Disciplinary Essays

[Zilch]

So, the essays they make you write in your spare time...do they actually read or grade them? Can you just make up some crazy B.S. and put it down ? I figured it might make it easier if I can try to be humorous on them, being the smartass that I am. Or, is being "less than serious" on those essays likely to earn me more unwanted attention?

 

[skidkid]

like this-from the Army but same idea, wouldnt reccomend it.

 

[JTS11]

You are in for a rude awakening if you try this.

The D.I.'s will not think your "crazy B.S." is funny and you will unneccesarily skyline yourself for extra "help".

 

[Zilch]

Yeah, that's exactly the kind of thing I was thinking about doing. I guess maybe not such a good idea...

 

[killerkilo]

Zilch,

I would not recommend writing "crazy b.s." in your essays. For his "platoon commanders essay" which all of us were required to write, one kid in my platoon apparently wrote a "humorous" essay. Im not sure if they were actually serious or not, but according to him the staff was considering kicking him out because of this essay...character flaws or lack of seriousness...something along those lines. Sounds kind of outrageous but I wouldn't be taking any chances.

Oh, make sure you write your essays in accordance with rules set by the staff... i.e. 300 word essay but the only words that count are over three letters. I didnt use proper heading and had one of my essays torn in half and had to re-write it. Yea, it sucked loseing sleep having to do it all over again.

Youll also probably get some pretty crazy topics. One of mine was "Why I should not chew my fingernails at OCS."

Sam

 

[Zilch]

Alrightythen. Thanks for the heads up, everyone. You definitely saved me some grief.

 

[Lawman]

Zilch, take a pack of erasable pens with you. They make writting an Essay so much easier because:
1. you can change your mistakes.
2. If you come in a couple words over/under you can go back and change a few things instead of rewritting the whole thing.

Also humor is bad, but eclectic history is good depending on the SI. Just remember they have google and a dictionary so dont go pulling stuff out of thin air. I did an essay on proper recognition of rank and I ended up blowing 200 words on the stuff like where the term Lance Cpl came from. After that, my one SI and platoon commander kept asking me wierd history questions from then on out because it turned out they were history buffs.

Sidenote: Col Chase is a huge history war buff. (Straight from his nephew's mouth)

 

[mmx1]

Zilch, take a pack of erasable pens with you. They make writting an Essay so much easier because:
1. you can change your mistakes.
2. If you come in a couple words over/under you can go back and change a few things instead of rewritting the whole thing.

Also humor is bad, but eclectic history is good depending on the SI. Just remember they have google and a dictionary so dont go pulling stuff out of thin air. I did an essay on proper recognition of rank and I ended up blowing 200 words on the stuff like where the term Lance Cpl came from. After that, my one SI and platoon commander kept asking me wierd history questions from then on out because it turned out they were history buffs.

Sidenote: Col Chase is a huge history war buff. (Straight from his nephew's mouth)

When I wrote, I'd stop when I hit 290 or so and start counting on my fingers so I could hit 300 exactly.

Cool. so where did Lance Cpl come from?

 

[Lawman]

When I wrote, I'd stop when I hit 290 or so and start counting on my fingers so I could hit 300 exactly.

Cool. so where did Lance Cpl come from?

A "Lance" was a unit that became common after the crusade era when you had a large number of unemployeed proffesional soldiers. These were men with no set alligences to a Lord so they would organize as a small unit (typically 4-6 ment) around a single mounted knight. The Lance Cpl was a rank within that small unit.

More info on the "Lance" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance

 

[theblakeness]

yes they read your essay, and yes what you write about could earn you an early ticket home. Just stick with the topic you are given no matter how dry or mundane it may be.

I know a guy who wrote a "BS" essay and they did send him home for it.


The erasable pens are awesome but make sure they are BLACK ink!

 

[HueyCobra8151]

My favorite:

[Topic X] is important for United States Marine Corps Marine Officer Candidates at United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School located on Marine Corps Combat Development Command Quantico in Quantico Virginia on Brown Field...

(That is 26 words right there)

I would throw that one in about 10 times per essay.

I wrote essays that were funny - but it was because I took whatever topic they gave me and made it sound all super serious and important, which is pretty funny when you are talking about Alice Pack Straps or something like that...

 

[Lawman]

My favorite:

[Topic X] is important for United States Marine Corps Marine Officer Candidates at United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School located on Marine Corps Combat Development Command Quantico in Quantico Virginia on Brown Field...

(That is 26 words right there)

I would throw that one in about 10 times per essay.
QUOTE]

We had a guy in my platoon do that till about week... 4. Then they started making him rewrite them.

 

[Cordespc]

like this-from the Army but same idea, wouldnt reccomend it.

OK, I was bored enough to read all 11 pages of this, and it was absolutely hilarious. "Here are some uses for the poncho that the military hasn't thought of yet:
- Kevorkian Parachute
- Camouflage Colostomy Bag
- Appropriate wear for those 'Spur of the moment' toga parties"

I'm sure such an essay like this written at Brown Field would get you a one-on-one meeting with the bird. A few guys in my platoon wrote essays that were argumentative (tried to explain how they weren't wrong) and they ususlly had to be re-written after a meeting with the 1stSgt. They're really looking to deprive you of sleep and keep you out of your comfort zone. Most essays you are assigned will not be for any real reason either. 300 words of random, nonsense on "attention to detail" or "accountability for gear" usually sufficed for me. Just give 'em what they're looking for and you'll be fine.

Paul

 

[DocT]

A few guys in my platoon wrote essays that were argumentative (tried to explain how they weren't wrong) and they ususlly had to be re-written after a meeting with the 1stSgt.

I'll second this. You're never going to be "right" at OCS so don't even think about defending your indiscretion.

A quick tip: When referring to yourself in the third person always write "This United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate". It's not as long and noticable as the phrase somebody posted above.

 

[Carno]

First thing my staff said about essays was not to bull**** them by writing out USMC and OCS.