A Tough Change
...k about my past mistakes and the journey I was about to embark on. I was at a loss for words and felt as if I were leaving my family for good. The hardest part of leaving for boot camp was leaving behind my family and friends, and my life of freedom. I remember the overwhelming feeling of fear and loneliness as I left everything behind, but I already had a sense of pride in myself for taking that first step towards a better life. The flight took four hours and along the way I met other young men about to take the same journey. This had eased my nerves a little to know somebody there. We got off the plane and all gathered at a big yellow and red sign that read MCRD. As we waited, talking and laughing amongst ourselves, I noticed a very mean and intimidating looking man staring at us. As he approached he began yelling orders at us to get our butts moving and yelled at us all the way through the airport. When we got outside we were all herded onto a big white school bus where other men and boys were waiting. Everybody sat as if they were frozen keeping their heads and eyes straight and not saying a word as the man instructed. We had arrived at MCRD (Marine Corp Recruit Depot) and immediately the yelling and chaos began. We were practically pushed off the bus and ordered to stand motionless on “the yellow footprints” which every marine corps boot camp graduate will remember for the rest of their lives. We were literally standing chest to back, and shoulder to shoulder while the drill instructors circled us as an animal circles its prey. They were yelling and screaming at everyone that our lazy civilian lives were over and we now belonged to the corps. I couldn’t help but think to myself what the hell I got myself into. From there we were taken to an administrative building for processing. The chaos was non stop as we sat and filled out paper work for hours. After that the process of being”tagged and bagged” as the drill instructors called it would begin. First, everyone was run through the barber’s chair where a dull shaver was used to strip us of all our hair. Then we we...