Re: Considering military after College.

**CingularDuality** · 01-05-2006, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by squeak

Well, hell, here's one:
How do you recommend conditioning your body... a few routine exercises?

I'm no personal trainer, but I'll tell you what your goal might be. To get a perfect score on the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test, you need to run 3 miles in under 18 minutes, do 20 dead hang pull ups or chin ups (no time limit, knees must stay below your waist and can't use momentum to help), and 100 crunches in two minutes.

Actually, instead of describing it, here's a site that explains the test, the scores and the minimum standard: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blfitmale.htm

Read the whole thing. Some things that don't seem important can really piss you off when you're actually taking the test. If you always train in the gym and then you have to take your PFT outside in the freezing rain in January, then you might not be on your game when they tell you to take off your sweatshirt to do pullups. But that's what the order says: no sweatshirts.

So, while training, keep the PFT in mind and run one occasionally. In all different types of weather....

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 01-05-2006, 03:37 PM

What service?

Here is a funny story. I went into the Navy in the best shape of my life. Push ups, pullups, running, no problem. Weighed about 170 pounds.

I came out of bootcamp at, oh at least 210. Fat, couldn't run more than a dozen yards without gasping for breath and lucky to do 20 good pushups.

It was sad.

**Gixxer_USMC** · 01-05-2006, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by El_Gringo_Grande

What service?

Here is a funny story. I went into the Navy in the best shape of my life. Push ups, pullups, running, no problem. Weighed about 170 pounds.

I came out of bootcamp at, oh at least 210. Fat, couldn't run more than a dozen yards without gasping for breath and lucky to do 20 good pushups.

It was sad.

Yea... that sounds about right for the Navy !! LOL

**CingularDuality** · 01-06-2006, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by El_Gringo_Grande

What service?

Here is a funny story. I went into the Navy in the best shape of my life. Push ups, pullups, running, no problem. Weighed about 170 pounds.

I came out of bootcamp at, oh at least 210. Fat, couldn't run more than a dozen yards without gasping for breath and lucky to do 20 good pushups.

It was sad.

Did they have you on double rats or something???

I actually saw that with a kid in my platoon in boot camp, too, though. He came from a very poor family and had never eaten that well in his life. He really packed on the pounds.

**section-8** · 01-06-2006, 08:37 AM

bah...i lost quite a bit of weight in basic training....and thats eating AF food

**El_Gringo_Grande** · 01-06-2006, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by CingularDuality

Did they have you on double rats or something???

I actually saw that with a kid in my platoon in boot camp, too, though. He came from a very poor family and had never eaten that well in his life. He really packed on the pounds.

No. I was a bootcamp Choir Boy. One of the people who sang in the graduation ceramony. There was that and drill team.

From about week three on we got up at 2am, cleaned the head then went and practiced singing untill about 4pm. No marching, no drills no nothing. Our "Drill instructor" during those times was a civy. The military guy watching over us got upset when the girls started crying so he never did the "Drop and give me twenty" thing.

I think what happened was that I was training so hard before bootcamp that my body just sucked in all the carbs when it got the chance. And bootcamp food is nothing but simple carbs and fat. Most use it up that extra energy but if all you do all day is sit in the Florida sunshine and sing you get fat.

*Edit*
Just to be clear, I did the choir boy thing to get out of kitchen duty. That is some nasty stuff. Never once set foot in a Navy kitchen, which is a rarity.

**Ben** · 01-06-2006, 03:06 PM

Shin Splints = hell in the military

I dont know ablout the US Military, but I served in the Israel Defence Force, infantry combat.

I say do it. You will never regret it and it is a hell of a resume builder.
Defend what you believe in, fight for good and be a leader.
BUT, if you have the shin splints, and they wont go away, you are asking for months of hell on earth (in addition to the standard hell of training).

Good Luck to you in any case!

**Iceberg** · 01-30-2006, 10:53 PM

All right.

Marine Officer.

I talked to my local OCO, Capt Schoonover out of Champain, IL.

Im taking the first steps to attend the OCC (officer candidate class), a ten week course (for me, as Im a JR/SR) over the summer to see if I have what it takes to be a Marine Officer. Next step: Kick the PFT's ass (thanks for the advice cingular).

Thanks to all who have been putting up with my questions and nagging behind the scenes! Thanks also go to Pokerface, who recommended a KICK ASS book for me to read (One Bullet Away:The making of a marine officer by Nathaniel Flick... READ THIS BOOK).

**Gixxer_USMC** · 01-30-2006, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by squeak

All right.

Marine Officer.

I talked to my local OCO, Capt Schoonover out of Champain, IL.

Im taking the first steps to attend the OCC (officer candidate class), a ten week course (for me, as Im a JR/SR) over the summer to see if I have what it takes to be a Marine Officer. Next step: Kick the PFT's ass (thanks for the advice cingular).

Thanks to all who have been putting up with my questions and nagging behind the scenes! Thanks also go to Pokerface, who recommended a KICK ASS book for me to read (One Bullet Away:The making of a marine officer by Nathaniel Flick... READ THIS BOOK).

Good Luck !!

**Pokerface** · 01-31-2006, 01:03 AM

It's good to know that I was able to help by recommending a book.

**SmokingTarpan** · 01-31-2006, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by squeak

I talked to my local OCO, Capt Schoonover out of Champain, IL.

Heh, I'll probably see you jogging around campus sooner or later then. Good luck.

**Iceberg** · 02-12-2007, 12:15 PM

Update:

I'm applying jointly for Air Force OTS (board meets once this year, in April I believe) and Marine Corps OCS (April Boards). Air Force: Active Duty, Marine Corps: Reserve Program (if it's available, something they are doing to fill up some reserve officer positions).

Interesting information:
My application for the Air Fore has no physical test requirements (no running/pushups/situps) and is determined primarily on education and recommendations. Easiest damn app and I should have pursued it last year.

For the Corps, I have to fill out a huge background epsq (don't ask me what that stands for) since I'll be going to OCS after I graduate, an undergrad doesn't need to fill this out. Almost kept me from applying since it needed to know so damn much.

**CingularDuality** · 02-12-2007, 01:13 PM

Electronic Personnel Security Questionnaire, and it's just for your standard background check. You'd eventually need to do one if you got a decent job in the Air Force, too.

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