Posted by Rick Denney on November 20, 2000 at 14:59:35:
In Reply to: Re: Marine Band vs. College posted by Mark K on November 18, 2000 at 10:29:48:
When I was 17 or 18, I knew that I didn't want to go through basic training. I could not imagine allowing someone to abuse me in that fashion. I rejected the possibility of it just to avoid that 13 weeks of hell. I don't regret the decision--it was the right one for me at the time. Is that because it was so bad? No, it was because I would not have carried the right attitude into it. And the worse the attitude, the worse it is. That's what those DI's are looking for--guys who think they are victims just because they hurt.
Now, at a more advanced age, 13 weeks goes by so fast that I can't imagine basing a life decision on it. I've had a collection of little 13-week hells of one sort or another that would make basic training seem like a luxury vacation. Sean Chisham went through basic earlier this year. He went in, he came out. He lived.
Pushups? Running? Work? Just you wait. One day, you'll find yourself too fat to move, and you'll get on a exercise program to lose weight. Then one thing will lead to another, and before you know it, you'll be doing Ironman triathlons, and spending 13 weeks of hell training for them. Here's the kicker: You'll celebrate the opportunity to work that hard and hurt that much.
Rick "Or, maybe not" Denney