Calling all Marines!

[phonesysphonesys]

The Corps will provide him with what ever he needs. After he becomes a Marine I would suggest a small size folder engraved with his serial number and a date, Maybe the platoon number. If he is deployed to the sand box, contact Spyderco and give them his APO address and they will ship him a knife. They have a special edition they send to the troops. They also send a calling card. As others have said send mail. And for God's sake do not send sweet stuff ( pogybait ).

Semper Fi

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

Calling all Marines!
I need some help from those of you who have served in the Marine Corps.I am a pastor who never was in the military. A young man who grew up in the church I served for the last 8 years has joined the Marines and will be going to basic training when he graduates from high school this spring. I am organizing a cookout in his honor (not a church function, just some friends) to say goodbye, show our support, and to thank him for his dedication to our country.We want to give him a gift.
Here's where this is gun related. If I could, I would send him off with an engraved sidearm, but I am pretty certain that would be frowned upon and disallowed etc. My second choice is a holster. I think Smith and Wesson sends holsters to people in the military. Can just anybody do that? If so what would be the very best choice. Cost is not too big a concern. If we can't do that is there anything we can do? He will,of course,have our prayers but I would very much like for him to carry some tangible memento from home. Thank you in advance for your help.

Firstly, he can't have any weapons at boot camp.


Also, if you send him something he will just have to bring it back with him and from boot camp and then he will either going to school afterwards depending on his MOS.


Secondly, he most likely will not carry a pistol. Most Marines carry M-16 rifles. Only officers and Marines with certain MOS/duties will carry pistols.

ie.....TOW gunner, who is the missile man, he will have a pistol instead of an M-16.


Give him a pistol or holster now before he leaves, that's your best bet.

.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

And it is my understanding that ALL Marines are first RIFLEMEN before anything related to thier MOS. Everyone from Commandant all the way down to Boot Graduate must qualify on rifle. I believe this goes back to World War One where Marines did some long range gun shoot against the Enemy.

 

[Machinator]

Nevermind.

 

[medmo]

Rockwell1 wrote: I still say the Combat boot insoles are a good investment against shin splints and i can't imagine a Drill saying he can't use those

I agree, but in boot camp? You never know how any individual Drill Instructor is going to react to what you send. Maybe no reaction or he might spend time in the pit or the quarter deck playing with his newly arrived boot insoles.

Probably the the best thing to do is find out the name of his recruiter. The recruiter should know the latest policies of what he will be allowed to keep as a recruit in basic training.

I would still probably avoid sending anything except letters and pictures during his basic training. You can still get some extra quarter deck attention for pictures as I did. My sister thought it was a good idea to send pics of our family dogs. I was asked by my Drill Instructor "What is wrong with you? Everyone else is getting pictures of their family and you get animals?" Off to the quarter deck I went....

 

[pgeleven]

+1 on the engraved Ka-Bar. those things always will look cool, and wont get worn out over time like a holster would

-1 on the running shoes. he will get issued his own. i brought a good set when i went in and they were tossed in the personal effects boxes. they are more about uniformity through basic than anything else

 

[easyrider604]

If I could, I would send him off with an engraved sidearm, but I am pretty certain that would be frowned upon and disallowed etc.

Give him the pistol, but the pistol stays home. He can enjoy that when he finishes his training/tour.

For now, send him off with your prayers that he and all his mates come home safe to their families. And let's all pray everyday for these brave men.

 

[EyebrowZing]

Rockwell1 wrote: I still say the Combat boot insoles are a good investment against shin splints and i can't imagine a Drill saying he can't use those

I agree, but in boot camp? You never know how any individual Drill Instructor is going to react to what you send. Maybe no reaction or he might spend time in the pit or the quarter deck playing with his newly arrived boot insoles.

They sold gel insoles at our recruit PX, but I don't believe anyone ever bought them. Just because they might be available for you to buy, doesn't mean you're allowed to have it. More than likely they're available for people who have been ordered by medical that they need them. Then the Drill Instructors are likely to let you have it.
Boot camp isn't about being comfortable, it's about surviving. Even permitted letters and photos aren't safe from harassment.

 

[Rockwell1]

I agree, but in boot camp? You never know how any individual Drill Instructor is going to react to what you send. Maybe no reaction or he might spend time in the pit or the quarter deck playing with his newly arrived boot insoles.

Maybe Boot camp is different from Army Basic In BCT we arrived at a replacement detachment spent a week or so getting hair cuts, uniforms, shots, eye exams, basically all the admin stuff out of the way before basic. if he takes the insole with him they would already be in the boots by the time he actually gets to basic.

 

[skoro]

urruh!

As a former Marine, I'll echo what others have said about Boot Camp; don't send him anything but a letter.

I like your idea of an engraved handgun, though. It's something he'd treasure for life. Just present it to him before he leaves or better yet, after he gets to come home for a few days of leave. In either case, he should leave it with his folks when he ships out for Afghanistan. It'll be waiting for him when he returns.