on Tuesday and I'm showing up for a Poolee function the very next day. I walk up to the office past a group of seven young men. Inside Staff Sergeant Thorne tells me to go stretch with them. I introduce myself and meet my fellow Poolees. A couple look like they are in terrific shape, the others look about average, like me. Nobody knows what we're doing today, just that an IST (Initial Strength Test) is involved, consisting of crunches, pullups, and a mile and a half run. After that the only thing they know is that Staff Sergeant Thorne has been mentioning a surprise. During stretching Staff Sergeant Thorne has those of us who haven't had pictures yet go inside. I'm last, and the camera on SSgt Thorne's phone stops working. After a few comments about how I've been in the DEP for a few hours and already broken the camera; and an amusing "drop test" on the phone, he gives up and my picture remains untaken. I go back outside, and after a few minutes Staff Sergeant Thorn comes out. He has us run down to a little grassy area nearby to do our crunches for the IST. We pair up, me being the second tallest, I go with the tallest guy. 

I do my crunches first, only making it to 71. I'm ticked since I made 85 last time. But I still managed to do better than some of the group. My partner makes it to 72. After that we go back to the office to do the pullups. Sgt Lovett is inside talking to a young man and his family who are interested in the Marines, so we go in by pairs to do our pullups so as not to disturb them. I manage 10, my partner does 8. After everyone is done Staff Sergeant Thorn announces his surprise. We're going to do the Murphy challenge. This consists of a 1 mile run (approximate), followed by 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats, and another 1 mile run. I admit, I'm very daunted. I don't think I can do that. I feel much better when it is explained that we will do the challenge by pairs, with both of our efforts contributing against the total for each exercise. The only thing the Staff Sergeant adds is that we can choose to do 300 pushups instead of 200 and 100 pullups. 

We hit the run first, down the road, up the road, then back up to the driveway to the office. I have no problem with this, but it certainly gets my breathing and adrenaline going. After that some of the guys start knocking out pushups, planning to skip pullups. But me, I want to do Recon, and I'm currently a mere 5 pullups short of what I need to qualify. I want to do some freaking pullups. So I drag my partner up to the office to PT there. We go in a circuit with several other poolees. We take turns doing max sets of pullups (which quickly go down to one or two in a set) and doing sets of squats and pushups. I do my pushup and squat sets 30 at a time at first, then 20 at a time. I don't let myself slip to ten. I struggle on the pullups though, never getting more than 2 at a time after the first couple sets. I finish my 100 pushups and 150 squats while only managing 25 pullups. My partner also does his half of the pushups and squats while managing 25 pullups. So now we know we have to do 50 between us. It is a daunting number when neither of us is managing more than one or two at a time. Luckily, one of the really fit poolees who did pushups instead and has already finished the whole challenge with his partner, offers to do some pullups for our count. He adds them 5 or 10 at a time, pumping them out like a beast. My partner and I still just add one or two at a time. In the office, another guy is struggling to get his last pushups out. Everyone gathers around him, yelling motivation and telling him not to quit. Finally, I get the honor of doing the last pullup for our count, and my partner and I head out for the second run. I'm trashed, and I know it. But I tackle it with a will. I'm really dragging, and by the halfway point I have a bad cramp and have to walk for a short ways. My partner offers motivation, forcing me to start running again and not letting me slow down too much. Finally he has us make a sprint for the last twenty five yards to the finish. As I come to a stop I feel a horrible unsettle in my gut, and I immediately throw up in the grass. I puke a couple good spurts and then I'm done. My partner takes me inside to get some water from the water fountain, and then I feel fine, great in fact. 

Back outside another poolee is getting ready to puke. He is on his face, retching in the grass. The rest of us are done, and we stand around offering advice and encouragement. Eventually the poolee pukes horrible orange chunkiness on the grass, he barely has strength to move his head and keep his face from falling into it. We help him up when he's done hurling and sit him down on the front step of the office. Myself and another poolee place our legs behind his back for him to lean on, he doesn't have the strength to hold his body, or even his head up, he's swaying back and forth. His water bottle his thrust into his hand and he drinks liberally, squirting more water on his head. At about this point a fit looking young man gets out of a car and goes over to the Air Force recruiting office right next door. He finds it closed. He looks over at us and sees the state we are in. "Hey, wanna join the Marine Corps!" I yell. The recovering poolee who got really trashed manages to raise his head and give the guy a thumbs up. "Marines is where it's at!" He gasps out. Staff Sergeant Thorn comes out around this time and greets the young man, who describes his college degrees and says he wants to find out about officer training and see if he can use his physical training/rehabilitation degree for a position. Offering further proof that my recruiters do not fit the smooth talking conniving profile that recruiters are given, Staff Sergeant Thorne tells the young man straight out that there are no doctor's in the Marine Corps. He does start to talk with him about what options there are, but we take the exhausted Poolee inside and don't hear the rest. After a few more minutes of recovery he says he wants to finish the challenge. He has 9 pullups to go and thats it. We all cheer him on as he knocks these out with ease. Way to recover from a low point! His determination does him credit and totally motivates me, and probably some of the others too. 

We meander around and enjoy the heady feeling of success till Staff Sergeant Thorne comes back in. He gathers us around and holds a brief discussion and lecture about the Marine Corps values, what they mean, what they mean to us, and how to apply them as Poolees. He tells the story of a Marine who was manning a "Toys For Tots" box outside a best buy when a thief with a knife ran past him. The Marine chased the crook down and well, according to the Staff Sergeant "the bad guy fell off the curb in the struggle and suffered some injuries." I eat all this up. Honor, Courage, and Commitment. Those words mean a lot, and I believe in their meaning. When he is done we all sign our names that we have had this "Values based training" lecture, and we're free to go. I linger for a couple minutes to ask Staff Sergeant Thorne if I have a ship date for Parris Island yet. He checks his computer, and says it's not in yet. He shows me on a calendar that I'll most likely be taking an available slot for October 6th or 14th. I thank him and head home. My legs and arms feel like jelly, it's a really good feeling. I've been working out and running at home, but never that hard. I haven't worked myself that hard, since Kyokushin martial arts in Poland. The feeling of exhaustion reminds me of many hard days of training, and the rewarding feeling of accomplishment when you complete something so demanding. I think I've been missing that in my life since then. The last time I felt this way was after the Parkour jam I went to in Gainsville Florida, and although that lasted some 8 hours, nothing I did there matched today's intensity. The funny thing is that I feel like I didn't push myself hard enough. That one guy could barely get his last pushups and collapsed on the floor. I knocked out my last set of pushups at a decent pace, although i could feel myself flirting with muscle failure. Same with the squats, and even the pullups. I still had pushups, squats, and pullups left in me, so I kinda wish I had pushed harder, at least to do longer sets, if not more reps. I resolve to harden my personal PT, and push myself further. I'm going to be a Marine, no doubt about that. Based on my IST I could probably go to boot camp tomorrow and make it through. But I don't just want to be a Marine, I want to be a really good Marine, one of the best. That means I need to work harder, and motivate myself and not just depend on others. I need to make that 300 PFT (100 crunches, 20 pullups, 3 miles in 18 minutes), not just because I want to pass the IST and get my contract switched to recon, but because I won't settle for less than the best. That's why I chose the Marines, and that's the attitude I want to guide my actions.