Boat Company Coxswain

[usmc_bmxer]

My battalion is to take over as the BLT for the 31st MEU, and I'm going to go to Coxswain's( Zodiac driver) Course in Coronado, California. I'm in the 3rd Marines in Hawaii and the 3rd Marines never get a MEU, so very few people in my company, the boat company, have ever been in a MEU. My company CO was a platoon commander in one, and my section leader was in a track company. Those are the only 2 I know about who have been in a MEU.

I'm looking for a heads up as to what to expect as part of a boat company and as a coxswain.

[Xdeth]

Never been an "official" one but here is what I observe in brief.
You PM and spend inordinate amounts of time with the boats during the deployment, then when you get them out you either joy ride around or you drop off the grunts at the beach and go back to the ship. I'm sure they don't make the movements to shore too difficult because in my experience most grunts can't navigate much less navigate at sea. Some O's and a few NCO'S will attend the advance navigation course where they teach you smarter ways to get lost. This is my boat, there are many like it but this one is mine(Ha Ha). Of all the boats to get the Zodiac is the worst, its the slowest, smallest and did I mention slowest? So you will also spend alot of time envying the SBU and the boats they have, along with the accompanying weapons, navigation aids, supercomputers, and assorted Batman's loaner equipment. All in all your going to have a great time, enjoy the surf zone, Mwahh haa haa!

[josepy]

Damn bro that was a slam on grunts.

[Xdeth]

Maybe I should say, I noticed some underexposure to dead reckoning and featureless navigation techniques by many Marines, most of whom were 03's. IMHO there is only one primary (combat) Marine MOS series with avanced competency in navigation at Squad leader and below, 08's.

Flame on.

[sta marine]

Originally posted by Xdeth
Maybe I should say, I noticed some underexposure to dead reckoning and featureless navigation techniques by many Marines, most of whom were 03's. IMHO there is only one primary (combat) Marine MOS series with avanced competency in navigation at Squad leader and below, 08's.

Flame on.

I think there are grunts who can and can't navigate and arty guys who can and can't navigate. But to say that 03's can't and 08's can is just lumping everyone together. I would be willing to bet I can find an 08 marine who can't call for fire or navigate.

Ok back to the boat company guy. Honestly you'll have alot of fun with it. Watch out for the 1 & 2 man positions. (you'll see) and surf passages. surf passages in Hawaii are gonna be great!!! ALot of ohhhhhh that hurt. As far as advice, I couldn't help you on the coxswain part. But its cool and fun, so look forward to it.

[Lawnmowerman]

Baboonass...gonna hurt for weeks.

[Xdeth]

Originally posted by sta marine
.... I would be willing to bet I can find an 08 marine who can't call for fire or navigate.....




All but 0861 for E-5 and below, I would hope no others.

[josepy]

Xdeth

I could also drop that a 1st Force SSgt failed land nav at Sniper school.

Some cannot and some can. Stereotyping is weak bro.

[Xdeth]

Originally posted by josepy
Xdeth

I could also drop that a 1st Force SSgt failed land nav at Sniper school.

Some cannot and some can. Stereotyping is weak bro.


Impossible.
He was a comm guy.
Framed due to too few slots.
Dropped the instructor that failed him at an indoc.

Which one?

[josepy]

Non-03's cannot go to school, and I did not write down the name.

[Xdeth]

Try to get to the engine repair courses at all costs, hull repair is next best. You can pick up good money fixing engines and the schools are fun from what I was told (mostly civilians, good TDY, the works).

[Lawnmowerman]

Joe...what is it with you and "LAND NAV"...you bag on everyone else as being unsat but you must be a grand land nav pooba or some shit. Enlighten us less than jedi...HFS.

[josepy]

Lawn

I have no idea who you are or what your background is so until I do you don't get an answer.

I did not start it but I do not like when people grind down on grunts.

[Xdeth]

Originally posted by josepy
Non-03's cannot go to school, and I did not write down the name.


Josepy,

What I said was grinding? And yes, comm guys have gone through your school. Now get back in the Zodiac and give way all!

[sta marine]

OH shit here we go... Man get a bunch of type A personalitys in one room and eventually someone will try and see whos dick is bigger. I think I can solve this maybe. I took it as guys just fucking with eachother. No biggie. Joe was mearly pointing out the fact that there have been high speed great operators that failed the sniper school land nav. course. Its a very hard course.

And besides who really gives a fuck if you were in force and arent the best at land. Have you ever noticed that every single school you ever go to has a land nav. course in it? and thats typically where they lose alot of people. So why the big pissing match? Why are we calling people onto the rug? And no where did josepy say he was the "jedi land nav master" He was just saying that grunts arent all bad at land nav.

[josepy]

Sorry but I refuse to let anyone blanket grunts as stupid or unskilled. I never saw a Force Platoon or a sniper win a battle.

You are a supporting asset for the infantry and maybe if you had served in it first then you would not say that.

[RAT]

MY DICK IS STILL BIGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



:cool:

RAT OUT!!!

[Xdeth]

Originally posted by josepy
Sorry but I refuse to let anyone blanket grunts as stupid or unskilled. I never saw a Force Platoon or a sniper win a battle.

You are a supporting asset for the infantry and maybe if you had served in it first then you would not say that.

Wrong on each count, have a nice day.

[josepy]

Xdeth

Which grunt unit did you serve in? And please take this as friendly debate and not a fight.

[Xdeth]

Originally posted by josepy
Xdeth

Which grunt unit did you serve in? And please take this as friendly debate and not a fight.


I'm not sure how I want to answer that, because I addressed my initial statement in the third post of this thread. So to say I blanket the grunts as stupid and unskilled is misleading and inflammatory, but you put that on me. That's pretty friendly.

3/8

[josepy]

I never saw the problems you had and I had better than 5 years being in a boat company and being the boat company sniper/swimmer team.

I do realize experiences vary, I just don't when people blanket grunts as less than a Recon unit.

[RAT]

My DICK is still BIGGER!!!!

RAT OUT!!!:D

[jcollettusa]

LOL, I think we need some sensitivity training.

[sta marine]

Ok I got it.. Xdeath said that grunts had problems with dead rekoning. not all of land nav. still xdeath, I was a grunt and in a grunt meusoc unit. and we did OTH all the time. never missed the target. Also did an OTH into Somalia. Got right into the port...no chem lights, dead of night, sea state of 3. pulled right up threw the monkeys fist to the force guy hiding in the rocks and away we went... I think Joe was just saying don't sterotype all grunts as dumb bullet stoppers. and just so its known.... MY dick is the biggest...

[Bravo_One_Three]

Originally posted by usmc_bmxer
My battalion is to take over as the BLT for the 31st MEU, and I'm going to go to Coxswain's( Zodiac driver) Course in Coronado, California. I'm in the 3rd Marines in Hawaii and the 3rd Marines never get a MEU, so very few people in my company, the boat company, have ever been in a MEU. My company CO was a platoon commander in one, and my section leader was in a track company. Those are the only 2 I know about who have been in a MEU.

I'm looking for a heads up as to what to expect as part of a boat company and as a coxswain.

OK, having been through ReconHawaii's Scout Swimmer and Coxswains course... with 3rd Marines no less, I might be able to give you an idea of what to expect.

Remember this phrase: "UP BOAT!"

You're going to spend an inordinate amount of time picking that damn boat up, walking to the other side of the beach, and putting it down... repeating as needed.

What were those other commands again? Damn it, old age is getting the better of me... guess RH and Sterling traumatized the hell out of me with that UP BOAT!

Nah, it was a blast, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

FWIW XDeth, I was an 0311 and 31 and could land nav like no tomorrow... including featureless navigation that we learned by necessity in the Saudi Desert.

We now return you to our regularly scheduled flame war.

[DFC5343]

Yeah...and don't forget....the Corps is still Department of the Navy!

[Xdeth]

Come on, you know your all just a bunch of wind up toys, face the truth!! I thank God every night that Marines are on duty, and that 0321's are there to make sure they find their posts.

[sta marine]

Originally posted by Xdeth
Come on, you know your all just a bunch of wind up toys, face the truth!! I thank God every night that Marines are on duty, and that 0321's are there to make sure they find their posts.

But before anyone is an 0321 they have to be 03 something else... and if they went right to recon, then something went wrong.

[jcollettusa]

Originally posted by DFC5343
Yeah...and don't forget....the Corps is still Department of the Navy!

The Men's Department. ;)

[GracieLou]

Originally posted by Xdeth
Come on, you know your all just a bunch of wind up toys, face the truth!! I thank God every night that Marines are on duty, and that 0321's are there to make sure they find their posts.

OUCH......generalizations flying around on both sides here!

Geez, I thought all of you guys were on the same team! Darn, there are good and bad grunts just like there are good and bad 0321s (yes, they do exist)!

Gracie

[GracieLou]

Originally posted by sta marine
But before anyone is an 0321 they have to be 03 something else... and if they went right to recon, then something went wrong.

Darn, that explains why my hubby (fmr 0311) is such a freak then :D ....went right to Bn recon after ITB....;)!

Gracie

[sta marine]

Originally posted by GracieLou
OUCH......generalizations flying around on both sides here!

Geez, I thought all of you guys were on the same team! Darn, there are good and bad grunts just like there are good and bad 0321s (yes, they do exist)!

Gracie well yes and no. I do think before anybody goes to any "specialized" units they should do some time as a grunt. Esp. if your gonna go to recon, force recon, or STA. I mean in those units your support for the grunts, and a 18 year old boot running around out there popping his cherry in the field isn't what I want. Having said that, I know of cases where they took guys from SOI and put them into those units and they were great. The only cases I've seen it work in was when the guys coming into the unit were older. but not 18 year olds.


I worked with a doc who was with recon (he got out in 2001) he told me theres guys bitching and hating the corps over there... you know why that is? because thats their first unit they've been too. Their boots. They don't know how good they have it over there. You should take those kids and put their ass in a grunt company. That will give them reason to bitch.

Anyway, I might have generalized and if I did I'm sorry. But sometimes these "specialized" guys get a little premadonna complex. that includes STA platoons. We need to remember that EVERYONE in the Corps is there for one reason. To support the 0311. thats it. Force goes deep and gathers intel. so the grunts can attack. recon same thing a little closer to home. STA engages targets to make the attack easier. Etc., Etc. We should all remember that the TOUGHEST job on the battlefield is the infantrymans. the rest of us are just support.

In closing... I'm an 0311 and proud of it!!!

[Sean0352]

Just a TOW here but that says it all sta.

Sean

[Bravo_One_Three]

Originally posted by jcollettusa
The Men's Department. ;)

Outstanding!

[SOTB]

First off, I just wanted to interdict that actually MY pecker is by far the larger....... 7 out of 8 women polled said so (the eighth was just being an ass).

I personally think the correct way to any spec ops unit is through first putting time in the "normal" units. At least for Marine type units. Having said that, I went from ITS (I know, I know, its now called SOI) as an 0341 to Oki and right from the receiving squadbay to 3d Recon Bn. I liked not EVER having to carry that base plate again in my life, but I probably could not have turned out worse going through the grunts first.

doc who was with recon (he got out in 2001) he told me theres guys bitching and hating the corps over there... you know why that is? because thats their first unit they've been too. Their boots. They don't know how good they have it over there.

Nope. If you are not enjoying your career, then do something about it. If the unit you are assigned to or even the Corps is not giving you the ability to reach your aspirations, then by all means look around elsewhere. You might find that the grass is not always greener on the other side (I once had an SF SCUBA inst ask me why I would ever want to leave FR as he saw it as pretty much the shit by his standards). On the other hand, the danger of inter-service trg is that some Marines might find that other units (especially SOCOM) are doing what "X" Marine joined for and doing it often -- without as much fear of the dreaded recruiting, drill field, or other "well rounding" duty.

Bottom line is that if you aren't happy, then make a change -- you have a right to.

If I were to add any other comment it would be to repeat what the medic on our committee told me when I was at Bragg. "Stop the excuses and GET YOUR F@#*ING DEGREE." THAT man is now a DOCTOR (read -- no more heavy rucks) and not even worrying about student loans. Your degree won't probably make you smarter, but it just might mean the difference in pushing the broom or being the person assigning people to push the broom -- not only in the military but in later life as well (yes there is life after the Corps -- even FR). And if you do it smart, the Corps (or whatever military service you are in) will pay for it too. Before some of you answer with "I can't find the time", I will just repeat Herr Siegfrieg's (the afore mentioned medic) comments about STFU with the excuses.

Just my 2 pesos........

[SGTROCK]

Your story pretty much mirrors mine.I was only a PFC at the time I got to OKI granted I had 2 1/2 yrs college before I went in but by all accounts stll an immature punk.I would have been much I say much better off going to the fleet after ITS and at the very least going to Indoc as a senior Lcpl or Cpl.The E-4s were squared away Marines and I really didnt have any clue what the Marine Corps was all about let alone Bn. Recon. But at least it beat carrying that damn Dragon around for a while.

[sta marine]

yea but as 03's going to Oki. Your only option was recon right? There is no other infantry unit based there...

Honestly, as a kid getting right into recon, could you really apperciate it? Theres guys in the fleet who work for years trying to get orders to recon, or pass the force indoc. Plus when you assign boots you dont have any idea what your getting. At least with guys who had to fight and claw their way there you know they want to be there. Plus they have the 3 or 4 years of infantry experiance already. Well past the boot phase, been deployed, etc. etc.

Anyway, Im not saying you cant take a boot and make him into a great recon marine... but if your going to put an untested 18 year old straight out of SOI into that billet, why hold indocs at all. just open the gates and take who ever volunteers. You get a more mature, tested marine rom the fleet. And if hes not mature you will know by his pro/con marks. hell they dont even have pro/cons out of SOI. you cant even look at that. Ok you guys get my point.

[Bravo_One_Three]

Pros and Cons... got a 49-40 once ;) at least that Red-Headed 2nd Lt was honest about not liking me!:D

[Doubletap]

I'm gonna try and stay on the original poster's subject here and ignore all the ridiculous name calling posts.

I was in the 13th MEU(SOC) I believe, with 3/1 India Co. 1st MARDIV. back in 92-93. When I left my old duty station and arrived Camp Pend. I was asked if I knew how to swim before I could even report in. I said yes and the next thing I heard was "Good, you're in India Company". LOL I soon found out it was boats but I arrived too late to get into Coxswains school or any of the other schools they had going, Mountain Climbers, Combat Swimmers, etc. I did get to go to Coronado with my unit for about a month and train, train, train. Nice base there. Shortly after Coronado we were headed to Okinawa with little trips on the USS Dubuque. We did several training missions in Coronado, Okinawa, Camp Pend. and a couple of other places along the way.

As for what you can expect? I have no idea about Coxswains School. All I know is that they generally would get us to our destination everytime and drop us off to raid whatever objective we had. They would take the boat back out to the water and wait for us to return. We'd jump back in the boats and head on back to the Dubuque.

All in all if you like water you'll love Boats! I love water and miss boats terribly. I'm married now and with 4 kids and wish every day I had stayed in the Corps. I'd love to get in the Reserves again but alas I don't think they have a boat unit. LOL ;)

Good luck with your school and keep your men dry. LOL Ya right. Oh and watch the chafing. ;)

Semper Fi,

DoubleTap

[josepy]

I went to "Mountain Climbers" school in bootcamp.

[Doubletap]

LOL True True. I think we all did. ;) It seemed like we could never get to the top of that mountain. Seemed like the more we "climbed" the lower we went. LOL Of course that could be from all the sand flying in the sand pits. LOL Thanks for THOSE memories. LOL

DoubleTap

[Bravo_One_Three]

Originally posted by josepy
I went to "Mountain Climbers" school in bootcamp.

I took the instuctors course. :D

[josepy]

Good one B 1/3.

[RAT]

Originally posted by sta marine
yea but as 03's going to Oki. Your only option was recon right? There is no other infantry unit based there...

Honestly, as a kid getting right into recon, could you really apperciate it? Theres guys in the fleet who work for years trying to get orders to recon, or pass the force indoc. Plus when you assign boots you dont have any idea what your getting. At least with guys who had to fight and claw their way there you know they want to be there. Plus they have the 3 or 4 years of infantry experiance already. Well past the boot phase, been deployed, etc. etc.

STA,

There was a short time when Boots were taken in Bn. That was right before the Bn was disbanded and everyone went to the REG. If a Mairne did not make the INDOC they were sent to 4th or 9th Marines or FAPED OUT to Base Camps. Or that is how it was when I was there from 90 to 95. We had the HACK INDOC...

During that time when we had to take boots if they did not want to be in RECON there were way to make them quit or just say they did not want to be there... That went for all ranks E5 and below. We got slambed by a bunch of SNCO's who had never been 0321 but the water is a wounderful thang when the Company's 1st PT session is a RUN SWIM RUN across SUBIC BAY or ORWAN bay. I think RECONHAWAII made more than a FEW GOOD MEN QUIT :D

One Marine I remember along with RECONHAWAII and HAZEL was begging for his life on the tower.... :cool: To this day it was the funniest thing I have ever seen... He ended up being a hell of an ADMIN pouge for us. He never bitched one bit about cleaning the Halls after that day....

Somedays I miss that shit.

RAT OUT!!!

[SOTB]

I can't remember why we were sent to Oki straight out of ITS, but there was easily half my class on the bird over. When we got to receiving bay a Cpl came in and said he was looking for volunteers for "recon". A total of 9 of us volunteered. I think of that group 4 made it through RIP and stayed. Where did the rest go? No idea.

The first guy I remember quitting the Bn wasn't even from during RIP (and there were quite a few of those, of course). It was some waste who stated to the Bn CO that he was disillusioned to be working with so many foul-mouthed people. I believe that was my introduction to the fact that although the Corps was a blast, there were actually some very useless people using up valuable oxygen and calling themselves Marines.

But was it worth it, raising my hand and not being a mortarman for 4 years? 17 and in the PI twice before I hit my 18th B-day. A slew of cool things to do and cool places to visit over almost 10 years. Slow promotions for doing anything possible to avoid B duty, but hazduty pay helped take the sting off it. A college degree without having to sell any major organs. The ability to ruin any major action film for my wife and friends with total confidence ("grenades won't do that", "bullshit, if you could shoot him and throw him 5 yards, physics would require your arm to be dislocated 5 yards as well", "wow, guns that never need reloading!", etc.).

For all you young studs reading this "old Corps" stuff, you SHOULD have to go through the grunts first, before headed to Recon. But if you don't, keep your head up and have a blast anyway. The old farts will have to leave eventually and then YOU can be the salty one......

You know, come to think of it -- how did this thread get hijacked onto a recon theme anyway?

[josepy]

Nothing made me happier than leaving the line company. That being said I would trade the experience for anything. I never could have done the mission briefings I did if I did not have the experience.

[Bravo_One_Three]

Originally posted by Southoftheborder
You know, come to think of it -- how did this thread get hijacked onto a recon theme anyway?

'Cause "Recon Platoon kicks butt!" - Pvt. "Profile", "Heartbreak Ridge"

[sta marine]

Originally posted by Southoftheborder
IYou know, come to think of it -- how did this thread get hijacked onto a recon theme anyway? \

It got hijacked because you laughed when my good discussion one got hijacked......:D

[reconhawaii]

Any deployment is a good deployment, Any school and training you can get is well worth it. Because before you know it, it'll all be just a memory. Grunt or Recon we all gotta navigate and we all may get lost one time or another. It's just a matter of being able to unfuck yourself before anyone gets hurt, or knows your lost...

I joined the Corps at 17 only for Recon. O3 hump-a lot was just a pre-requisite. I knew everything about Recon and what I had to do to get there. Humped the mountains and swam the oceans to prep myself before going in.

I never served in a grunt unit and never wanted to but I respected them alot. I lived next to Golf Company 2/3 for 3 years and was glad I was in Recon. I have seen Boots come to Okinawa and had no choice but to go to Recon. They were scared little mice that had no idea what was going on. Seen grown men cry because we secured there libo until we thought they were mature enough to go out into town on their own. I later saw these same Marines in grunt units and they dreamed of the day when they could come back to recon.

Everyone learns as they go. It's up to the individual on how prepared you'll be when you start that journey.

Quote for the day: There's a light at the end of the tunnel. The hard part is choosing which tunnel to take because that light may be an oncoming train...

Coxswains course is a breeze, the Ocean is your friend and if you don't like the water you can always be humping or running up some damn hill.