Ironglow is GLOWING...
Didn't really want to bore you with proud Gramps spouting off....but remember, you asked for it!..LOL
My grandson Joshua, graduated fron P.I. (Parris Island) on April 23.
He had his Dad and mother ( with their present spouses there) as well as myself and Grandma.
We were there on the 22nd and the 23rd, the 22nd being "family day".
As I remember from my military experience, platoons have their own personalities.
Also as I suspected, Josh's platoon was only mediocre at the "spit and polish", but they excelled in the field.
After completeing training, with a high attrition rate...the company graduated 262 men.
Of these 262, Josh was one of 12 that qualified "expert" with the M-16....sorry to say, Josh wasn't "top rifle", but he was second place rifle just four points from taking the top spot.
Now here is where the platoon "personality" comes from...Josh did get special mention for his accuracy at rapid fire at 200 and 500 yards; plus he was top in his weight class with the pugil sticks and excelled at martial arts.
He had a "head start" with his martial arts though; Gramps drove him 40 miles each way, 2 nights weekly for 2&1/2 years so he could train under the Sensae (teacher) I wanted him to study under.
He celebrated his 20th birthday during his undergoing "the Crucible"!
Josh had 10 days leave; we didn't see him alone very much though...a certain pretty little blonde didn't want him out of her sight for very long..LOL
Josh is now at Camp Geiger (part of Camp Lejeune N.C.) studying advanced infantry and weapons.
A couple more weeks and he will go to Pensacola to study with Navy Air in his chosen field of "Avionics ordnance".
Yes; I am sure proud of my grandson...but of course, every family member visiting P.I. each week at graduation has just as much right to be proud.
We mingled with some of the "new Marines"....what a fine group of young men they are!!!
Waxer's family should be positively "puffed up"...because he succeeded in his quest....it wasn't easy!
BTW...Josh admitted that when he emerged from the gas chamber and started waving his arms as they were told to do , he jokingly tried to immitate a soaring eagle....
DI said, "you don't look like you had enough...go thorough again!"...
He took it philosophically...LOL