Cortramid

[lowflier03]

Get up early, make your bed, form up, take accountability, march to chow, take accountability, each chow, take accountability, march to pt, take accountability, pt, take accountability, etc. That is how it goes. You will run the O-Course alot, ride the trucks around and do some rapelling, live weapons firing, ride in Amtracks, do some squad maneuvers in the field during day and night, etc.

 

[Crowbar]

My unit had an indoc at MCB Quantico before school started, and I'm told ours was much harder than what we'll get from Marine week.

Yeah, I know a couple of the Marines who ran that. I'm pretty sure what you got then is exponentially worse treatment than you will get at Marine week.

I never had to do CORTRAMID, but everybody I've ever talked to who did it (Navy and Marine) said Marine week was their favorite (varied training) and aviation week was the worst (sitting around all day doing nothing). I think the best thing you can do is go into the whole thing with an open mind. You know, don't go in thinking "X week will suck because I want to be a pilot and I'm not in aviation week".

 

[SlickAg]

The most important thing for CORTRAMID is to bring at least 2 decks of cards and as many civilian clothes as humanly possible. They'll tell you not to hook up, but people always do, hence the name SCOREtramid. But there's always the one that gets caught. This summer will be an awesome source of funny stories that you can use for a long time. I remember so much more funny stuff from CORTRAMID than my 2/c class cruise. Try to have a good time, learn a lot, and follow the rules and it'll be bad-@ss.

Some people, male and female, do not enjoy Marine week b/c you go out there and play in the boonies, which brings with it unpleasantness like MREs, humps, and sleeping outside. If you just have fun with it and get to know the NCOs who will be in charge of you you're gonna have a blast. My squad had nicknames, sang songs, and had a great time. And then they'll give you the Navy sucks, Marines are awesome pitch. But just take it for what it's worth: it'll probably be your only chance, if you're going Navy, to experience Marine Corps enlisted life first-hand.

 

[Chris Hill]

I heard a lot of Mids--especially females--do not really enjoy Marine week. My unit had an indoc at MCB Quantico before school started, and I'm told ours was much harder than what we'll get from Marine week. I really enjoyed that stuff, and am really looking forward to Marine week (PT, Drill, etc). Who runs it? NCO's? Do we stay in Barracks? You keep saying it's really well planned/structured, but what is the typical day like there?

Thanks. LG

Agreed with everything else posted so far. That website posted by DanMav1156 is a pretty good overview. In answer to your question about who runs Marine week, mostly NCO's. They take all the GySgt's/MSgt's from different units around the country and have them run it. They're all trained drill instructors, so expect nothing less. It's not boot camp, but they want to create a pretty intense environment. One of the downsides I thought was very little interaction with officers (which is what we're training to become). Oh, and don't volunteer to have a MIDN leadership billet during that week unless you want to get fired from the billet. Everyone got fired... You'll have a good time, though. I knew nothing about it going in and it went well.

 

[bch]

They'll tell you not to hook up, but people always do, hence the name SCOREtramid.

I cannot stress enough!!! DO NOT TRY to hook up with other mids! yes people do it every year, and more importantly there are people who get sent home early to their units with recommendations for disenrollment from the NROTC program every year.

San Diego is full of good looking people, don't sh!t where you eat! nuff said on that.

Biggest thing on all midshipman cruises. Get involved and go in with an open mind and good attitude. If you do, you will have a great time, if you don't you will be board and annoyed the entire time.

It is the only cruise you are going to have where you will get to go talk to, and observe, people for all the communities. make the best of it and learn as much as possible, it will help you a great deal in making sure you know what community you want to be a part of. DO NOT BE that mid who spends every waking moment in their rack, you will only be cheating yourself.


plus since you are a female, it will be the only time you may ever get to check out a submarine underway. that and every year there are peopl who got the "covetted jet ride" (I did) if you have a good attitude and you COC knows it, chance are when it comes time to pic who gets to go, if you show interest there is a better chance that they will pic you. That being said, if you want to really ride in a cool aircraft go to a helo sqd!!!!!!!!!

Lastly, no matter how cool some idiot tells you tijuana is, Don't go. It is a
sh!t hole. not worth the trip let alone the chance of getting kicked out.

and for those that have been there...."now approaching bario logan."
anyway it is a good time

 

[vegita1220]

We had 2 female mids hook up with sub crew members in the missile room..."yayyy reputation!"
I don't know what is worse, sleeping next to ten megatons of death and destruction, or being kept awake across from that...she could at least have waited until we were safely ashore.

Highlights of last year:
Don't WHORE yourself out to the desperately lonely sub crew-yes money was exchanged.
Don't sleep in with the person you hooked up with, which you shouldn't do anyway, thus getting caught when you miss muster, leaving you looking like a moron.
Lock your door when you go to sleep...especially if you're female.
Don't get drunk and get into a fight. More important, don't get into a drunken fight ON the base.

 

[etnuclearsailor]

Wow... I'm getting jealous that I'm going to miss all of this.
STA 21 should do Cortramid for fun.

 

[chupacabra]

Highlights of last year:
Don't WHORE yourself out to the desperately lonely sub crew-yes money was exchanged.
Don't sleep in with the person you hooked up with, which you shouldn't do anyway, thus getting caught when you miss muster, leaving you looking like a moron.
Lock your door when you go to sleep...especially if you're female.
Don't get drunk and get into a fight. More important, don't get into a drunken fight ON the base.

However, do use your martial arts ability to kick (literally, kick) a knife-wielding bum off the trolley in order to get recognized with a special midshipman award from the Cortramid XO.

You have to remember though, due to operational commitments showing the mids a good time usually isn't the top priority, especially during aviation week. Many of the squadrons are deployed or in preparation to deploy, so don't be upset if things don't work out as planned. Last year most everyone got a T-34 ride with some stick-time (and some aerobatics) and a ride in something else. I'm a MO so I was at Miramar during Aviation week, and got a ride up to Pendleton in a 46, I loved it. No Mids got F-18 rides, despite one waiting for 2.5 days in vain.

You will have plenty of liberty during Cortramid (except Marine week,) you'll be done around 1400-1600 nearly every day, and almost all day on the weekends, so you really have a chance to see the San Diego area. Pacific Beach, a Padres game, and yes, even the enormous comic book convention will all provide you with a good time, even if it is at the expense of comic book freaks.

All-in-all, it was one of the best months of my life, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[NozeMan]

However, do use your martial arts ability to kick (literally, kick) a knife-wielding bum off the trolley in order to get recognized with a special midshipman award from the Cortramid XO.

He also got a Navy Achievement Medal....I go to school with him.

 

[Fezz CB]

Have fun, and go to Santana's on Rosecrans St...well worth the three mile run necessary to work off the California Burrito, the one with french fries in it.

Oh man....my mouth is drooling. When I was in San Diego (I used to live there) we went to Santana's religiously. California burrito with cheese and sour cream, its like heaven. Also try carne asada fries.

Oh yea, DONT MISS YOUR WATCH! A mid from my unit missed her watch cuz she was spending time with a junior enlisted. Not good. She was standing at attention on the quarterdeck of the BEQ while other mids walked by wondering what da hell was going on. And dont get to friendly with the enlisted folks. CORTRAMID staff takes fraternization seriously out there. The folks at the BEQ and on the ship might be looking for some easy @SS. Not to mention that we were all within the same age range. It's not "SCORE-TRAMID" as they referred to it .

 

[redmidgrl]

Okay, I'll bring the camera, and stay clear of the males... Got it! How do they choose your roommate, unit, or whoever you're traveling with? Are we with the same group the entire time? How do weekends work? I am assuming that it isn't very likely for me to see my friends from GW who are also going West.

Thanks. LG

 

[Fezz CB]

Okay, I'll bring the camera, and stay clear of the males... Got it! How do they choose your roommate, unit, or whoever you're traveling with? Are we with the same group the entire time? How do weekends work? I am assuming that it isn't very likely for me to see my friends from GW who are also going West.

Thanks. LG

Your roommate is chosen randomly, so good luck with that. You will be put into companies (8 companies last time i went) with mids from other units. You will have a sister company (A-B, C-D, etc) but you will spend the majority of the time with your specific company. And yes, these are the peeps youll be with the entire cruise so be friendly and get play nice Theres no doubt youll run into ppl from your unit. heck, you might even be lucky and be in the same company. But the staff usually does a good job at mixin n' matchin.

Every weekend is free to do whatever. I know some ppl who hit up the beaches, went on historic tours, Barona Casino, LA, Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Knotts, Hollywood. Sheez....my roommate and some of his UGA buds even hit up Vegas!!! But curfew is 12am on the weekdays and 2am Fri-Sat (someone correct if i'm wrong). And you always have to sign in and out so always have your ID with you. Your Company LT or Chief will let you know what curfew is but this is what I remember when I went. You will also have one overnight weekend and you will need to fill out a chit. Mids spent time with other mids who were from SD (big plus), went up to LA, partied, drank, etc. I'm not saying drink, but youre old enough to know whats right and wrong :icon_wink Just be sure you have a good time!

 

[Fezz CB]

He also got a Navy Achievement Medal....I go to school with him.

I also heard a story of a female mid a couple years back who was on her surface cruise and received the Navy Achievement Medal for fixing the water purifying system on the boat. Talk about making an impression??!

 

[redmidgrl]

So I should bring a lot of civies... does this mean proper civilian attire (khaki pants, collared shirts...)? Or can I bring clothes to go out in?

Thanks. LG

 

[Fly Navy]

That being said, if you want to really ride in a cool aircraft go to a helo sqd!!!!!!!!!

Just because you're damaged goods, doesn't mean you should warp their fragile minds

Lastly, no matter how cool some idiot tells you tijuana is, Don't go. It is a
sh!t hole. not worth the trip let alone the chance of getting kicked out.

This is good advice. There is NOTHING worth seeing in Tiiuana, NOTHING. It's a 3rd world sh!thole.