How do you become a USMC Guide at bootcamp?

2018-09-20T03:28:37-04:00

I’m going to bootcamp at San Diego rather soon and I want to do my best to not just pass but excel. One of the goals I have set for myself is to be a guide at bootcamp. what are some tips and things I should know in order to be a guide?

Response by MSgt George Cater made Sep 20 at 2018 6:57 AM

2018-09-20T06:57:42-04:00

Learn all you can about close order drill, (& the Corps in general) especially snap and pop, but keep it all a secret. Especially, get a guidon pole and learn the Manual of the Guidon, especially “Present Arms”. Don’t even tell other prives. Make it look like you are the fastest learner your DIs have ever seen and it’s all due to their fabulous instruction.
And always bust your butt on EVERYTHING you do. Remember, the four squad leaders and others also get promoted.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2018 8:21 AM

2018-09-20T08:21:52-04:00

lol. Every Guide we had got fired at least multiple times in one day just because the DI wanted to fire them. Learn as much as you possibly can before boot camp and try and try your best. Squad leaders and Guide were fired almost daily if not hourly usually for no reason at all. Its all a mind game.

Response by CW2 Michael Bodnar made Sep 20 at 2018 10:56 AM

2018-09-20T10:56:40-04:00

Make yourself stand out (in a good way) and show a willingness to learn. Guidon bearers and squad leaders get fired all the time. I went through Parris Island at the grand ole age of 17 and I stood out because I was in very good shape due to high school sports. You have to remember, you will be in the platoon with up to 70 other recruits but the DI's will notice you by your actions and how you handle the stress and chaos. Lastly, don't be an individual and think about what you can you to make the platoon better.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2018 12:23 PM

2018-09-20T12:23:44-04:00

Taylor Ball Being an outstanding recruit is a good start to becoming a squared away Marine. Learn as much as you can about the Marine Corps before you leave for MCRD, San Diego, and help out your fellow recruits when you can. Please keep us posted when you earn the title of United States Marine. Good luck.

Response by SSgt Gary Andrews made Sep 20 at 2018 2:32 PM

2018-09-20T14:32:24-04:00

Our guide was selected because he had a couple years of college, and had ROTC training.

Response by MSG Frank Kapaun made Sep 20 at 2018 2:39 PM

2018-09-20T14:39:05-04:00

Tell your DIs “I came to Diego to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and I’m fresh out of bubble gum motherfucker!”

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 20 at 2018 5:00 PM

2018-09-20T17:00:34-04:00

Our guide and squad leaders were the 5 tallest of the platoon. Our senior DI wanted to take the drill trophy in a bad way and I guess he liked the look of tallest to shortest. As the others said, study up, learn close order drill before you go (JROTC? Work with your recruiter?) Be humble, especially during the first 2 weeks. The first 4 weeks the DIs are looking for those that are not Marine material. This is the tear down phase. Even if you are not picked as guide right away, our guide was replaced several times throughout boot camp. He ended up graduating as guide though 3 of our squad leaders ended up not making it through boot camp.

General orders, close order drill, don't talk back - not even a raised eyebrow. Work hard, work focused, KNOW that you can make it through. Even when everything is going wrong, have fun - it is all determined by your outlook.

Response by MSgt Gerald Orvis made Sep 20 at 2018 9:10 PM

2018-09-20T21:10:05-04:00

I agree with MSgt Carter. You should be (and look) fit, dress yourself to be squared-away - immaculate, actually, if possible - and have plenty of snap/pop in drill. As MSgt Carter said, proficiency in the Manual of the Guidon is important, but don't neglect the rifle manual-of-arms. Guides (and squad leaders) get fired all the time for one reason and another, so you should be ready to take your place in the ranks and try to win that guidon back. Exercise leadership by example with your fellow recruits - but don't forget that the DIs are in charge. Don't get complacent as a guide, either - you'll get fired. In one of our platoons, we had a prior-service Air Force guy who we thought might make a good guide - but it turned out that he thought he had it made and we fired him. Also, as a guide you might want to be prepared to suffer for the shortcomings of your fellow privates - when a recruit screwed up in third phase, we thrashed not only him, but his fireteam leader, squad leader and the guide who, after doing some sweating in the pits with the hapless recruit, would naturally put some pressure on the miscreant to square-away. Peer pressure means a lot to recruits. Also, remember that if one recruit screws up, everybody pays. It's that way in combat, so we made it that way in recruit training, too, especially in third phase. If you are appointed guide and do really well, you will probably make PFC out of boot camp, and if selected as the honor recruit of your platoon, you'll be awarded a set of dress blues.

Response by MAJ Raymond Haynes made Sep 23 at 2018 12:26 AM

2018-09-23T00:26:31-04:00

I was made the guide on about training day 5 and stayed the guide until graduation. The DI's said that I was the only one who could march in a strait line. I don't know if that was true or not but there are some other factors to consider. The guide arm weighs about 15 lbs. and you do all the PT runs except record PFT's with it at port arms. You will not get the same amount of rifle drill as the rest of the plt. because during marching around you do guide arm drill. You are expected to set the pace for the plt. during my initial qual at the rifle range I shot Sharpshooter. I got my dick PT'ed into dust because the DI's could not stand a Sharpshooter Guide, they expected an Expert. Toward the end of training the DI's would ask me why "my" plt. was screwing up, and I often paid the price for individual mistakes. There were 3 times when they left us totally alone to discuss issues among ourselves with me in charge of the plt. I don't know if this was a common occurrence with other plts. or not but it placed a lot of pressure on me, especially with other privates who were actually my equal but did not see things my way.
In general I loved the job, just give some careful thought to what you are getting into. I do not know why the DI's picked me as guide, or why I stayed one so long, who knows? I did graduate the plt. Honorman and get the set of Blues. Be aware that even with that there are some setbacks. The plt. honormen are seperated from there plts. at graduation. All I wanted to do was carry my plts. guide arm during the grad. ceremony. To do that I would have to decline being the honorman.

Response by Pvt Franklin Comeaux made Aug 18 at 2022 2:45 PM

2022-08-18T14:45:35-04:00

Excel Excel Excel

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2023 8:16 PM

2023-01-22T20:16:49-05:00

There will be many just like you there Mr. Ball, good luck, and always be your best, with what you know, and do.