Roller coaster I: Get Us (The Parents) Through Plebe Year - Class of ‘26 🎢

DS has done three voluntary summer courses and the experience on the yard over the summer is a whole new thing.
He actually loved it. And it made room for his major and minor to not sink him (speaking as a 2/C parent hoping to give 4/C parents some info).
 
I did summer school each year. It’s very relaxed. As athletes it gave us a ton of time to focus on strength and conditioning before and after class. We were able to knock out a tough course that helped to give flexibility in our schedules. We always knew in league play when our games were, so this would help minimize missing class. You get liberty every day, or at least used to. There is alot of freedom. Can focus on one class. So I always elected to try and take the hardest one I could. Voluntary summer school is just that… they can drop the block if they want to.
 
If a mid has their eye on a semester abroad, summer school to get a head of their matrix would be a good idea (unless they validated a lot of classes). As my DS found out, nailing down credits at a foreign institution is iffy and (let’s be honest), a great many allied military colleges do not have the US standards of education and academic integrity.
 
Son got in to see his blocks.

YP cruise 1st block, leave 2nd, PROTRAMID for the 3rd.

Basically off for most of July. He's probably happy with the schedule, but hanging with his GF for the next few days, so not 100% sure.
 
Son got in to see his blocks.

YP cruise 1st block, leave 2nd, PROTRAMID for the 3rd.

Basically off for most of July. He's probably happy with the schedule, but hanging with his GF for the next few days, so not 100% sure.
PROTRAMID will be a fun training for him. 2nd and 3rd Blocks are West Coast (San Diego). Since everything is right there (or a short drive away), he will have his weekends off. 1st Block (East Coast) has a fair amount of traveling that is done on the weekends. Not sure if your DS has a community in mind, but regardless, it is a great training to see how the whole Department of the Navy (well its forces, specifically) works. While I am certainly biased towards Naval Aviation, every community has some really cool things about it. Hopefully, he'll get to shoot when he does Marine Week. Camp Pendleton (and the rest of CA) has a high fire hazard during the summer. A Marine unit went the day before we were supposed to go and inadvertently lit the range on fire with a tracer. Nobody's fault (and thankfully contained quickly), but didn't get my chance to sling some freedom down range. Our day at the gas chamber was also almost cut short too by an infestation of wasps. Luckily, I still got my free sinus cleaning courtesy of Uncle Sam!
 
He also wants aviation. SWO nuke second (I think). Not sure if he realizes that he's going to SD!

Hasn't had much experience shooting, in fact only during Plebe summer. I should take him to the range during his block off.

Our squad was the first one in the chamber during basic training. I got to watch the tear gas coming down from the ceiling as it settled into the room. It was surreal seeing it come down over our masks as a visible line of a cloud. A few of the kids were freaking out, I was laughing. Definitely an experience!!
 
He also wants aviation. SWO nuke second (I think). Not sure if he realizes that he's going to SD!

Hasn't had much experience shooting, in fact only during Plebe summer. I should take him to the range during his block off.

Our squad was the first one in the chamber during basic training. I got to watch the tear gas coming down from the ceiling as it settled into the room. It was surreal seeing it come down over our masks as a visible line of a cloud. A few of the kids were freaking out, I was laughing. Definitely an experience!!
Disclaimer: TL;DR
From the minds of, "Tell us a story about being in the Marines, Dad."

Brings back memories from Parris Island, circa late summer 1991. NBC training out at the bivouac, during a time when we were filed into the Gas Chamber; a cinderblock rectangular building, just big enough for one whole platoon to stand inside the perimeter. In the middle, stood our Senior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Bryant, with no Gas Mask as he hovered around a Bunsen burner on a table. He placed a little yellow cube on top and immediately it began to smoke. The order to "don your Gas Mask, and clear!" was barked, and Recruits happily, quickly obliged. "Remove ya Gas Mask" thirty seconds later he shouted, "hold it out in front." Moments seemed like hours. "Don and Clear!" Whew, I'm starting to tingle, and fell sensations of muscle cramping throughout body. "Take 'em off!" he exclaimed, "Sing my Marine Corps Hymn for me, ladies." The cat cries began, "From the halls of Montezoo-uh-ma to the sho..cough cough, yack, ugh..." That inhale at the end of Montezuma, that's the one that gets you. Deep in your lungs, filled with the yellow cloud of what now seems to be satan's breath, holding your body tight in its grip - the fear sinks in. My body rigid, with what feels to be the onset of early rigor-mortis, I clearly *must* be dying. To my chagrin, and absolute terror, I see our Senior Drill Instructor, sans Gas Mask, now barking orders at another recruit who is giggling uncontrollably; "he must be hallucinating" I thought. What madness have they done, is the D.I. insane?! What did he put on that burner?!! I should have told my recruiter about that little asthma attack as a child - one little white lie and I'm paying for it with my life! My mind raced, hundreds, thousands of memories and thoughts flooded my psyche as I just *knew* I was dying. My vision blurred already, a string of snot hanging concurrently from the pores of my eyes and nostrils, nearly touching the floor, I faintly heard the order, "Roight Face! Put ya right hand on the shoulder in front of you. Fo-wahd, March!"
As we cleared the hatchway leaving the Chamber of eminent death, I realized every other recruit was in a similar state of disfunction. Well, nearly every recruit. There was that one man though, still giggling as he watched the rest of the platoon suffer. SSGT Bryant eye-balled him as well, and with the Gas Chamber door still open, he marched him back inside for a round of Jumping Jacks, Mountain Climbers, Push-Ups, Sit-Ups and sweat session fun. Still nothing. As it turned out, being a deep-Cajun Louisianan, his love for all things spicy had saved him during our demise. SSGT Bryant informed us that he, unlike our fellow recruit, did not need a Gas Mask because he was too 'hard a Marine' for Gas to affect him. Our platoon mate however, was immune to the mustard yellow smoke due to his conditioning through spicy foods. My 18-year-old view of the world expanded that day - and what a wonderful way to learn about new cultures! In retrospect, the pain, suffering, and hardship weren't really *that* bad. In fact, it was just enough to make us feel exactly what bonded us all together, and made us the Marines we were. Often times I wish I were young again where I could go back to experience it all once more. Semper Fi, my friends.
 
He also wants aviation. SWO nuke second (I think). Not sure if he realizes that he's going to SD!

Hasn't had much experience shooting, in fact only during Plebe summer. I should take him to the range during his block off.

Our squad was the first one in the chamber during basic training. I got to watch the tear gas coming down from the ceiling as it settled into the room. It was surreal seeing it come down over our masks as a visible line of a cloud. A few of the kids were freaking out, I was laughing. Definitely an experience!!
Overall, mids don't get too much shooting exposure to small arms. My only other shooting outside of PS was during my surface cruise (.50 cal and M240B). Marine Week shooting is an exposure to larger small arms like the M249. One also might get to see weapons like the M204 and maybe even a shoulder-mounted weapon. We also did some demolition with combat engineers and 1.5 days at MOUT town.

I think CBRN training is valuable for everyone to have. Never know when you'll be exposed to it.

For Aviation Week, my favorite was the T-34 flight over San Diego. Pretty cool whale watching from 1000 ft. You also get some sim time (mine was an MV-22).
 
Parents . . . while it may go in one ear and out the other, caution your kids to be smart on summer break. A number of years ago, a mid at Protramid in San Diego thought it would be a good idea to eat gummies laced with MJ. Then took a joy ride in a friend's car. Got caught by the police. Fessed up to everything. To make a long story short, that person is no longer a midshipman.

This was a great young person, varsity athlete, outstanding student. In the space of two weeks his life was turned upside down.
 
And they're back ...... again! Said they were going to have "Mental Monday," or something like that today. Basically, letting them know they are still Plebes. :p

Less than 60 days until Sea Trials and Herndon. Only a little bit of ProKnow left. Kid said he is ready for it to be done. Looking forward to be being a less-demanded-upon Youngster. I said be careful what you wish for. ;)
 
After PCBs, the Plebe stuff will start to slide. Everyone will shift their focus to the future. That said, the 3/C PCA is not the easiest test in the world. Pro Know doesn't go away, but it is less regimented. A lot less handholding (come arounds, Noon Meal Trainings, etc.) and a lot more trust that you did your due diligence to prepare.
 
Asked him if he got khakis yet. He said they will probably work on issuing those soon. And he said they go back to whites a lot later than you'd think. So SDBs in the heat. :p
 
Asked him if he got khakis yet. He said they will probably work on issuing those soon. And he said they go back to whites a lot later than you'd think. So SDBs in the heat. :p
DS should get them soon! Khakis are only a summer uniform for USNA. I actually never wore them until I was a 1/C! Detail and Summer School are the two programs that wear khakis the most.
 
So what do they wear during PROTRAMID? I figured on his YP cruise, it would be working blues, or the camo stuff?
 
So what do they wear during PROTRAMID? I figured on his YP cruise, it would be working blues, or the camo stuff?
They wear cammies mostly. They will get flight suits for Aviation Week. Typically, you'll travel to and from PROTRAMID in whites. YP Cruise will be mostly in cammies. They'll also most likely have something requiring whites in there as well. It's incredible how often you wear a dress uniform at USNA compared to the Fleet!
 
DS should get them soon! Khakis are only a summer uniform for USNA. I actually never wore them until I was a 1/C! Detail and Summer School are the two programs that wear khakis the most.
Oldest wore them once youngster summer as a detailer. Oldest will wear them this 1/C summer as a detailer.

They remind me of smooth Jiffy PB.
 
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