Disciplinary Essays

[Killer2]

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.

Tried that, turned it in at 0500, by 0505 the SI who I wrote it too was in my face asking me if I was trying to insult his intelligence, if I would turn that into one of my college profs, with much more colorful language not suitable for AW. Being a smartass, or trying to defend yourself is usually a no go in their book. However if you are willing to try your luck please let us know how it works out.

 

[goosegagnon2]

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.

AFN has airs a commercial about the origin of the Lance Cpl. From what they stated, a Lance Cpl. was a knight who was knocked off his horse from fighting and continued the battle with an infantry unit, where he then became a "lance" cpl.

As, for the essays I wrote eassys with long phrases as above and was never told to rewrite them, although it was juniors so they might not have looked into as them as much they would Srs or Combined candidates. Write the essy seriously but "BS" it carefully, like talk about serious things but do not think about it much, qoute from your regs and knowledge and that will give you enough topic to discuss. DO NOT BE A SMARTASS. I always admitted I was wrong with everything..even if it was about shoe-laces. Thats just the way I went about essays and I didn't have a problem with them..btw always turn them in on time as well.

 

[Cavrone]

In OCC, how many essays would you say you write in a week (for the average candidate)? How long do they usually take to write? Don't you have to underline and number each word at least 4 letters long?

Since we are talking about losing sleep, how often do you have firewatch?

 

[Lawman]

In OCC, how many essays would you say you write in a week (for the average candidate)? How long do they usually take to write? Don't you have to underline and number each word at least 4 letters long?

Since we are talking about losing sleep, how often do you have firewatch?

Depends completely upon your staff and your behavior. We had guys that did an essay or two every night most nights. Me, I had 4 the whole time I was there. And I know of one or two guys that other then the essays assigned by the Plt. Co. didnt have any.

Firewatch, depends on the size of your platoon and company. You have 2 on, all night for one hour shifts so you burn up about 16 people in the squadbay a night. Basically the first few weeks you can almost get 2-3 days without pulling one. However you also have Duty Platoon where you get to do Corporal of the Guard (Firewatch on the quarter deck) and thats gonna demand an additional 8 people per night so it screws the whole 1 on 2 off schedule. As the weeks go buy and more people are dropped/DOR/NPQ you get more of them. I really feel for the female platoon at OCC this summer. They were down to 29 Candidates about week 5 so they just didnt sleep.

 

[ArkhamAsylum]

"Never let a promising career get in the way of a good joke." - General Peter Pace, USMC, Chairman JCOS

 

[JZAB]

Yes the good old ladies of 1st platoon. I had at least 1 essay a week, my PLT SGT would get you for the craziest things. He would sit at the back of the squad bay and watch you come in; if you weren’t running or doing something else, he did not like it was 300 words. His favorite was when he would catch somebody scratching their face he would say "You got yours I am going to get mine" or "Get It?". I always wanted to say no and just scratch like hell but he would have gone Ape S**t crazy. Good bless his sole PLT SGT Perkings.
JZab 2nd plt OCC 192

 

[Slammer2]

Yes the good old ladies of 1st platoon. I had at least 1 essay a week, my PLT SGT would get you for the craziest things. He would sit at the back of the squad bay and watch you come in; if you weren’t running or doing something else, he did not like it was 300 words. His favorite was when he would catch somebody scratching their face he would say "You got yours I am going to get mine" or "Get It?". I always wanted to say no and just scratch like hell but he would have gone Ape S**t crazy. Good bless his sole PLT SGT Perkings.
JZab 2nd plt OCC 192

that guy was awesome. I was in 3rd but he always played games with me in the chow hall.

Me: "GOOD AFTERNOON GUNNERY SERGEANT!!!!"
GySgt P: "Cant hear ya"

did this back and forth like 10 or so times a week.

"OUR BACKS ARE..."
"STRAIGHT!!"

 

[deeregirl]

just accept the fact that your not going to get a lot of sleep the first couple weeks of ocs...after the DORs leave you should get some sleep but pretty much the first couple weeks youll be doing a lot of writing...at least my platoon did...i remember writing essays on: "what it means to be an adult" (i wrote about how much i enjoy driving) and "why coffee shouldnt go into canteens" (i wrote about caffine)...have fun with them every now and then but be prepared to explain yourself

 

[stevo01]

at evening taps, we were counting off. Instructors were in the duyt hut so instead of saying twenty four, i said "Twent Fo" with a ghetto accent.

"good, who was it" "you know what to do..by 0500"

being a phsych major, i explained the developmental stages of learning language. Explained how "cooing and bablying" as child starts our learning process...and how "depending on what side of the tracks" you are raised, "twenty fo" might be acceptable....and so on.

I was pulled aside the day i was NPQ'd and the Insturctor told me how the essay made him laugh. (so yes, they read them)

Key is to be serious and a smart ass, all in one.

 

[goosegagnon2]

In OCC, how many essays would you say you write in a week (for the average candidate)? How long do they usually take to write? Don't you have to underline and number each word at least 4 letters long?

Since we are talking about losing sleep, how often do you have firewatch?

6 in 3 days was my max...lost alot of sleep...plus firewatch. Just be smart and don't half ass stuff..

 

[Slammer2]

I was told to stop mid-air while jumping off of a high obstacle. I had to get back up and try again 3 times. When I couldnt figure out how to hover in the air, I got an essay for failure to follow simple instructions

 

[theblakeness]

I was told to stop mid-air while jumping off of a high obstacle. I had to get back up and try again 3 times. When I couldnt figure out how to hover in the air, I got an essay for failure to follow simple instructions

haha...You know thats when the staff is in one of those moods again.

 

[Zilch]

I was told to stop mid-air while jumping off of a high obstacle. I had to get back up and try again 3 times. When I couldnt figure out how to hover in the air, I got an essay for failure to follow simple instructions

Huhboy. This is going to be fun!

 

[jamnww]

6 in 3 days was my max...lost alot of sleep...plus firewatch. Just be smart and don't half ass stuff..

Guy in my platoon had about 2 a day (and more on weekends since he was on probation) for the entire 10 weeks...they told him afterward he set a record...

 

[deeregirl]

yeah if you guys think you had it rough during ocs...you should be glad you werent a female...there was such a high attrition rate (more than 50%) in my platoon and when we had COG and pulled duty platoon and pulled "parking lot" watch we would have to do all three and everyone was involved... we started out with 71 and graduated 24 so we didnt get much sleep...oh well who needs sleep anyway