indolence
01-24-2008, 04:24
Last semester in college I was a bouncer. I would wear my Navy dep hat because... well I don't own any other hats. From time to time people would get on my case for it, but the only one that ever stuck with me was this.
It was a normal day and a group of guys with military style haircuts were standing there. No big deal, we got a lot of people that came out when they were on leave or if they were in the reserves or guard. One of em sees my hat and just asked me "Hey are you in the Navy?" Red flags are going up, normally this question was the preface for me getting in a fight with a drunk Army guy who had a complex. I look him in the face and say "Well not yet, I ship out to boot in March."
Calm washes over the guys face and it was easy to tell that he wasn't drunk in the least bit. "Oh" he says, "me and my buddies are in the Marines." We start talking and it comes out that I signed up to be a Corpsman. Instantly I was a hit with these guys, turns out they had been in a combat unit and just got back from Iraq a short while ago.
Before the night ended the guy who asked me if I was in the Navy came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder and looked me dead in the face with the type of eyes that don't look at you, but look through you. "Listen Ryan, take it from me since I have been there. When you are a Doc, you are a Marine, so keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Good luck." and with that they left.
Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Words still with me today, months later, that I think of whenever I am doing training for boot.
I do not post this for the people who have been there and done what I one day hope to do. You all know the risks better than anything I could possibly say without having experienced it. I say this for the people who are thinking about joining but aren't totally sure if it is what they want.
I grew up in a military family, I saw my father who was attached to SOCOM leave with combat load and return months later. Being deployed can be hard on your family. Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. If becoming a Corpsman is what you want to do then by all means do it, but if you are using the Military to try to get college paid or something of the sort rethink what you are about to sign. Accept the fact that there are real dangers associated with this.
Not trying to preach, just trying to help anyone going through a crisis of conscious. Becoming a Corpsman should be a 100% commitment, because you will have lives you are responsible for. Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Words that will stick with me for my entire life.
Off my soap box now, if I offended anyone I apologize and that was not my intent at all.
It was a normal day and a group of guys with military style haircuts were standing there. No big deal, we got a lot of people that came out when they were on leave or if they were in the reserves or guard. One of em sees my hat and just asked me "Hey are you in the Navy?" Red flags are going up, normally this question was the preface for me getting in a fight with a drunk Army guy who had a complex. I look him in the face and say "Well not yet, I ship out to boot in March."
Calm washes over the guys face and it was easy to tell that he wasn't drunk in the least bit. "Oh" he says, "me and my buddies are in the Marines." We start talking and it comes out that I signed up to be a Corpsman. Instantly I was a hit with these guys, turns out they had been in a combat unit and just got back from Iraq a short while ago.
Before the night ended the guy who asked me if I was in the Navy came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder and looked me dead in the face with the type of eyes that don't look at you, but look through you. "Listen Ryan, take it from me since I have been there. When you are a Doc, you are a Marine, so keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Good luck." and with that they left.
Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Words still with me today, months later, that I think of whenever I am doing training for boot.
I do not post this for the people who have been there and done what I one day hope to do. You all know the risks better than anything I could possibly say without having experienced it. I say this for the people who are thinking about joining but aren't totally sure if it is what they want.
I grew up in a military family, I saw my father who was attached to SOCOM leave with combat load and return months later. Being deployed can be hard on your family. Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. If becoming a Corpsman is what you want to do then by all means do it, but if you are using the Military to try to get college paid or something of the sort rethink what you are about to sign. Accept the fact that there are real dangers associated with this.
Not trying to preach, just trying to help anyone going through a crisis of conscious. Becoming a Corpsman should be a 100% commitment, because you will have lives you are responsible for. Keep your head down and your bayonet sharp. Words that will stick with me for my entire life.
Off my soap box now, if I offended anyone I apologize and that was not my intent at all.