Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Guidebooks

My friend Angelo, who lives in Georgia, and whom I've known for over 20 years (which is a long time in Marine Corps years), sent me some pictures today.
First a little background.
When in boot camp, you are issued "knowledge" which is a nice way of saying books you have to study.
If you're standing around doing nothing, you had better be studying your knowledge (and don't lean against that bulkhead while you're reading).
And all the material is testable.
(Go ahead, ask me the hand/arm signal for gas attack, or what the NBC markers are, or how long you have to safely don and clear your gas mask - once that stuff is in your head, it stays in there.)
One of the "knowledge" books I received was the Marine Corps Guidebook:

The other book was the Essential Subjects book (which -- shock the hell out of me -- is available for sale on Amazon!).
By the time you get out of boot camp, those things are pretty ratty since they were carried in your cargo pocket (the pocket on the side of your trousers), and rolled up in order to fit.
When I got to Quantico in the mid-80s they published a new Guidebook with updated information.
Frankly I'm still waiting to be issued a new copy, but apparently it's only issued once.
I have to admit I'm still a little shocked about that, but what can you do.
Anyway, Angelo, who was then Corporal C (and is now Gunny C USMC (Ret.)) was used as a model for some pictures in the new Guidebook.
Literally, I've forgotten about this, but I'm glad Angelo reminded me.
He's the one being transported.




And here he is injured on the ground.



Look how young you look, Angelo.
We're twice that age now, can you believe it?

1 comment:

Jennifer said...

Hey! I remember those pictures. You mean we don't look as young as we did back then? Are you sure?

: )

Yeah, it's all for sale online, even MREs. Go figure.