I found Devil Doggery when she posted about the Katy Perry video “All About Me“. She is a 22 year old college graduate embarking on a journey of becoming a U.S. Marine. Her MOS is combat correspondent, so it only seems fitting she start a blog about her journey.

Since I have two sons who are Marines I thought it would be interesting to follow a woman’s journey at Parris Island. On my prompting she is sending letters to her room mate who is posting to her blog. Here is the first blog post from Marine Boot Camp. (Photos are not hers, but from the WordPress Media Gallery. You know I HAVE to have photos in my blog.

zero-one

It’s Sunday, which is our “relax” day, because people go to church and shit, which is fine. I don’t go because I’m not a fan of church and I kind of like being in the squad bay with only a few people (anti-social to the end, LOL). Today was an easy day, but some asshole decided it would be a good idea to fall asleep during core values, (which is this time when our senior driller instructor just sits and talks touchy-feely stuff with us). So we got our asses kicked. Rush-ups in the sand? So not fun.

But I mean, I don’t blame our SDI for what she did. We’re kind of the fuck-up platoon in all honesty… My platoon stresses me out more than the DI’s do sometimes, LOL. Actually, the DI’s don’t stress me out too much… I can handle the yelling and name-calling (like, OMG, the DI from our sister platoon was totally like, “FIX YOUR FACE, UGLY!” Rude). But these girls… Some of them, I honestly, don’t know why they’re here. I’m really kind of concerned that they’ll actually graduate, because if they don’t shape up, they’re legit going to get people killed. Others are just clueless.

And of course there are good recruits, too. I’m trying to fall into the latter category, but it’s hard since I’m not the most physically fit and I’m at the end of every formation because of my last name and my height, so I literally don’t have any of the goddamn directions. Also, I’m right near the door, meaning, I get in trouble a lot for not having super peripheral vision and seeing people walk in and out at the squad bay, because we have to announce people and open doors and shit. Me and the other girls at this end of the squad bay fail epically at it. So we get to go play in the sand together.

The food is so-so. Oh, but you’d totally love the biscuits and gravy they have for breakfast here. It would make me smile if we were allowed to smile… which is depressing to say, but we have to keep our “bearing.” But I laugh at the shit on the inside, like when one person said that New Orleans was in Illinois… Really, dude? C’mon. Some people…

But, I mean, it’s only been a week or so. There’s still time for people to get their shit together. So here’s hoping. Seriously. It would make my life easier if this platoon came together… But all’s I can do right now is my  best and work on myself. And be better at opening doors. 

This young woman is in the thick of it, sounds a lot like what my boys went through. Screw up and you pay for it, on your chest, push up, more PT, more in your face.  Until we hear from her next time. Go over to her site and leave a comment.