Posted on 08/28/2008 9:58:53 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
What do the women carry? A representative 75 lb dummy to keep in proportion?
And we liked it, too !!
In less than 7 weeks the USMC put 17 pounds on me, all solid muscle.
I was on double rations, and just a bit of 'extra' conditioning. I did pushups till I was sure I was going to die....
But having been there, I'm sure you know how that is.
Semper Fi!
L
Yep, it's called the Dennis Kuchinich Doll.
That's about the time I went through basic. We called it the Fat Boy Platoon. If you were overweight, you went there until you lost the weight and could be cycled into a regular platoon. I was well under the weight standard so I didn't have to go through that.
All I know is my Marine buddies said they were eating upwards of three 4000 calorie meals a day while deployed in Iraq. Which was necessary when they were active, but during down times they were taking in massive amounts of extra calories. I could not believe that one buddy came back from a tour with (significantly) more body fat than when he left. Especially since the other buddy came back much thinner and ripped. And they were in the same platoon the entire tour.
Most of what the women do is the same as the men. There are a few weight adjustments, but in something like MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) the women fight against the men. My daughter (Sgt, USMC) is in one of the higher MCMAP ranks, and between that, being qualified in M-16’s, M-9’s, M-1014’s and a few other things she doesn’t tell me about, you probably would not want to get on her bad side.
A separate combat fitness test? Thirty-eight years ago the quarterly fitness test was pull-ups, sit-ups, bend-and-thrusts, rope climb and three-mile run (I can’t remember if push-ups were included). To regularly pass that you had to stay in continually good shape, good enough to stand up to combat conditions. As far as the trim look regular maintence to keep up those standards would pretty much keep you trim unless you were swilling burgers and beer every single night of the week. We had weight lifters who were broad at the neck and chest who looked like they might be a little fat but when their body fat was checked they were more lean than the fitness instructors. Of course then we also had Gen. Cushman as commandant.
I ran into a couple folk like you, skinny as a rail, had one guy put on 25 pounds of muscle. PT wasn’t all punishment, it was just one more challenge to meet.
The midrats is what got me.. and the food in the barracks dispensers.. 1st MAW .. 1st fed .. 8-]
That test line-up sounds about right, I went thru San Diego in the summer of ‘72. I hated the damn rope climb and chin-ups most, the run was dessert having ran cross country in HS.
I like the web site they have showing current new Marines.
current commanding general San Diego
http://www.mcrdsd.usmc.mil/bios/CG_bio.htm
Apparently you don't know the Corps very well. We could all run FULL marathons if we needed to. With gear.
Funny, but I think my DD-214 says otherwise ;)
Run? Nope. Fast walk them? Hell yes.
I still remember (and hate) Mount Muther to this DAY.
I actually went and ran the MC Marathon in DC so I could say I did it.
DI's are some sick mofo's, that's for sure. They pinned me to a guy who was 30 pounds overweight. I was on double rats, he was on half rats.
I thought I was going to have to fight him once to keep him away from my chow. LOL!
He did it, though. He lost the weight and by the time we headed off for AIT we were lean, mean fighting machines.
After I got through Scout School the instructor told me "It's always you skinny, quiet f****** we gotta watch out for. The big weightlifter types drop out in the first couple of weeks, usually."
For some odd reason I was pretty proud of myself that day.
L
Sempr Fi :)
“I doubt if many of these tough Marines could sing the solo part from a Bach Cantata on pitch in front of a large audience.”
Probably not... but then again that’s not likely to ever be part of the training schedule.
The average man with MCMAP skills would likely kick the crap out of the average woman with the same skill set.
I wouldn't want to get on your daughters bad side, but I'm not a 20 year old kid any longer.
Uhm, make that THREE miles ... not 30. Oops.
I think you meant 3 miles, but your point is well taken. I could do it easy in standard PT gear, but put that battle-rattle on me and oh boy...
I think the nightmares about Mt. MoFo have just about ceased, so that's a good thing.
L
It may seem ludicrous, but you’re wrong. MCMAP only partially involves bald strength. Oh, and she quite regularly puts the men down. (Of course, she isn’t going to carry a 250lb man around, but as an (allegedly) non-combat Marine, she has all she needs for GSF.)
Oh, and she’s not 20 either. She went through Parris Island when she was 30.
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