# why I'm not at boot camp yet **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564 "2000-11-10T01:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teppei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58956e/32.png) [@teppei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teppei)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/1 "2000-11-10T01:15:50Z")
…and why I haven’t posted while being delayed. As a few of you may recall, I was supposed to leave for boot camp around October 26. The thread in which I had initiated a goodbyefest is here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=42848](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=42848) whelp, turns out I’ve had some problems with the paperwork again. Twice. So, instead of leaving for boot camp in the next two weeks- the next available date-I’m leaving around January, due to the fact that a 3 week stay in boot camp followed by a 6 week stay (because of Christmas Exodus)seems kindof non productive. But it _will_ be fixed by January; we’ve (my parents and I) yelled at a whole bunch of people, and got a whole lot of influential people involved. Keep in mind that these problems have nothing to do with the Army; the Military Enlistment Processing Station is controlled by the Department of Defence (which means that you can scare them shitless if you get a senator involved). to sum it all up, I’ve decided to come out of lurking and be a participant for the next few months; you don’t konw how often I’ve wanted to participate in a political thread. One good thing: instead of going to one of the coldest boot camps, I’m now going to Relaxin’ Jackson in South Carolina. …that’s all I have to say about that. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/2 "2000-11-10T01:33:01Z")
You just might hit 100 posts yet. Congrats. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/3 "2000-11-10T01:53:19Z")
Personally, I bet Sally Jesse Raphael has something to do with it. With all the ‘therapy’ she does on her show using boot camp instuctors, there’s bound to be some shortages out there. ---
**Author:** ![teppei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58956e/32.png) [@teppei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teppei)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/4 "2000-11-10T02:57:36Z")
You know, you may be on to something…:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Intriguing\_Question\_Mark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ee59a6/32.png) [@Intriguing\_Question\_Mark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intriguing_Question_Mark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/5 "2000-11-10T03:44:54Z")
:mad: welcome back, thanks for telling me supposedly… ---
**Author:** ![Intriguing\_Question\_Mark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ee59a6/32.png) [@Intriguing\_Question\_Mark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intriguing_Question_Mark)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/6 "2000-11-10T03:46:11Z")
stupid sig… ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/7 "2000-11-10T04:14:03Z")
Hey…right about the time you’re an E-3, I might just be taking over as your platoon leader. 😉 See ya around. Jman ---
**Author:** ![teppei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58956e/32.png) [@teppei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teppei)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/8 "2000-11-10T15:00:11Z")
Naw, technically I’m an E-2 right now, cuz of this program they got. wouldn’t be surprised if I’m an E-4 by the time I’m done in Monterey. Hell, the trainings a year long, I should get at least one promotion. YOu going into intelligiance too, Jman? That would be cool if I ran into you. ---
**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/9 "2000-11-10T17:16:27Z")
…Why not look into joining the Marine Corps, instead? It’s our 225th birthday today. You just don’t mess with an armed force that was founded in a bar! ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2000, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/10 "2000-11-10T18:05:51Z")
I don’t know yet, but I’m trying for Signal Corps. MI might be my 4th choice or something. It’s just too hard to get into after commissioning…lots of people want it. Jman ---
**Author:** ![teppei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/58956e/32.png) [@teppei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teppei)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2000, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/11 "2000-11-11T00:53:34Z")
Jman: really? I was told there was a shortage. have to look into that… thinksnow: cuz, as far as I know, Marines don’t have an intelligiance division. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2000, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-im-not-at-boot-camp-yet/40564/12 "2000-11-11T01:28:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by teppei \* > \*\*thinksnow: cuz, as far as I know, Marines don’t have an intelligiance division. \*\* This is funny on at least two different levels. 🙂 Just a word of caution… One of the other guys in my basic training company was overheard calling it “boot camp” by a DI. He got to polish all the boots of the other members of his squad. When I went through it, they called it BCT. (Basic Combat Training) Another word of caution… Don’t laugh. Don’t even smile. Another guy was caught smiling at something while standing at attention. Whoo-eee. The DI came down on him like a ton of bricks. After reaming him out for a few minutes, the DI made him stand in front of the formation and recite the names of every comedian he knew, at the top of his voice, while the rest of us did a push-up for each name. Bastard repeated himself a couple of times, too. Him: “BILL COSBY!” Us: “ONE!” Him: “DON RICKLES!” Us: “TWO!” et cetera. No smiling. Smiling is a bad thing.