Physical Training

I recently changed jobs again. I was working in a maintenance management office, and now I'm the platoon commander for a different section. I've already discovered that I'm going to have some challenges with a couple of young Corporals.

I find that to be a huge disappointment, since the NCOs should be the ones out there taking care of business.

One of the Corporals recently arrived here in Okinawa, and it has taken him two weeks to get his family settled, and finally come to work on a regular basis. Last night, the evening prior to what would be his first physical training, or PT session, he called me to announce that he didn't have any running shoes. I asked him how long he had been here, to which he replied, "Two weeks, Gunny."

"Well," I said, "The PX has been here, and open, all of those two weeks. I don't care if you show up wearing flip flops tomorrow, you'll be at PT." He showed up wearing what looked like some sort of skateboarding shoes, and he fell back considerably on our PT run.

Another of my NCOs had a small cyst removed from his upper arm two days ago. He has a little bandage on it, and tried to tell me that he could not participate in PT. He has a chit from the doctor that says "PT at own pace." I told him to go to the gym, and find something to do. He replied with, "Well, there's nothing I really can do Gunny."

"The rest of your body doesn't have anything wrong with it!" I said.

Where did these two come from? I can't imagine being an NCO and trying to get out of PT like that. I took them both aside and explained to them that the junior Marines see that crap, and their actions are going to have a direct effect on the training and mentoring of those young Marines.

Looks like those two might need a boot in their ass from time to time. I'll happily oblige them.

Meanwhile, I have a Private that has a pretty bad knee problem, and he was the first one out the door to PT this morning. I like this young man already.