SITREP THREAD. Post your Progress Here.

How does it work in the IRR and for what service to which, if you don't mind me asking? When I was talking to the recruiters, they said they had a direct # to fax to and have seen a turn around as fast as a week for an IRR Marine.

Edit: F.Castle, I had submitted mine Dec. 6th and my S-1 chief only told me last week that it was on the Maj's desk getting signed off. Hopefully yours is in the same situation. GL brother, I hope it comes around soon. Waiting on that thing is nerve racking.

I have sent in two USMC 358's for release from the IRR in the past few months, both came back within 4 days.

Maybe I'll just come see you when I drop to the IRR

Funny I posted that last night, my recruiter from 19th Grp contacted me this morning to say the 268 finally came back... Dec 20 until today at 9am... Keep on your admins.... Mine dropped the ball which caused such a lag... Should be signing my enlistment shortly, as well as getting my SOCOM physical.

Jonnyb.... I know how it feels to wait, best of luck Devil.

Congrats man! Waiting on paperwork to come back is the worst part. I've been going through the paperwork shuffle since Nov. 17.

Thanks brother! Still have a few paperwork hurdles to clear... Just gotta keep a positive attitude and get things done when Im asked to. Its a marathon not a race, even when it comes to the admin shit.

I'll be hitting up the Recon Prep Course (known as MART,) here pretty soon. Either at the end of the week or next week I'll show up and be ready to rock and roll. Since I don't know how to do the breaststroke and that's pretty key to underwater crossovers, (I wish I could just sidestroke everywhere...) I'm getting with a swim instructor at my current command to work that out before I show up. Unfortunately, every time I talk to someone that works at the pool they tell me I can't do underwater crossovers or rifle retrievals. Which is annoying, because I know I could probably get away with it if I just did it at certain pools, but I'm a sucker for "following rules and regulations" most of the time. The one thing they do let me do is brick towing, so I've been doing that.

Anyway, I'm in pretty good shape. I'm running an 18 minute 3 mile and I just finished my personal trainer certification with ISSA, so I've got some cool/helpful knowledge to share with the PFCs/LCPLs when I get to where I'm going.

It kind of sucks being a Sergeant and being complete "new guy status". That's what I asked for, though. I'm trying to go in with a dedicated student approach. I've got something to learn from everyone at all times and I have to push myself harder than any of the young guys.

Admin and Logistics. I've got moto posters for my barracks room over at MART/BRC. Chesty Puller and a timeline of Marines throughout history.

Good job bud. You've got the situation and mission down, all that's left is to EXECUTE!

3 more months left in the USMC reserves. After talking with a few prior service Army friends, I'm exploring 18x options, tentative that I make it over one hurdle. The Army will not take any E-5 PS into the 18x program. I will talk to my CO next drill to see if they can do to delay the promotion, but I feel as if I've exhausted all avenues at this point.

A good friend and mentor from 101st Airborne gave me his ruck and took me out for a road march a few days ago. I didn't do bad not having rucked in almost 6 years, but the jackass was just wearing a PT uniform while making me jog uphill as he told stories of deployments and experiences with 10th group, firefights with Saddams sons, his EIB course and all sorts of training. I want to begin incorporating it more heavily into my training now, and double down on the cardio. I remember in Get Selected, he suggested at the very least rucking at a minimum 1x a week and running 2x a week. I didn't feel too bad running today, so I'll try 2x rucking/3x running a week.

and should I pickup E-5, and be ineligible for the contract I will reevaluate my plan while I continue college.

JB- A lot of folks road to SF ends early in the SFAS train up because of overzealous training. Don't get too excited and jump into it too fast, just because the first time with a ruck on was easy doesn't mean the stresses won't accumulate quickly. Start light, slow, and short- it's a lot better to progress your training slowly than over train quickly.

Roger that.

I don't have anything nearly as interesting to add as these PS gentlemen...

I took the ASVAB though and scored a 97, and I spoke with my doctor today to try and get some medical documentation lined up so I can get to MEPS. Unfortunately, it's being delayed further, as my doctor wants to see me and can't until next Thursday, so the earliest I could get to MEPS is almost two weeks from now. It's a blessing in disguise, though, because they want me to take the PST as soon as I get through MEPS, and currently, I'm just not in a position to blow it out of the water yet. Two months ago I was doing 90+ pushups, 80 situps and 20 pullups, with a 31 minute 4 mile run. Haven't tested my PT yet since I got back on the bandwagon, but I did do 3 miles in 23 minutes today, which does suck, but the area I run is about 35% flat ground, with the rest being all incline/decline, so I assume I'd do better on a flat running track.

Anyway, I've been busting my ass the last week to get back in shape and hopefully these next two weeks will be even more fruitful. The last thing I want to do is show up to my first PST and look like a fucking idiot.

About a week prior to my report date to Basic Recon Course I dislocated my shoulder. I'm currently undergoing physical therapy and grinding through day-to-day at my old unit. I'm not demotivated yet, but I'll have to figure out something clever to keep myself entertained while I'm in limbo. The doctor says it'll be 8 weeks rehab (no surgery,) so it's not that bad of an injury. Regardless, I can't do any pull ups or push ups, et cetera for 2 months. I won't receive a class seat until I'm declared full duty, either--which may prolong my stay in limbo as these classes tend to fill up early.

I'm probably looking at 7+ months of waiting, unfortunately. I think I can deal with it and stay focused, but I'm not looking forward to building myself back up. I'm cleared to run/swim in ways without pain (no breaststroke,) for now--so I've been doing that. I'm still killin those poor junior Marines on runs. Hopefully soon I'll be feeling good enough to get back into swimming, too.

The upside is that now that I've had an opportunity to be at Recon Prep I know just how ridiculously studly the Recon wannabes are that I will be working with/competing against at BRC. I now know how to better prepare and I believe the experience there will help keep me training smart and as hard as I need to.

Not military but it is progress. I just finished the last final of my senior year here at UD...graduation is Sunday.

Congratulations dude!

Congratulations!

Going to MEPS on wednesday to hopefully sign my contract.

Graduation is Sunday, I had been planning to go and sign the week following but a trip to Texas will keep that from happening. So the day I get back I will head to my recruiters office and then find out when I head to Des Moines for MEPS.

Swore in yesterday. Signed my REP-63 and am shipping 20120924. It took me a while to get to this point, but I'm ready for the challenge.

Jesus, I signed up for the wrong branch. I was in DEP for 11 months...