Here in Milwaukee, we're lucky enough to conduct a couple unique pool functions, and one of them is our annual "combat day" at a private paintball park.
More than 100 of our poolees from the Milwaukee, Racine, and Waukesha areas dedicated their Sept. 11 to learning basic squad patrolling techniques and formations, and then they put them into practical use during four scenarios on the paintball fields.
Each pool function I attend I'm reminded of the caliber of young men and women who enlist in our Corps, and this event was no exception.
One of the scenarios required a mock satchel charge to be placed within 1 meter of the other team's home base.
I stood on a ridge overlooking a valley to my left (the "blue" side) and the red team's base on my right. A protracted firefight ensued as blue players made their way through the valley and up the ridge toward the red base.
Once they established a foothold on the ridge, 5 blue players started formulating a plan to deliver the satchel charge to the red base located about 40 meters down a steep hill in front of them. With less than a minute left, the remaining two blue players finalized their plan of one running as fast as he could down the hill to draw fire while the other one ran behind and heaved the satchel charge toward the base.
After a quick count to 3, the pair leaped over the hill with puffs of smoke pouring from their paintball guns, bounded down the hill (ok, so the lead guy actually rolled a couple times down the hill but it still had the effect they were after), and delivered the satchel to the other team's base.
It took us a little bit of "encouragement" to get them going, but once this team put their heads together, they came up with a plan and effectively executed it to win the game. All of us who watched the action were incredibly impressed with their ability to perform under pressure.
Check out the video for some of the action:
Showing posts with label marines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marines. Show all posts
Monday, September 13, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Educators Workshop Webcast: Bayonet course puts Midwest educators as close to boot camp as you can get without getting your head shaved first
Midwest high school educators overran the bayonet assault course at Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego Tuesday. More than half of the 70 Midwest Marines Educators Workshop participants from Milwaukee and St. Louis screamed, ran, crawled, crossed rope bridges, climbed walls and bayoneted dummies amidst the sights and sounds of battle during the week-long program that makes them experts on Marine Corps basics.
Here's what it sounded like for a four-person team from Illinois and Missouri, which also seemed to have a pretty good time.
- (Team Leader) Brandon Holthausen is a guidance counselor at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, Mo. (south of St. Louis)
- Michelle Elwood is a guidance counselor at Marion High School
Download now or listen on posterous
Want more? See photos of other educators going through the Bayonet Assault Course.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Rude awakening today for Midwest educators visiting Marine Corps Boot Camp in San Diego
High school teachers, counselors, coaches and administrators from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois started the first two minutes of the Midwest Marines Educators Workshop this morning in San Diego just like recruits would experience the first two minutes of Marine Corps boot camp before spending time with Brig. Gen. Ronald L. Bailey, responsible for all recruiting and recruit training west of the Mississippi River (more on black Marine officers here). After talking candidly with recruits from the Midwest over lunch, they finished the day by actually running through an assualt course with rifles and bayonets. We'll try to get some interviews up later tonight or tomorrow, but here's what the morning welcome looked like.
An effective "pick-me-up" in the morning for Midwestern educators.
If you would like to participate in an upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshop, find out more here.
Educators Workshop webcasts start tomorrow; submit questions for teachers today!
Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois educators experience boot camp this week, so tune in to our webcast channel starting tomorrow night for their thoughts as the week progresses!
Our educators sponsored by #MidwestMarines recruiting stations in Milwaukee and St. Louis made it safely San Diego today to experience Marine Corps boot camp first hand this week with the Midwest Marines Educators Workshop. Nobody looked disappointed to leave the ice and snow for 65-degree evening temperatures, but Bode Miller’s gold and the US hockey victory over Canada last night didn’t hurt the mood either.
We had a banquet tonight and got to know each other a bit before a full week of long days starts tomorrow exactly where it starts for recruits: on the infamous yellow footprints under the hot breath of a new “guidance counselor.”
I spoke briefly with a couple of educators tonight about their expectations for the week, and they both seemed up to the challenge:
- Michael Rupnow, the activities director at Case High School in Racine, Wis., is here with his wife Julie, who is a physical education teacher and department chair at Washington Park High School, also in Racine.
- Bruce Rundman, is a guidance counselor at Baraga High School in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula city of Baraga.
If you would like to participate in an upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshop, find out more here.
Want us to ask the educators your questions? Submit them as comments to this post, and we'll ask them the next day!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Webcast interview with the Corps' senior music program talent scout
What kind of musician joins the Marines? Do band members go to boot camp? How good is “good enough” to audition? What’s the audition process like? What’s the best source of information? What questions should you ask local recruiters? What positions are available? Does the band go to combat?
In an impromptu interview with the Corps’ senior talent scout for the Marine Music Program, Master Sergeant Mitch Martin, talks about family and memorable moments, leading the small band of seven Marine Music Program directors who scour the nation for worthy musicians, and spending the past 23 years toting his trumpet around the world as both a warrior and a musician.
Part 1
Falling in love with music, A viable career option for a professional musician, The type of musician the Marine Corps would consider, What life is like for a musician in the Marine Corps, and a memorable meeting with the President in the desert
Falling in love with music, A viable career option for a professional musician, The type of musician the Marine Corps would consider, What life is like for a musician in the Marine Corps, and a memorable meeting with the President in the desert
Part 2
Challenges in boot camp and beyond, Life as a husband and father, Moonlighting, The types of music played by Marine Bands, The types of venues bands play, which are most rewarding, and Michigan memories, and Requesting a band to play in your town
Challenges in boot camp and beyond, Life as a husband and father, Moonlighting, The types of music played by Marine Bands, The types of venues bands play, which are most rewarding, and Michigan memories, and Requesting a band to play in your town
Part 3
Special music units, Being a rifleman first and duties in combat, First steps for those interested in becoming Marine musicians, The audition process, Why band members make great Marine musicians, and What parents and educators should ask.
Check out the Marine Music Program webpage for more information, band locations, available positions, and audition requirements.
Request a band for your local event.
Webcast #20100203
Monday, February 1, 2010
Webcasts start Wednesday! Corps' senior Music Program talent scout talks candidly + getting your own questions answered in future webcasts.
What kind of musician joins the Marines? Do band members go to boot camp? How good is “good enough” to audition? What’s the audition process like? What’s the best source of information? What questions should you ask local recruiters? What positions are available? Does the band go to combat?
Get answers to these questions and more Wednesday during the Midwest Marines' inaugural webcast, as the Corps’ senior talent scout for the Marine Music Program, Master Sergeant Mitch Martin, talks about family and memorable moments, leading the small band of six Marine Music Program directors who scour the nation for worthy musicians, and spending the past 23 years toting his trumpet around the world as both a warrior and a musician.
While MSgt. Martin's visit surprised us, the Midwest Marines are extremely excited about future webcasts because we want YOU to tell us what questions we should be asking. Here's how:
1. We announce an upcoming interview on this blog with background information about the subject matter expert to help you determine questions for his or her area of expertise. Our Twitter followers and Facebook fans will also be notified when upcoming interviews are announced.
2. You submit the questions you want us to ask by commenting on the announcement no later than the published submission deadline. (Please include a first name and the town you're writing from for your questions to be considered). The Midwest Marines will acknowledge your submission.
3. We incorporate your questions into the interview.
4. We all listen to the webcast that includes answers to your important questions. Midwest Marines webcasts will post on our official website, and you'll find excerpts and related commentary right here on the Midwest Marines' blog.
Feel free to send us your ideas for future podcasts as well. We want to address what YOU feel is important, so please let us know.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Republic, Mo., Marine Back from Boot Camp Catches Thief in the Act
While this type of action is not recommended, I can’t say it’s surprising either. What’s most impressive about this young Marine is the level of self-discipline he exhibited. He just finished three months of boot camp, to include martial arts training, and is likely in the best shape of his life, yet he exhibited the maturity and judgment to control a heated situation using words alone.
Being reminded how impressive our young Marines are just never gets old. Thanks to KSPR News for covering the story!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Hopefully Marines' Iraq departure signals return to expeditionary roots
Now THIS is good news (First wave of Marines leave Iraq)! Our Marines have performed remarkably in Iraq, but it's time to get back to our roots: ship-based, expeditionary operations; deploying at a moment's notice with a Marine Air Ground Task Force capable of accomplishing nearly anything. I've heard it said that a Marine in combat fights not for country and not for Corps, but rather for the Marines to his left and right. Whether or not that’s true in every case, Master Sgt. Sewell’s recollection in this story is a poignant reminder of the often unspoken but always present commitment Marines have to each other:
As a severely wounded Marine was flown in by helicopter, "We'd go down there and stand in line, waiting to give blood," said [Master Sgt. Matthew] Sewell, 26, of N. Ft. Myers, Florida. "You'd see 200 people standing in line. We'd all stand there until the guy was stabilized or we gave blood." (AP)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Getting out of the cold soon with HS teachers seeing boot camp up close in San Diego with the first 2010 Midwest Marines Educators Workshop
Thoughts of the four upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshop trips to San Diego are helping us stay warm as temperatures plummet and snow piles up across America’s heartland. A few seats are still available for high school teachers and faculty (and a few members of the media) to experience Marine Corps recruit training first hand and free of charge between February and June. I’m glad I’ll be joining the firsts groups from Milwaukee and Saint Louis at the end of February – I’m ready to go right now (after shoveling my way out of the driveway, of course)!
While it’s no dog and pony show and the days are long, groups from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Western Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Northwestern Arkansas and parts of the Dakotas tour recruit training, a major Marine Corps base, and an air station. Most importantly, no question is off limits, and educators can even speak to the actual recruits currently going through boot camp; it’s pretty awesome when teachers come across their former students in training!
Information, trip dates, past educator comments, and application instructions are available at the Midwest Marines’ official website, where you can also download memory books from past Midwest Marines Educators Workshops. Interested educators can also simply contact their local Marine Corps recruiter to find out about upcoming trips from their area.
The video below gives a nice overview of the program, and there are numerous news reports online from reporters who’ve joined us. Drop us a comment if you need help finding one of the reports from Midwestern media outlets.
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