Christmas gift to my soon-to-be Marine Son

[Pathfinder]

Gave him a USMC commemorative Ka-Bar knife, Surefire E2E, and a gift certificate. After stringing it out, listing when, time and where, the last line of the GC read:

    What: Suppressed full-auto Uzi shooty goodness!

Photos below.

P1 - Son getting ready to drop the hammer; OK, he was posing!
P2 - In progress. Note the brass rainbow
P3 - the culprit with green dot scope
P4 - A small portion of the remains of the 650 rounds we blew through; as we left, my son's comment? "That was an hour well spent!" I didn't have the heart to tell him what it cost just for the ammo!   

[Timothy]

Tell him for me Path, that the rest of the ammo he burns through during his hitch is compliments of the Taxpaying Americans of DRTV and thank him for his commitment!

Semper Fi!

God Bless your fine boy and God Bless America!

[tombogan03884]

Cool Gift  

Path, a word of caution to you and all parents of prospective Marines.
I don't mean this to be an A-hole, but hold off on the Marine Emblem stuff until your Son or Daughter has actually completed Boot Camp and earned their Eagle Globe and Anchor. If for some reason they do not make it to that point the "Gift" will be a constant reminder of their failure.
This is in no way a reflection on the kids. Just in my platoon we had 3 guy's discharged for medical reasons due to injuries. and a friend of mine was discharged for asthma that he did not know he had until he collapsed on a run.
So hold off on the Marine Corps stuff till after Boot Camp, by then the work they put in to earn it will give it that much more meaning as something they earned, rather than a taunt that they "failed".

That being said, Give him my best regards.

[Ichiban]

I didn't have the heart to tell him what it cost just for the ammo!   

None the less, it was the best money you've spent in a long time.

[crusader rabbit]

Give him a big Semper Fi from this old sailor.  I deposited many a seasick jarhead on an unfriendly shore, and each and every one of 'em did us all proud.  The kid's got a great tradition to live up to.  But, he's got the genes to make it!

From a grateful Crusader.

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

That's why Marine's and Sailors fight, We appreciate the taxi service but can't you do SOMETHING about the ride. 

[fightingquaker13]

You and I haven't always gotten along Path, either theologically or politically. Here? Let me say job well done! I will light a candle for your boy's success in boot camp this Sunday and put him in my prayers as he joins the fleet. Tell your kid that even us "faux libertarians"  and "liberal Christians" appreciate his service and are honored and humbled by it.
Happy New Year to you both
FQ13

[usmcdadx2]

I second what Tom said about "Marine" gifts, hold off until after boot camp. My oldest was injured in boot and for awhile it looked like he wouldn't be allowed to continue. Having a reminder of "what could have been" would have sucked. Even worse, the kid my other son signed up/shipped with who decided he couldn't cut it and up and quit half way through Phase 2. His parents had bought him a ton of "Marine" stuff before boot...d'oh!

Is your boy going to PI or SD? Both mine were SD and I tried to convince my daughter she wanted to join up so I could have a PI graduation as well...didn't work. If at all possible don't miss family day and graduation. There is a great forum/support site for parents, marineparents.com. Fair warning it is made up of mostly the Moms but the occasional Dad can be found lurking about.

[Pathfinder]

Thanks for the heads-up Tom and Dad. I have only given him the one USMC item, and will make sure the rest come after boot and graduation. I do appreciate the caution.

Jon has passed all of his exams, and will be going into a 2600 MOS after boot in SD starting in May - their recruiting pipeline is that full. I do not intend to miss either Family Day or Graduation. Til May, though, he meets weekly with his recruiter for a little tea and crumpets.




And by tea and crumpets, I mean intense, F-your-buddy, grueling PT workouts and a taste - just a taste mind you - of boot.

[usmcdadx2]

Poolee stuff is great. My oldest tried college found he wasn't ready for that and decided to do the military first so from the time he signed up to the time he shipped he didn't have alot of time to train... he paid for that. His brother decided he was going Marine at the end of his junior year of high school and went DEP at the start of his senior year(along with 8 of his buddys). Once my oldest heard the news he gave his brother this advice:

1- Run, run some more and then go for a run after that.
2- Do as many push ups, pull ups and "mountain climbers" as you can at least twice a day every day.
3- Get two five pound hand weights and practice holding them at full arm extention both forward and to the sides for as long as   
    you can(helps when IT is holding your rifle like this until the kill hat is bored).
4- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate... and that means WATER stop drinking soda, energy drinks and coffee ASAP
5- Get my recruit handbook and learn/memorize your "knowledge" before you ship(you sone may be able to get a handbook from
    his recruiter...if not I can give you a link that will help).
6- Unless you plan to try for Honor Grad stay under the radar...being ready and keeping your mouth shut will help.
#2 son listened to his brother (for a change) and did most of what was recommended. As a result he didn't have a hard time in boot camp and even thought it was "sorta fun"