The Beginning of My Review

It was snowing when I left the house this morning. Actually I left the house at like 12:15. I didn’t have to go to my first class today. It was supposed to be a work day, so I could work on my report. Instead I overslept. I think it’s winter starting to get to me. It’s amazing how tired you get when the sun goes down at 5:00. You feel like the day should be over, but there’s lots of time left. Even when you go to bed early, your body thinks it’s late.

So now I have some catching up to do, as if I needed more. Life is more exciting that way, right?

I’ve been asked about the movie Jarhead. I saw it Sunday. I went into the movie not really knowing what to expect. What I had heard about it was that it was based on a Desert Storm Vet’s book, and it was supposed to be his story. I hadn’t heard anyone say the movie was politically motivated.

Since seeing the movie I have come across several bloggers commenting negatively on the movie. I didn’t have the negative reactions to the movie that these people did, maybe because of how I went into it.

Through most of the movie I felt like I was watching part of my life play out on the screen. The boot camp portion of the movie was like the stories that I had heard from the older Marines. I went to boot camp after the Mothers of America had drained it of all cussing and physical contact. Nobody was punched, slapped, kicked, choked, or assaulted in any way by any of my drill instructors. They weren’t even allowed to curse at us. It was actually funny to watch these guys get really pissed off and then try to find something other than a cuss word to say.

I can imagine that when this guy went through boot camp there was still some hitting and cussing going on. I’ve heard the stories. But where were the other drill instructors? I don’t remember ever being chewed out by only one drill instructor. We usually had three running around. The boot camp portion of the movie could have been better.

I loved the part of the movie where he was checking in at Camp Pendleton. The Staff Sergeant tells him he’s getting put in F Company with the “Fuck-ups.” This is almost strait out of my Marine Corps experience. My instructor at electrician school told me she would never want to be stationed where I was heading. I truly believe my battalion was the worst in the Marine Corps. We had so many “Fuck-ups” it wasn’t funny.

I didn’t have the branding experience. I’ve actually never heard of that. It very well could have been the norm at one time. There was a time when promotions were followed by “pinning on,” and when a promotion to corporal meant you had to earn your “blood stripes.” These things still go on, but on a much smaller scale, and not in the open.

Once they got to Iraq I could really sympathize. I’ve spent many days in sit and wait mode. There are times of hurry up and wait mixed into the times of sit and wait, but they’re pretty much equally boring.

I’m getting tired. I don’t think I have much coherent time left, as my sentences are already getting awkward. I’ll have to continue my assessment later. For know I recommend seeing Jarhead, I liked it.

Brandon