How did Marine Corps Boot Camp change you?

In that one photo, there is ONE PERSON that is going down... the one not wearing his flip flops....OUT OF UNIFORM!!!

I guarantee you’ll be pushed past what you thought were your limits both mentally and physically. You’ll do and accomplish things that if you weren’t in PI you’d just quit, but you can’t quit. So you succeed, and no one is ever left behind.

First of all, someone in this picture is going to have a very bad day as soon as the Senior Drill Instructor sees the problem. As a prior service Marine, boot camp was just the start of my career and it turned out, it was the easiest thing I ever did in my ten plus years on active duty. Boot camp prepared me for the rigors of being a Marine. It provided me with a basic understanding of what it meant to be a Marine and what was expected of me. It introduced me to learning to adapt and overcome stressful and chaotic situations by thinking on my feet.

Went thru Army boot, came out a better person then when I went in.

I learned not to take anything personally, and that it did not matter what happened, it’s how I reacted to it that mattered.

Made me a Marine, Made me a man

It taught me to set higher standards for myself and to achieve them. There is no dishonor in failing. there is only dishonor in quitting. Even death is no excuse to quit.

Confidence. Before boot (which was not that long ago for me) i was shy, timid, quiet. Couldn't speak up to save my life, a doormat, people pleaser, and A grade pushover. NO ONE thought I'd make it. But now? I have self esteem, I'm living life happier, I've learned i can do exponentially more than i ever imagined, and i don't have to be a people pleaser. That's what i took away from it all.

Taught me that you can go farther mind over matter. Stay disciplined & you'll reap the rewards of having a healthy life.

Twenty-four years later I can still triple S and get dressed in 5 mikes...and my arrogance knows no limit, even in defeat!