Boot Camp Welcome




Standing in the LA airport,
First time away from home,
Enjoying the sights, all the pretty girls,
Waiting for a DI to arrive.

A dozen of us standing around,
“Boots” they had called us in Des Moines.
Nicest description we will hear,
Life, as we know it, is about to end.

All of a sudden a booming voice is heard,
Cussing and shouting, and in a public place!
Do this, do that, what in the hell?
The DI has arrived!

“Get in line and shut the fuck up!”
“Stand at attention you slime!”
“Now keep your mouths shut and follow me!”
This man has crazy eyes!

Out we walk, in a straight line,
“Stop eye fucking the area, girls!”
Out of the airport and civilian life.
Into a world of controlled chaos.

Out on the street a big gray bus,
And another crazy DI.
Screaming and yelling, they’ll bust a gut!
“Get the fuck on the bus, maggots”

Maggots? Maggots? Who’s a maggot?
Girls? Maggots?
That’s not very nice!
What happened to Boots?

On our way down to San Diego,
“Sit still, look straight ahead and no talking”
Man this is a bummer,
Nobody told me about this.

‘USMC Recruit Depot’
Read the sign,
It should have read,
‘Kiss Your Ass Goodbye!’

It’s late now and dark,
And even MORE DI’s,and they’re all yelling!
“Out of the bus you slimy maggots!”
“Plant your feet on the yellow footprints!”

DIs are screaming and swearing,
“Get off the goddamn bus!”
They’re pushing and shoving,
No one can move fast enough!

Little yellow footprints all in a row.
“Heels together, point those toes”
“Stand at attention, look straight ahead!”
“You slimy pieces of shit!”

Whoa! Wait a minute now,
Slimy pieces of what?
Man these guys are good!
And I thought my Dad could cuss!

Now off to the barber,
To get a “High & Tight”.
No barber training needed here,
Just start the clippers and buzz it all off,

“If you maggots have any moles, tell us now!”
Moles? Who would bring a mole to boot camp?
A few had and never told,
Their heads soon covered with blood

Into a room lined up with some boxes,
“Now strip!” was the DI’s command.
Man this is not cool!
Too much bare ass in here!

“Throw all your processions into the box.”
“It’s going home to Mom,”
Will I fit in that box?
“The Marine Corps will take care of you now.”

Now on with the fatigues,
And back outside, “Line up, maggots!”
Again with the maggots!
Off we try to march.

I swear they marched us in circles that night,
Around and around in the dark.
Finally we come to some sort of old metal shack,
This slum can’t be our new home!

“Fall out, make your racks, get some sleep.”
That’s just what I wanted to hear.
Lay down, still dressed, fast asleep.
What a long day, and I so tired.

“Hit the deck maggots!”
“Move it, move it, move it”
What? Wait! We had just laid down.
Off on our first mile plus run.

That was how the first night went,
Cussed, abused, humiliated and exhausted.
Showed the whole platoon my package,
And theirs to me, I could have lived without that.

Called maggot, a girl, among other things,
Sheared like a lamb before slaughter,
Dressed in ill fitting clothes,
Then marched around in circles.

Remembering back to a talk with my Dad,
He an old Navy man,
“Son you don’t wanna join the Corps.”
“But Dad,” I told him, “I must be a Marine.”

And stumbling back in from that mile plus run,
With the sun finally up, I look across the bay,
At Navy recruits, just strolling out to start their day.
Thinking, “Dad, you’re the smartest man that has ever lived.”


Michael Tank
USMC
Scout/Snipers
1969-1972
01/04/02


"Copyright 2004. Michael E. Tank All rights reserved. No part of this document may be copied, faxed, electronically transmitted, or in any other manner duplicated without express written permission of the author."