To be or not to be...???

[Serenity]

Just make sure you get your fill of the first hour of Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket because that's how you're going to get treated; of course the movie is toned down and, there's not one drill instructor but one senior drill instructor and one junior drill instructor for each of the four squads in the platoon.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

1st: First detail. No recruiter's word on anything is "good as gold". Get everything in writing before you sign anything. Bear OT's story in mind.

Don't let all the boot camp remarks scare you. Don't worry about drill and marching. I recall you saying you've done drum corps; you already know that gig. It's all parade block; no field shows. Just resign yourself to doing everything their way, whoever they turn out to be, you'll be fine. I work with lots of retarded, ah, retired, military guys; they all survived boot camp. Point being, they survived.

My husband survived Army boot camp (that was a long time ago, tho). Heck, even my little brother survived and he ain't got a lick of sense. Of course, that was Navy.

Think everything over carefully and, when you make up your mind, do a great job and have a wonderful time.

[barfle]

It's not that there's anything coming your way that's not survivable. Sometimes you may wish for death, but that's pretty short-term (unless, of course, you actually end up with an instrument of death instead of music in your hands).

However, and I believe this situation has NOT changed, recruiters will, shall we say, "stretch" the truth in order to get you to write your name on the piece of paper. Verbal promises aren't worth the paper they're not printed on. And just because a recruiter tells you he's honorable, that only means that he can say the words - and not ONE THING MORE.

I got drafted - the only promise that was made to me is that I would get out in two years, which was kept. Other guys gave up another year or two or three or more for specific schools, but not all of them got what they were promised, because they couldn't prove the promise. There's no way I can emphasize what OT said too much - get it in writing! And be prepared for a couple of months of training that's as far from music (with the exception of "reville" and "taps") as you can possibly imagine. I hope the loud bangs don't damage your hearing...

[analog]

A light year of lead - what a concept! OT - I hope you do creative writing in your spare time.
Anyhow I always thought there's an interaction between antineutrinos and human neurons, and that's why bureaucracy has run amuck the last fifty years. Since about the time earth became a point source for the little critters.

And I'm an electron flow guy too, though had to master the language of conventional current to communicate with engineers. Still have my slide rule too.

Mr Oboe - however it works out it's going to be an adventure. Best fortune to you, sir!

[barfle]

I'm comfortable with both conventional and electron current flow concepts, being an engineer who spent a LOT Of years as a technician before deciding that the quickest way to a decent salary was to finish college.

My high school electronics teacher (we're talking early 1960s here) wasn't exactly knowledgable about the subject he was teaching - I don't know if he could spell PNP, and he certainly didn't know squat about transistors. Unfortunately, he wasn't all that knowledgable about tubes (or "valves" as some of our BBB members would call them). But tubes work best with electrons, transistors work best with holes, and now that I have a few clues about both technologies, I can think either way.

I wonder if that makes me bipolar? :confused:

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by analog:
A light year of lead - what a concept! OT - I hope you do creative writing in your spare time.
Anyhow I always thought there's an interaction between antineutrinos and human neurons, and that's why bureaucracy has run amuck the last fifty years. Since about the time earth became a point source for the little critters.

Hi Analog, the Nuclear Physics instructor told us it's actually 20 light years of lead to attenuate one antineutrino! Hence my position that they don't really know what they're talking about. Of course, this was in 1981, so they might have learned something since then.



<small>[ 09-09-2003, 03:53 PM: Message edited by: operatenor ]</small>

[1st_oboe]

<MAJOR REJACKING ALERT!>

Aaron

<small>[ 09-10-2003, 02:56 AM: Message edited by: 1st_oboe ]</small>

[Marye]

Good luck to you Aaron. I hope it works out well for you.

[Nicole Marie]

Good luck Aaron. Keep us posted! All the best.

[OperaTenor]

Good luck Aaron, ditto the keep in touch. Remember, in boot camp they're just joshin' ya. They don't really think you're a maggot!

[barfle]

Originally posted by operatenor:
I had a Norton motorcycle for a while. Will someone please kindly tell me just exactly why the British use a POSITIVE GROUND electrical system?

I would guess it's the same reason they drive on the wrong side of the street.

Of course you know why the English drink warm beer. Because they have Lucas refrigerators!

[barfle]

Originally posted by 1st_oboe:
I am going to be a Marine.
Semper Fi!

Aaron

Get ready to do pushups until they get tired of watching you (I actually did that once!). Get ready to hear your new name - "Maggot." Get ready to know and love your rifle more than your oboe or clarinet. Get ready to be compared with all sorts of vile substances and to have your masculinity questioned at every turn.

But remember, it really is survivable. You may want to take the easy way out sometimes, but don't do that. You might think at times that it'll take a superman to outlast those masochists, but really, just about anyone who has an IQ over 60 and an average metabolism CAN do it. It's tough. It's very tough. But once you get that past you, you'll realize that, as I said, it's survivable.

So the Army recruiter is suspected of arson? I wonder if that will get him fired?

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Originally posted by operatenor:
I had a Norton motorcycle for a while. Will someone please kindly tell me just exactly why the British use a POSITIVE GROUND electrical system?

Because they can.

Italians do it too - I had this Fiat for a while. BTW, the Italians seem to do style better than they do engineering. Sort of an inverse Volvo effect.

The whole European "conventional" approach seems to work in practice but it's weird as snake's socks.

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by barfle:
Of course you know why the English drink warm beer. Because they have Lucas refrigerators!

Ah yes, Lucas, Prince of Darkness! When I decided I was too afraid something would break on that bike, I took it to the shop I worked at & advertised it. Nobody even called on it for two months, so I rode it back home. The battery was flat, but I thought it would be no problem since it was a kick-start m/c. As I rode it home that evening, I had to periodically turn off the headlight while I was riding on the freeway(!) as the alternator couldn't keep up with both the lights and charging the battery! I got it home & decided to do the same thing I did with any other bike I was in a hurry to put on the charger: clip onto the positive terminal and a cooling fin. Imagine my surprise as the needle on the charger slammed from one peg to the other! It took me another two months to troubleshoot that one. A soldered connection inside the ignition switch melted. Never again.

[OperaTenor]

Originally posted by Selma in San Diego:
The whole European "conventional" approach seems to work in practice but it's weird as snake's socks.

Yes, but how many socks does a snake have?

[treebeau]

Good luck Aaron.
Let us know when you learn all about Chesty Puller.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Shapley]

Aaron,

The best of luck to you.

V/R
Shapley

[1st_oboe]

Still no word from DC. I bet the poor MEPS liason Gunny has more grey hair now, as much as he was stressing about not getting it tuesday.
Oh well, not much I can do but wait. I'm still doing the formal audition tomorrow afternoon.

[Serenity]

How come you're going to the "Hollywood Marines" instead of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina? (You lucky devil dog). Have you picked out a girl's name for your rifle? Good Luck dude, we'll be waiting to hear from you after 3 months.

[1st_oboe]

I believe it all has to do with geography. I'm in Idaho, so it's much cheaper to fly me to San Diego. I think that all the male recruits from the eastern half of the states go to SC, the male recruits from the west go to SD, and all female recruits go to Parris Island. (YUCK!)

So, how's the weather in San Diego in the fall? Shouldn't be too bad, I'm definately glad I'm not going to boot camp in summer!