Ex-NFL player graduates from Marines boot camp in San Diego

[Ernesto]

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A former college teammate of Pat Tillman is following his footsteps by leaving professional football to join the military.
Pfc. Jeremy Staat, a former NFL defensive lineman who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the St. Louis Rams, graduated from the San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Friday.


http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/14228846p-15052137c.html

[DS1]

1. Baah

Bootcamp is so watered down these days anyone could graduate

/grumpy

[BOSSHOG]

2. Marines get 8 hours sleep in bootcamp now

I just don't understand the concept. Makes me grumpy too. I went to Navy Boot in SDiego in the early 70's. We were right next to Marine Corps Bootcamp separated by a big fence. We'd get up in the morning rubbing the sleep out of our eyes and those souls were lugging full backpacks before sunrise.

[DS1]

4. And they get "time-out" chits

which they can redeem at any point where they are feeling that they are getting treated wrongly.

There's no time-out in combat.

[BOSSHOG]

7. I know Navy Boot ain't as hard as Marine boot

but we didn't get any time-outs and we often had a Company Commander in our face saying nasty things about our mothers and cussing like, well, Sailors. And there was the occassional physical abuse and sleep deprivation. That occurred more than 30 years ago and I'm still sane. Do you get to not follow someone into combat with a time out chit?

However, I salute the lad for his choice and wish him well.

[DS1]

9. This is Marine boot with chits

I still can't believe it

[TacticalPeek]

28. "Do you get to not follow someone into combat with a time out chit?"

Sometimes it depends on who one's daddy is.

[TomInTib]

13. Come on, you have to be kidding...

When in the hell did that start?

I, for once, am at a loss for words.

[DS1]

17. Couple years ago

It was decided that recruits who can't handle the pressure of Drill Instructors get a certain number of "Time-out" chits, redeemable at anytime.

[TomInTib]

20. Good God...

I am so glad that I am not serving now.

What a screwed up system. What in the world do they think Marines are trained for (and no "Gate Guard" jokes, here)?

I am just blown away.

This would have resulted (and may be at present) in some nasty situations in combat.

You know what I mean.

Jeebus.

[DS1]

22. And now there's some Army Colonel

probably Base Commander, who greets their recruits on the bus and congratulates them all for joining the Army and wishes them a nice stay at bootcamp.

I went through Parris Island in 91, and I'm sure that was a hell of a lot different than 81, and very different from 71. Can't imagine what 2011 is going to look like.

[madmark]

23. i have no problem with the greeting, but the chits are terrible, as was

said on this thread, there are no time out chits in combat and the stress imposed by the drill instructors is suppose to steel these people for combat. The chits undermine that.

[TomInTib]

27. "wishes them a nice stay at bootcamp"

Remember when you stepped off that bus? I do.

I had never been treated like such an idiot loser wussy puke, ever.

I was one rough-and-tumble guy and felt as if I had been hit by a train.

[CANDO]

11. RTC San Diego

I went there also! January of '83. In the wee hours of dawn, I got my first look at a real Palm tree. I'm a Pennsylvanian, and there aren't any Palm trees here. Ah, Navy boot camp! I don't miss the endless hours of marching, shinsplints, and those nasty seagulls eating the snot from everyone hacking up and spitting on Bainbridge Grinder. Disgusting!

[BOSSHOG]

12. Beautiful memories Shipmate

Didja watch PSA (Poor Sailors Airways) jets fly away to God knows where as you mustered for morning chow? RandO hault! Unfortunately RTC is no longer there but Marine Bootcamp remains. Loved the live show put on by the seagulls.

[CANDO]

14. Wow, I didn't know they closed it.

How about that!? It was actually a pretty neat place. I went up to Port Hueneme for my CE "A" school after my stint in SD. Were you a fleet sailor, Bosshog? I was one of those Seabee land-lubbers! No ships for this sailor.

[BOSSHOG]

15. The only remaining Navy Bootcamp is Great Lakes

I retired from NCBC Gulfport but was not a SeaBee. I pushed paper and worked security. I have extremely fond memories of my time with CB's. I got a coin from the CB memorial on my Shadow Box.

[CANDO]

18. Hey, that's awesome!

I was in NMCB 133, The Kangroos, from '84 to fall of '87. I miss those summers on the beach along US 90. We always went over to Biloxi for some reason. I can't even imagine how torn up the whole place is after Katrina. I really wouldn't have recognized the place before Katrina since I hadn't been back there in so long. All those casinos were built after I was there. Man, did I have fun along the Mississippi Gulf Coast! Concerts at the Coast Coliseum, Crawfish Festivals, and Mardi Gras!

[rppper]

29. we were called "hollywood" recruits........

was a guest of RTC San Diego for 8 weeks myself in 88...they called us "cuff monsters too" after the first fitting for uniforms...the gulls eating loogies...omfg...i had forgotten about that....i spent 8 weeks on the new side....div7....but i went to many a marching party on the grinder by the R & O there, plus i was the laundry po...i got to pick 5 guys a day and we had to carry all the dirty skivies over the bridge and past the frigate....but we got to miss all the drill trainings and such. great boot camp memories here...it was fun 90% of the time. we were one of the last companies to actually run everywhere in boondockers too...no nikes here...too bad they shut it down....it has always befuddled me as to why they keep rtc at great lakes....san diego has sun nearly 365 days a year...navy politics i suppose

[tkmorris]

16. Oh man you brought back memories

December 1987, same hunk of concrete and asphalt. I swear I think that same virus has been kicking around that base since the late 60's, infecting each new recruit company as they arrive.

[pfitz59]

25. July 1981

Ummmmm, "grinder bird" for chow! Yum!

[acmejack]

19. Remember them singing that song as they did their morning run?

About how they wished they had joined the Navy? The chorus involved them shouting select phrases expressing the negative quite emphatically. Ah, the bad old days... I was young & stupid, now I am old.

[DS1]

24. It was actually at the very end of bootcamp, during our "Graduation Run"

when I heard something that disturbed me, and I almost fell out of the run and started walking the opposite direction right there on the spot.

It was a 'diddy' about throwing candy in a raghead town square, so the kids would come out and pick it up, which made it easier to machinegun them.

It was my :wtf: moment.

[Ernesto]

26. In late '65, we got 6 hours sleep (I think)

But so many recruits developed Pneumonia, that the let us kick back for an extra hour....

[wtmusic]

3. at least he's not a hypocrite

if he supports the war I disagree with him. But he's putting his money (and his safety) where his mouth is.

I hope he comes home in one piece.

[DS1]

5. True

.

[PsN2Wind]

6. I'd bet the military PR types

are very careful with this guys future. Probably read much about the "heroism" he displays.................in the "Green Zone"!!!

[Renew Deal]

8. Congrats and best wishes.

:patriot:

[IndianaGreen]

10. Anyone that supports this war, should go to war!

Let their blood be the one that is shed rather than that of the innocents.

[jbnow]

21. He is not following

Pat Tillman's footsteps. Patriotism did call many people to join the military after 9/11 (though granted, not many millionaires). That's understandable.

Fine if this guy wants to join and maybe he feels called by patriotism. But I don't understand anyone feeling honor bound to join up for this war.

I know soldiers who are in feel they have to go and help their buddies. But I don't like seeing someone joining now being compared to people who joined after 9/11. I know the military is important, but with bush as commander in chief???