June 13, 1997 - A Day in the Life of a Parris Island Recruit

970613 - Just noticed it's Friday the 13th. A note about last night. 30 seconds after I finished writing in here, Sgt. M______ made us empty our footlockers back into our seabags. This morning we did bayonet skills I, Line I Parts II + III; all at Leatherneck Square. They were OK. We then had chow and came back to the squad bay. We learned some more about the Core of Values from SSgt. B____ and then went and got haircuts. We then went to classroom 6005 (where all of our other classes have been so far) and learned about the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). It was interesting. We then had evening chow and came back to the squad bay. We cleaned the outside of our rifles and then showered. We were then allowed to empty our seabags back into our footlockers...until about 10 min. later when, for following an order Sgt. M______ gave not to announce a Drill Instructor on deck during square away time, we were told to switch them back. We then had about 7 min. until we had to go to bed. I'm in bed writing this right now. Sgt. V__________ was on duty tonight and was a real jerk. He apparently is trying a bit too hard to be Sgt. M______. Oh well, I only have 3 more weeks with this platoon + then I'm moving to 2nd battalion. I'm tired and getting a bit sore, but I'm still enjoying boot camp. My bunk mate and I have begun torturing each other by telling each other different foods we don't have access to, i.e.: Coke, Gummi Bears. It's fun. My bunk mate is Recruit Albert. I think his 1st name is C______ but that doesn't matter. Have to go now. 63 days.

Note: My bunk mate's name was not Recruit Albert, but I was right that it didn't matter. 

Because this day was a pretty typical day (i.e.: no crazy stories), I thought I would take the time to describe what exactly a typical day looked like.

Note: Literally any point in this routine could be, and often was, interrupted by a trip to the pit or quarterdeck. The exception to this was when we were in class. If we did something to merit punishment then, it would wait until the class was over.

0400 - Last shift of firewatch begins announcing the time every ten minutes. We sleep if we're able. I've always been a pretty sound sleeper, so I usually didn't wake up during this hour, despite the regular yells from the recruit.

0500 - Lights on, everyone told to "Get on line right now!" by a DI (after the first few days, the DIs and SDI rotated through who would sleep at the squad bay. The off-duty DIs (or SDI) would typically arrive sometime during chow, or right away if we were doing PT). As I said above, I was a sound sleeper. Once, I slept through the lights coming on and the yell to get on line (which means stand on the black line painted the length of the squad bay just in front of the bunks and footlockers). I awoke with a jolt and realized I was the only one still in his rack. I dove from my rack and got on line just in time, thankfully.

0500-0505 - Get dressed. If we had PT, this meant putting on socks and "go fasters." If not, it meant uniforms. Since it was boot camp, getting dressed was not done independently. Instead, every step was done together, and with a countdown. It went something like this:

DI: Ok, when I give the command, you're going to go back to your racks and get your trousers, doyaunderstannat? (Do you understand that?)
Recruits: Yes, sir!
DI: Ok, doyaunderstannat?
Recruits: YES, SIR!
DI: Keep not sounding off. I got all day. Doyaunderstannat?
Recruits: YES SIR!!!!
DI: Ready...move. Ten, nine, eightsevensixfivefourthreetwoaaaaaaaannnnd one!
Recruit: Done, sir!
DI: Put them on right now.
Recruits: Aye, sir!
DI: Ok, Put them on right now.
Recruits: AYE, SIR!!!!
Recruits put trousers on.

This was essentially the routine for every article of clothing. We would then have a few minutes to hit the head and make our beds. This was done in shifts; the port side of the squad bay would go to the head first, while the starboard side made their racks, then we'd switch.

0510 - Early chow goes to chow.

0510-0530 - Chow and blessed respite.

0530 - Relieve late chow

note: If we had PT, that would happen before all of the above and the above would all take place after PT and those wonderful PT showers. I don't remember, but I am almost positive we made our racks before going to PT, though.

Morning - either we would go to a classroom for classes; march to Leatherneck square (a large area with several fields) for combat hitting skills, line training and the like; or have classes in the squad bay.

1200 - noon chow

Afternoon - possibly drill, maybe classes in the squad bay. The Core of Values referenced in the journal is "Honor, Courage, and Commitment" and these classes were all taught by our DIs and SDI. They would take off their campaign covers (hats) as a symbol that they were now going to talk and teach rather than scream and kill. We sometimes also had classes in actual classrooms in the afternoons.

1700 (or so) - Evening chow

Evening - drill, weapon cleaning, sometimes knowledge review.

2000 (or so) - Showers. This was done in shifts too. First, the platoon would change out of our cammies and into towels and shower shoes. This, too would be done in unison. Then the DI would give the command:

DI: Port side shower up, starboard side shine 'em up!
Recruits: Port side shower up, starboard side shine 'em up, aye sir.
DI: Ready, move.

The port side would march, single file into the head and begin showering, shaving, and, time-permitting, brushing teeth. Time rarely permitted though. Then the sides would switch. Port side would head out and sit on their footlockers and shine their boots and polish their brass belt buckles. Once everyone had (sort of) showered, we'd change into PT shorts and undershirts.

2030 (or so) - Mail call. The DI would call out the names of everyone who had received mail. If it was a letter, he would bend it to see what might be inside. If he thought it was more than just paper, he'd have you open it in front of him and show him. If a recruit got a package, he would definitely have to open it in front of the DI. Sometimes, a recruit got food. The DI would either instruct him to pass it out to the entire platoon (so that the recipient almost never got any), or he'd give the recruit ten seconds to inhale it all himself. Either was a pretty bad option. Note: Do not send food to someone in boot camp.

2035 - Square away time. Here's some things that would take place during this time:

• If you hadn't had time to shave properly or brush your teeth, this was a chance to do that. 
• It was also a time to finish polishing boots and buckles. 
• Sometimes, a recruit would have lost a button from his uniform and would need it sewn back on. I guess I should say, sometimes, earlier in the day, the DI would have noticed that a recruit had left a pocket unbuttoned. He would conclude that the recruit must have thought the button was unnecessary, and he would rip the button off and throw it away. He'd then inform the recruit that the button had better be back on the next day. As far as I know, I was the only recruit who knew how to sew a button on, so I would do it for the recruit, in exchange for polished boots.
• Read letters if you got any.
• Write in your very-intimidating-and-definitely-befitting-of-a-Marine, Wallace and Gromit Journal, if you were cool like me.

2050 - Get on line, then go and get scrub brushes.

DI: Prepare to scrub the deck!
Recruits: Prepare to scrub the deck, Aye Sir!
DI: Ready, move!
Recruits head to outer walls of squad bay (behind bunks) and, while bent double, use scrub brushes to sweep floor until meeting with other side of recruits along the center of the squad bay. Then get back on line (after putting brushes away under racks).
DI: Prepare to mount!
Recruits: Prepare to mount, Aye Sir!
DI: Ready, move!
Recruits climb (if in bottom bunk) or jump (if in top bunk) onto racks, staying on top of the covers and lay at the position of attention. Drill Instructor usually says something about the day and what's in store for the next day. Then the platoon sings the first verse of the Marines' Hymn. 
DI: A-djust.
Recruits are now allowed to get under the covers.

There were several times throughout boot camp when I fell asleep before being told to adjust, only to wake up the next morning, still at the position of attention.