Life at Cherry Point!

Well...I have been here since October and I guess I am no longer the "New Guy" in my shop.  Although there is still so much to learn, know, and do I often times still feel like the new guy.  As I posted earlier (way earlier) I have been moved for the time being to Satellite platoon.  I have not formally been trained to use the equipment (which is basically a variety of satellites varying in size used for network connectivity) so I am still trying to get a grasp of how things work. 

I am the "assistant hazmat/safety NCO (Non Commissioned Officer)" for my shop so there was a lot of things to get straitened out and put together to get things where they should be.  It is still a work in progress.  Overall it's not a hard billet but there are a few minor things that I think could be made better. 

Since my last posting I have taken three driving courses.  I am now licesed to drive a Humvee, a Sevon Ton, and a bus.  It took 2 1/2 weeks to get my humvee license with a first time instructor and the expierence was not plesant at all.  Things could have been a lot better organized and quite frankley there was a lot of time wasted.  But as all things it did end.  After the humvee course I went back to my shop for one week.  I then returned back to Wing Driver School to learn to drive a bus.  It was only a week long course and was rather easy and much better organized so it was no where near as painful as the humvee course.  The next week was the start of my Seven Ton training which is a huge vehicle with tires almost as tall as I am.  The turning radius makes it a little more difficult to drive but in the end I got my license and passed all the requirments. 

This past weekend I also volunteered to help with the Boy Scouts Jamboree in Kinston, NC.  It was an all day event on a huge field with several booths and activities for them to do.  We were there to help with two of the activities they had.  One was an obstacle course and the other was a circut course testing the scouts in various subjects including scout knowledge, first aid, knot tying, ect.  It was a very long day waking up at 0530 and making it back to my room at 2030. 

After leaving the Jamboree me and a few fellow Marines went to a restruraunt to eat.  As we were finishing our dessert the couple sitting next to us rose to leave.  Before leaving the wife (I'm assuming they were married), somehow figured out we were Marines (do we stick out that much...really?) thanked us for our service to our country.  Never really knowing what to say we all said thank you (for the recognition I guess) and you're welcome.  As we were getting ready to leave our server informed us that the couple had left $80 towards our bill which pretty much took care of it.  It was a surprise and really unexpected to us all.  I understand why people are so kind and generous at times but considering how little I have actually done in my Marine Corps career I wonder how deserving I really am.  There's a lot to said by a title such as Marine and I guess that alone prompts people to act in generousity as this nice couple did.  Yet, another reminder that as we live with the various titles befitting who we are... we have a lot to live up to!

Question # 4

QUESTION:
If your MOS is 0651 do you still get to do duties like the infantry or volunteer for floats?

ANSWER:

The short answer to your question is, Yes.  There are always opportunities to do things outside of your MOS as an 0651.  I have friends who have deployed as 0651's and have done security patrols, provided security from helicoptors, worked at the checkpoints, ect.  There is another friend I know who is an instructor at the Wing Driver School (where you train for Humvee, Seven Ton, Bus, MRAP, ect.)  who is also an 0651.  As far as "Floats"  I'm assuming that you mean a Ship.  Data Marines (0651) get to go on MEU's (Marine Expiditionary Unit) all the time.  I know of several people in my shop who have gone.  I would like to go myself but as of yet have not.  These MEU's go all over the place ranging from the east coast of the USA to Austrailia, and South America.

Do you have a question too??  Ask me at www.formspring.me/josephcue or use the box below my profile picture!!