by Aaron Albers
Dedication
This book is dedicated to all the Marines that I served with past and present. You my brothers in arms helped me become the man I am today so thank you.
To KJ Waters and the Blondies Custom Book Team thank you for the awesome cover to this book and all your hard work on it.
To Jaimie Engle, thank you for the book on how to publish independently and answering all my questions on how to get it published. So again thank you so much for hanging tough and letting me bend your ear.
To my family, thank you for being there through everything in my life, from my struggles to get to boot camp to the wars in the Middle East, through the high and low points of my post Marine Corps life. To my beautiful wife, you have been my rock since you came into my life. Your love and compassion helped me get the help I needed and strive to become better for you and our family. I love you with my whole heart and I will be there for you always.
Preface
When people think of a United States Marine, the image that often comes to mind is a young, fit American in the Dress Blue uniform holding the sword. In reality the image of the United States Marine comes through hard work and dedication through some of the toughest training in the United States military. Everything the Marines stand for which is honor, courage and commitment, Espirt De Corps, and above all Always Faithful which is known as Semper Fi comes from the training. Also molded with some of the toughest physical training standards the United States Marines are a combat force to be reckoned with no matter who the enemy is.
Whether the Marine serves four years or twenty, they carry what the Marine Corps teaches them throughout the rest of their lives. Marines are found in every aspect of our society applying those values and training everyday from teachers to handymen, from doctors to bankers, from police officers to lawyers. These Marines are often seen as the essential role models for many younger people in this day and age. There is a sense for many of these veteran Marines that by serving their community in some capacity they still feel a sense of duty by doing so. Many often volunteer their time outside their normal jobs to projects or causes near and dear to their hearts. It could be helping a fellow veteran do simple repairs on their homes, to volunteering at the local VA Hospital or clinic, at a boys and girls club, or helping causes like Wounded Warriors, the Marine Corps League, the VFW, and etc.
So for 242 years the United States Marines have been at the forefront of every major action this country has ever undertaking; from the War of Independence, to fighting Barbary Pirates in Northern Africa, to fighting the British outside Washington and New Orleans, to Mexico, the Civil War, Spanish American War. Marines have fought in the trenches in Europe in World War 1 to the jungles of the Caribbean islands in the years after the Great War. They have protected our borders and lifted our sprits in the dark days of World War 2 with places like Wake, Guam, and the Philippines. They lead the counter attack in the Pacific, to raising that flag on Mount Siribachi, to fighting communists’ forces in Korea, Vietnam. They have evacuated citizens from war zones to liberated countries in the Middle East. And to this day when the nation needs someone to kick in the front door, they can always rely on the Marines to lead the way.
Background
For the longest time, I always wanted to be a US Marine. Maybe because growing up I watched John Wayne movies with my dad, or saw the late and great Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee. Ermey in Firebase Gloria. It could have been those Time Life Books on World War 2 in our basement as well, but I did know that I wanted to be a US Marine. I mean why not the Marines. The Dress Blue Uniforms, the commercial with the Marine battling the dragon then changing into the Dress Blues with the sword. I was the end of the Cold War Era kid, so I remember most of the Reagan presidency and my dad always talking about the rebuilding of the military. It came to fruition when Saddam invade Kuwait, and when the war did kick off you had Marines at the heart of it. Especially on the groundside of the conflicted when the Marine stormed through those berms and lead the charge towards Kuwait City while the Army encircled the Iraqi’s from the West. Then in a flash it was over and everything changed. The country and military focused more on a more flexible force than the large scale conflicted we had prepared for since the end of World War 2.
So when I enlisted in the Marines in 1997, I had friends and classmates tell me I was crazy, and I would never make it, but for me being German and Irish I had a pretty stubborn streak going for me, and I did not want to fail. I may not have been the strongest, but I have a lot of heart. In January 1999, after passing the initial test I left for Marine Corps basic training in San Diego California. Needless to say the shock of arriving at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego was a awake up call. Upon arriving a Marine Corps drill instructor boarded the bus, and in not certain nice terms told us where we were, and what we were going to do with speed and tenacity. Upon his orders we moved quickly off the bus and took our place on the famed yellow footprints that thousands of our fellow Americans have stood. Once there, we were again in not certain nice terms explained what was coming and ordered to move with speed and tenacity. Once the doors opened we moved with quickness into the receiving building, and thus the transformation began. We had our haircut, the few personnel possessions we had were put into storage along with our personnel clothes, and we were issued the basic necessities by the Marine Corps which included, uniforms, socks, underwear, t-shirts, boots, tennis shoes, jock strap, for females, who all train at Parris Island, they get issued all the basic necessities needed for females.
Once the issuing of uniforms is complete, we are then moved to another area where we received a briefing on is expected of us during training. After all this we are finally ushered to a barracks and assigned racks to sleep in. For most of us, we had been up for almost 24 hours, and our day was finally coming to a end.
The following week was a whirlwind of early mornings and late nights that involved everything from medical to dental checkups. We were shunted with great speed and motivation to each place. At the end of the week we had taken our physical fitness test which consisted of pull-ups, sit-ups and a run. Pull ups were never my strong suit so I had trouble with that aspect of the test, and in the end, I was sent to the Physical Conditioning Platoon to work on the pull-ups. I spent three weeks there, but in the end I past the initial test and rejoined the training cycle. After joining the training company, we were moved to meet our drill instructors, which was an experience upon itself. Imagine your parents mad times a hundred. There was a lot of calls to have us move at a motivating pace. That was just the beginning.
For the next 13 weeks, the Drill Instructors would instill the discipline that the Marine Corps expected from us. The extra activities for infractions would include mountain climbers, pushups and running in place. We did very physical activities to help build up our muscles and strength. This included not only physical exercises, but workouts with logs, obstacle courses, and a confidence course. This along with the military drills we were doing helped us in the discipline department. All this physical activity and military discipline helped us when we moved from the Recruit Depot in San Diego to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton where we began our weapons and field training. Every Marine has to qualify with the M-16 rifle in order to graduate, but our instructor informed us that our weapons were not toys, but deadly tools which we took the message to heart.
There is a saying that every Marine is a rifleman and that is true. The Marine Corps puts a emphasis that no matter what your job is, your first job is that you are Marine Corps rifleman who may be a cook but can fill the hole in the line if needed. And that is the same for training post boot camp. Four weeks of rifle, weapons and field training led us to the crucible and the ceremony of the entire recruiting training company earning their Eagle, Globe an
d Anchors. Once we returned to San Diego, we began the phase out of our training which involved final administrative work, final medical checkups and meeting the family for a hour, then a day of on base liberty before the big day which was graduation from Marine Corps Boot Camp with the title of Marine.
After a brief 10 day leave all Marines go through some sort of combat training, with the Marines assigned to the infantry going to the school of infantry for a more intense course while the remainder of the new Marines goes through combat training where we learn the basics of being Marines and conducting ourselves in a combat environment. That training last generally a month before the non-infantry Marines head to their Marine Occupational Skills (MOS) schools, or their jobs in Marine Corps. So after finishing Marine Combat training, me and about a dozen other Marines were assigned to Marine Corps Base 29 Palms California to attend the occupational schools assigned there.
29 Palms California is located in the Mojave Desert of California, with nothing really around the area for miles. Once past the receiving process and accepted into our school, we began the process of learning our jobs, which in my case was how to learn to operate and do basic maintenance of different field radios that Marine Corps fields for their units. The course involved how to properly set up and maintain radios, antennas, communicate on the radio, the elements of being a field wireman, and how to connect everything together. Though it was a school, military discipline was always maintained. We also conducted physical training while there, running on the trails as well in the loose sand. It was a tiring effort, but in the end it was beneficial.
The school lasted roughly close to months before we graduated and were assigned to our commands. My command was Bravo Battery at Camp Pendleton with the 1st Battalion 11th Marines. Yet prior to joining the battery, I took a ten day leave and visited relatives in Arizona. Once I joined the battery I immediately met up with my shop and was issued my gear. Within two weeks, we were out in the field conducting a battery firing exercise where physical activity, fitness, and discipline come into play. Field exercises are very strenuous from not only wearing your gear, but if you are on the gun line, you have to lift and shift the howitzers. But Marines in the rest of the battery has very strenuous jobs from loading and unloading the trucks, setting up camouflage netting, antennas, running wire etc.
But exercises were not just limited to Camp Pendleton, we also conducted fire exercises at 29 Palms in the vast training area away from the main part of the base. Doing extraneous activity in the desert wearing about forty pounds of gear requires you to be in good shape especially when you don’t know what the ground could be like. The ground could range from hard to very soft. Also not only in the desert along with the rest of California, you can experience a wide variety of temperature changes that can range from extremely hot to just above or falling below freezing depending on where you go, and being in shape helps you adjust.
A year and half after joining the battery, we were assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. While this did not affect our physical training as a battery, it did affect us on how to conduct it. We were spending more time aboard ship, so our physical training was limited to running on the flight deck or working out on the deck levels or on board gym of our ship if the ship was at flight quarters. Even on the larger amphibious ship in our group, our options were limited to the gym, and well deck due to the constant nature of flight quarters on the big deck. Even with the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and defending a airfield in Pakistan, we still found time to do physical training.
Spending six months working temporarily in an office with the Provost Marshall’s Office of Camp Pendleton did not help me as much as being with the battery did, but I still did physical training while temporarily assigned. Yet there would be an event that would test all our physical training, along with our military discipline. In February 2003, the battery deployed to the Mideast to Kuwait once again as the build up to the war between Iraq and the United States began.
We lived in tents in the Kuwaiti desert training for the war, and trying to conduct daily military life. If there was time we found ways to conduct physical training, if it was sports, to working out with sandbags or our packs. Just to try and stay in shape. Yet the battery moved to the border and we had to adjust because there was little time for actual physical training. With the actual war, we were so busy constantly moving both in vehicles and personally, we really didn’t need physical training. Of course that changed once we got to Baghdad, Al Diwaniyah, and got back to Kuwait, because in between patrols and preparing to go home, we found time to do physical training whether it be sports or working out but we did find time to do it.
Of course being home from the war, our physical training schedules returned to the same with the battery conducting a Physical Fitness Test which includes pull ups, sit-ups and three mile run. Yet being back in the states, the goal was to get us back to where we were prior to the start of the war, which took a little time but we got there eventually.
With my reenlistment, came the opportunities to see another part of the Marine Corps. So in December of 2003, I transferred to Marine Wing Support Squadron 274, which was based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. Since I drove cross country, I did not get any chance to conduct physical training but once I arrived at my new duty station I was able to conduct physical training more regularly. Cherry Point was different than Camp Pendleton, in regards of weather. At Camp Pendleton, the average low during the winter tended to be in low 50’s while Cherry Point could drop into the 40’s and 30’s, while the average highs in Camp Pendleton can range from 70s-90s with no humidity, Cherry Point could get high humidity with temps ranging from 80s-100’s. So physical training could be a little bit more strenuous at Cherry Point than Camp Pendleton because of the humidity.
Physical training at either base usually consisted of calisthenics and running, followed by a few sets on the pull up bar. Yet there were few hills in Cherry Point, and not much time in the field, so my physical strength fell off a little bit, despite all the training. Granted most of it was me for not really trying to put in the extra effort to remain stronger, but the unit did not deploy or go to the field as much but still the responsibility laid with me to do that.
However that changed as my time with the unit grew. I deployed to Haiti in 2004 and again to Iraq in 2006. The command new with our mission we needed to be more physically fit because of the environment of Iraq so a harder push for physical fitness was set by the command. A Marine Wing Support Squadron is a physically intense job for any Marines. The jobs could entail anything from airfield and perimeter security, to refueling, firefighting, airfield maintenance and repair to communications support. Our mission in both Haiti and Iraq was to support the Marine Air Groups operations in both area of operations, and despite the environment we still found time to exercise.
At the end of my time in the service though, my physical activity began to fall way off because of physical and lack of time getting me, and my family ready to depart our home in North Carolina, and start our new adventures as a regular civilian family.
Decision
After leaving the Marine Corps and Cherry Point behind, we settled into our new lives as a civilian family. We spent Christmas with my family in Wisconsin before moving to Florida where my wife’s family is. We settled on Florida, because my wife could get her job back easily enough with her old job, and in 2008 at the time the economy was starting to tank, jobs were still a little plentiful in Florida. We also had a baby and we would need help watching him, not that my family couldn’t, while we worked and I went to school. We did join a gym, but later let that lapse because it became too costly to use, and with me working third shift, and school, plus my wife’s schedule, we didn’t really have time to do it.
As the years went by, our time for physical activity went down also. Our lives just became busy with work, school and generally lack of funds to really try a gym out. There were times in the New Year in years past to
vow to start again but like most resolutions, those petered out because of lack of commitment or time. Yet something changed when we moved in with my in-laws to get back onto our feet financially.
Sitting on the couch one Saturday in March, I was playing around on my iPhone with some of the apps and I happen to click on the Health App. Deciding to check it out a little bit, I started to enter my information that I had, and download the apps to my phone. They looked interesting enough, and sure enough after checking it out a little bit, I decided to give them a try, to see if they really worked. So I went to scale and weighed myself in which read 245 pounds which for me was shocking, because though I may not have been hugely muscular, I generally wasn’t bulky but seeing that was a wakeup call.
So after downloading the apps; Lose it!, Nike Training, Nike Running, and Nike+Fuel I set to about to begin the process of actually dieting and losing the weight that I had put on for years. I knew it would be a tough and long journey, but I knew my Marine Corps discipline would be able to help me get back in shape.
The APPS
Lose it
The App “Lose It!” is a food a based app that allows you to track what you eat along with your exercises. Once you link it to your health account to your phone, you will be able to see how many steps you have taken along with the calorie count for the day. At the start you set the weight you want to obtain, and then the date you want to obtain it by. The App will then you give you a daily calorie count to go by. Now comes the hard part, you have to begin tracking what you eat, and I mean everything. From that cup of coffee in the morning, to the bowl of Ice Cream at the end of the night. Everything that could possibly have calories, fat, carbohydrates, etc., you have to track and put it into the app otherwise you may short or go over your daily allotment of calories. It may seem hard, but with the bar code on most products all you would have to do is scan and log in your serving size.