Joe's Early History

An Intense Month of Advanced Infantry Skills
April 13, 2026
As an active duty infantry Marine, I did not have the option of the kind of high-quality food or super high-quality protein shakes like you do.
A Gauntlet of Tests Leading to Graduation
March 30, 2026
When we came back from Edson Range, our Drill Instructors picked up the tempo and the intensity of our training. Every activity became more intense.…
Even Marine Snipers Must Begin On The Range in Boot Camp
March 16, 2026
Our second week at Edson Range is when we got our chance to put the Instructor’s teaching and coaching into action.
Mastering Marksmanship at Edson Range
March 2, 2026
After we had completed the first 6 weeks of boot camp, we still had a long way to go but our platoon was at least a semblance of a Marine platoon. We…
Working Every Day to Master the Basics
February 16, 2026
The first clue is in the very name: Basic Training. A major difference between the Marine Corps and other services is that the Marine Corps takes…
Day #5: Swim Qualification
February 2, 2026
Day 5. About a quarter of the recruits in my Quonset Hut are awake and a few are even out of their racks and on their feet before the Drill Insructor…

An Intense Month of Advanced Infantry Skills