Mini Boot Camp April 24th-26th

Hello all! Well I have a lot to tell you for the month of April. On April 24th I left Sioux Falls with the DEP "Delayed Entry Program" group, to go to a mini boot camp at South Camp Ripley Minnesota. It took about 6 hours to get there and on the way we talked with PFC "Private First Class" Wallace about boot camp and what to expect. It was cool because Wallace had been in the DEP with us before he left for boot camp. When we arrived, we were instructed to put our heads between our legs as they do in boot camp, to add to the effect. We had no idea where we were, or what the surroundings looked like. When the bus stopped and the doors opened, we heard a loud set of feet enter the bus. All of a sudden we heard," Sit up straight and get your eyes on me!!!," it was our Drill Instructor. He told us that the last words out of our mouth would be sir and if we understood that, we yelled back YES SIR! He also told us to get the heck off the bus haha. We all ran off and got into our formation. I was the squad leader of 1st squad so I was in the front right next to the guide, carrying the guidon, or flag. Then the 3 drill instructors let us have it. It was then a constant get on your feet now, aye sir, get on your face now, aye sir, get on your back now, aye sir... With a lot of push ups, crunches, and screaming in the middle. It was a quick 10 min. session just to get us broken in. After that, we went over to the pull-up station and competed against Fargo North Dakota. I was able to pull out 10 pull-ups which is the most I have been able to do. We still don't know who won out of that. After that, we went over to the sprint, where we sprinted about 50 meters. Then we moved on to the tug of war. We lost our first bout, but regained our composer for the 2nd. We won that one easy and moved on. During the 3rd one, right at the start about 3 of us fell down and we were inches from losing. But again, we fought it off and won. During the final round we picked our two toughest, and put them up against 2 from the opposing team. After about a 5 min. tug of war, Sioux Falls RSS "Recruiting Sub Station" won! After that motivating victory, we moved over to the house competition. This is where we picked 5 people, 5 small people, to all get in the push up position with their feet over the person beside them. When the whistle blew, the one on the end would low crawl through the tunnel, and get in the push up position on the other end. First RSS to the flags won. We also won that competition. Overall that first day, Sioux Falls dominated! We then had chow, a beautiful delicious MRE "Meal Ready to Eat" It was about 40 degrees out by now and we all still had shorts and T-shirts on. We were freezing. After that we went to sleep in our tents and sleeping bags.

The next morning, we were woken up at 4:00 AM had and MRE and marched a mile to our first activity. There we took apart M16's and learned our shooting positions, sitting, prone, crouching, and standing. From there we moved over to talk to Sergeant Major. He is a great guy and really knew his stuff. He is the man in charge of the Recruiting Station Twin Cities. So basically was the top dog of the weekend besides the Major and Captain we saw around. From there we had another beautiful MRE. After that we marched to do some MCMAP, Marine Corps martial arts. I learned 2 choke holds and more basic Ju Jitsu moves which were amazing! After that we moved to the medical class. There we learned how to treat people in shock, with burns, not breathing and much more. Next came the fun stuff, more Drill Instructors. We got there and instantly 3 people were taken off to get smoked. The rest of us tried to learn how to march. During that, the Drill Instructor noticed one of our poolee guests wearing a Navy shirt we told him to keep on. We wanted to see what the D.I would say. Well he noticed it and said quote," You gotta be friggen kidding me, Navy? Are we here to join the Navy? Hey Drill Instructor "saying it to the other D.I" This kid wants to join the Navy. D.I #2 ," You gotta be friggen kidding me!" Now at this point we are about to start laughing. But then we hear them both say show me how the Navy fly, show me. So he starts flapping his arms. But that wasn't good enough. So he started making jet noises and he flew all around the parking lot. This was hysterical. But of course, you couldn't dare laugh. After that, the Drill Instructor continued to teach how to march. But one kid screwed it up for us and we started to PT the rest of the time. More stand up, sit down, crawl, scream, scream, scream. The hardest part for myself was when we held our bodies in the push up position 5 inches off the ground. Not all the way up or down, 5 inches. Then the Drill Instructor would precede to countdown from 30 to 0 like this. 29 28 27 28 27 28 27 28 26, and make it to about 4 and then say, oh this kid wants to drop his/her knees, 30 29 28..... etc. So it was definitely a lot of fun! ha

After that we moved over to the Motor T portion where they showed us a 7 ton truck, and a Humvee. During this time one of our poolees started talking like the D.I. This would come back to haunt him. Then we noticed a boy scout troop come over with about 9 to 12 year olds. They were asking where the, 3 mean guys were, and our recruiters said we will find them and show them to you, yes you guessed it, on us again. So here we go again, marching into the Drill Instructors pit. Right when we got there, Navy T-shirt boy got picked out even though he had his shirt inside out, and then the D.I turned and said, oh you wanna be a Drill instructor don't you, to the kid that talked like him, so he got taken away. During the whole time the boy scout troop was laughing at us. They stayed and watched for about 5 min. but when they left, we continued to get hammered for about another 10 min. During the beginning of that time, we heard the one kid say, I wanna be a drill instructor, I wanna be a drill instructor at the top of his lungs. Then at the end we heard him screaming I don't wanna be a drill instructor, I don't wanna be a Drill Instructor... Ha good times.

After that we moved to the Combat fitness test, and Ammo can lift. I broke records in both with 81 ammo can lifts, and a 1:58 Combat fitness test. I was the first to break the 2:00 barrier. But you can't stay at the top for long, 3 others broke my record that day. After that we went to the pugil sticks. There we fought and beat whatever we had left out of each other. It was definitely a blast! After that the day was over and we went to sleep.

During the night I had fire watch from 3:00 to 4:00 AM and we woke up at 5:00 AM. We went for our final 1.5 mile jog and were set to go home. Then our SSgt asked for our squad leaders and guide. So we went over and he said," you see those guys getting hammered by the Drill Instructors," YES SIR," well one of ours is in there, I don't know how or why but he is, so you are going to go over there to support him,"........yes sir..... So there we went, going to get hammered again, we get over there and start doing our push ups while looking for this Sioux Falls kid. We then find out there was none, and we were doing this for pure enjoyment haa.. But soon as we know it the rest of our platoon was over supporting us, and we made through it. After that we got on the bus and headed home for a warm shower, and warm meal.

It was all in all and awesome time and I loved every second of it! This is my last mini boot camp until the real thing, and it really gives an eye opener. Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Poolee Wollmann

March Poolee Function

Hey everyone, I'm a little late with this post but a little late is better then never right? March's poolee function was a lot of fun! We did our normal IST "Initial Strength Test" which consisted of pull-ups, crunches and 1.5 mile run. I was able to get 8 almost 9 pull-ups this month, with 110 crunches in 2 min, and a 1.5 mile run at 9 min 43 seconds. I am sad to announce that I did not post the best run time out of everyone this month. We now have a running stud in our DEP group that posted an 8 min 43 second 1.5 mile which is very very good! But hey I am very happy with my run time. After doing the IST, we drove to the Army Reserve building which is by the Flying J exit. There we had a lot of fun taking apart M16's and putting them back together 100 times. This was the first time that I have touched/taken apart an M16 so I enjoyed it a lot! After practicing, we had a relay race to see which team could do this the fastest. Of course no one wins, because we are only as strong as our weakest link. But all in all it was a lot of fun. After that, we had Marine HP 165 from the highway patrol come in and show us what he is capable of doing. He is one of the scout sniper Highway Patrol units in the state, and he definatly is packing heat wherever he goes. He showed us his M4 with aimpoint sights and his scoped rifle that could pretty much see through you ha. It was very interesting listening to him, and even more interesting that he had the same last name as me. Probably a long lost relative somewhere down the line. But after that, our March Poolee function was complete! It was a lot of fun and I loved every second of it! Next month is gonna be even more fun. We go to Camp Ripley for a Mini Boot camp. Here they will fly in about 10 D.I's from San Diego and they will show us a good time! The only bad part about this is that I am missing my senior prom, but oh well I guess. I'm sure I'll have plenty to post about next month! Thanks and have a great day!

Poolee
Wollmann

Valentines Day Pool Function

Hey everyone, yesterday was my Marines monthly pool function. As always we took our IST, Initial Strength Test. First we did our pull ups. I have been working a lot on them lately and was pumped to see where I was at from my last months 6. I was able to pull out 8, which was 2 under my goal of 10. Oh well, there is always next month. My recruiter gave me some tips on how to increase them. My goal by July is to pump out 20 of those bad boys, which is the MAX. Next came the crunches. We test on how many we can do in 2 min. Right when I joined I was only able to do 44. Yesterday I achieved an all time best of 100, which was my goal and is the MAX. Next came my favorite test, the 1.5 mile run. The last two pool functions I have gotten the best time out of everyone, and this was my goal for today. It was 25 degrees out which I thought was going to kill my run time, but I was able to post a 9:50 1.5 mile, which again was the best, and the best time I have posted. The minimum time that you need to post is 13:30. I had 2 new guys right behind me when we finished, but was able to beat them out at the end. After that we did some formation running and chanted our beautiful cadences. After the 1 mile cool down jog, we did some exercises. Side-Straddle-Hops, Marine Corps push-ups, flutter kicks, and hello dollies were some of them we did. After that we were free to go. All in all it was a very fun pool function. It is nice to have them monthly and be able to test how much you have improved. Next month, we are going to tear down M16s, M249's, 50 Cal's, rocket launchers, and all that fun stuff. Can't wait to blog about that! See you next month!

Wollmann

Skyforce Game

Hey everyone! The latest function that I have had with the Marines was the Sioux Falls Skyforce game on Feb. 6th. It was military appreciation night and every branch brought their poolees in for the halftime show. We all got in free and during the halftime show we marched out, Marines leading of course, and did a mock oath of enlistment. It was one of the most fun things that I have done with the Marines that didn't include physical fitness. So many people came up to us after and congratulated all of us for joining. I was able to throw some t-shirts in the crowed so that was fun. The best part was seeing how many people came up to our recruiters in their dress blues thanking them, just made me want mine even more. Next Poolee function is this coming Saturday the 13th, valentines day, looks like I will be with my one true love for valentines after all! :)

Family Night

Hey everyone! The poolee function for Jan. was cancelled due to the winter storm we had. With poolees travelling from as far as Mitchell and Pierre, it was a choice with regards to safety. But we defiantly had our share of fun during the month of Jan. We had a family night on Jan. 25th. This was a great time! Our recruiters were dressed in their blues, and every poolee there had family members. It was a great opportunity for families to mingle and discuss the Marines, and also a great time for parents to talk to Recruiters. They also had a great meal prepared for us. But the greatest part of the night was the D.I's. They flew in 3 Drill Instructors straight from MCRDSD, Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego. We got into formation and called them in by yelling Drill Instructor 3 times at the top of our lungs. They came in, Drilled us for about 12 min. and put on a great show for our families. The first time I met the Drill Instructors I was very nervous and didn't want them by me. But now I understand that every second I can spend with them now, will make it easier when my day finally comes. After the drilling, we took our seats and parents were able to ask questions to the Drill Instructors. All in all it was a very very fun night! It is always a pleasure to see the Drill Instructors, my idols of the Marine Corps.

Poole Function Dec.

I would like to start this off with a little tribute to Matthew Cook. Many of you might have heard of the motorcycle accident that left a 19 year old man in the hospital. Well that man was Matthew Cook, and he was a member in my Delayed Entry Program. Matthew was what you would refer to as a stud. Being able to whip out 30 pullups, well over 120 crunches in 2 min., and on average a 8:30 1.5 mile. Matthew was adopted from Russia at a young age, and ever since he came to this amazing country, all he wanted to become was a Marine. He also loved to ride motorcycles, and was scheduled to join the Elite, the Marine Corps Recon, after he graduated Bootcamp. He would have made a excellent Marine, and all of us at the DEP miss him greatly.

One thing that I have learned so far, is that the Marines, future Marines, and family members of Marines all look out for each other. And when something happens to one of us, it effects us all. That is another reason why I joined. Everyone cares and looks out for everyone.

Last Saturday, Dec. 12th, I had my monthly Poole Function. We did our basic tests, pull ups, crunches, and 1.5 mile run. To max each out, you need to run it in 13 min. 30 seconds, do 20 pullups, and do 100 crunches in 2 min. We also had a knowledge test, and did a formation run with some Marines right out of bootcamp. I was able to run my 1.5 mile in 9 min. 50 sec. around the Mall. It's really fun running around the mall becuase they have Marines posted at every corner, pushing you along the way. Also sometimes you have people cheering or clapping while they are walking into the mall, so that always is a great sight. I was able to get 82 crunches so I was happy. My pullups is my greatest fault. I only pulled out 6, when I usually do 7. But with a lot of work, Im hoping to pull out 10 next time, and build my way to the 20 mark.

The special activity we did this time was the formation run. Posting the best run time out of everyone, I got to be in the front with the real Marines. So that was a lot of fun. Its always fun to run around the mall parking lot, with road guards making a path for us, and letting everyone hear our cadences.

Last but not least we had a knowledge test. This ranged from military time, Marine terms, the 11 General Orders, Enlisted Ranking, and Officer Ranking structures. These all need to be memorized and engraved into our minds before we leave for boot camp.

Well that is a summary of my last Poole function, can't wait for the next, and hope u enjoyed this months post. 200 days left before I leave, and as always if anyone has any questions please email me!

Wollmann
b_rad09@hotmail.com

Welcome everyone and I hope to be updating this blog frequently. First of all I would like to say thanks to the wonderful man and the voice everyone might recognize on game night AM 1390 for getting me started blogging. He is quite frankly one excellent guy and announcer I might add! We definatly have fun conversing at the games and bus rides and I will definatly miss having those conversations. Please check out his site at http://jackrabbitden.blogspot.com/
Thanks again for those kind words, I will definatly remember them while my face is in the sand! ha
Well for my first post I would just like to say what the DEP or Delayed Entry Program is, and how it definatly benefits future Marines. The program essentialy lets young men and women commit to becoming Marines even though they may not begin boot camp for up to a year.
In my time between signing my contract and boot camp, I will start to develop a sense of brotherhood through organized events, family nights, and other events. I also use this time to prepare for the challenges of boot camp. The Marine Corps Recruiters help us prepare physically, and will provide information to help us adjust to the future in the Marine Crops. This program ensures that all future Marines will report to recruit training ready, both physically and mentally.
This is where I am currently at in my Marine Corps Career. Every month I meet at the Recruiting station in the Empire Mall and do my IST, Initial Strenth Tests, and some knowledge tests. My IST consists of pull ups, crunches, and a 1.5 mile run. My knowledge tests consist of rank structure, enlisted and officer, and my 11 General orders.
I guess my advice if you are going to join the Marine Corps is to A: Join as soon as possible if you know thats what you want to do. And B: Take advantage of the Delayed entry program, one more pushup at home, makes that one more pushup at boot camp easier, or so I would assume. Within this blog I will track my own progress through the delayed entry program, and answer any questions anyone might have about the Corps. Again thanks for visiting my blog and hope to see you again!