Memorization

[CLAM97to99]

I have been busy working on my memorization and have run across a few things. When I ran up to get sworn in the OSO gave me a flip book with “The Big 4” to memorize (General Orders of a Sentry, The Code of Conduct, Chain of Command, and USN/USMC Rank Structure). One thing I have noticed is there are a lot of typos in the flip book. But besides that on the OCS’s website there is a lot more to memorize than is in the flip book (Star Spangled Banner, Anchors Aweigh, Marine Hymn, Navy Hymn, and Sailor’s Creed). How painful will it be if I don’t memorize the other stuff on the website and only memorize “The Big 4”?

 

[Thisguy]

Of those others, you'll only need to know Anchors Aweigh and the Marine Hymn. And you only need to know those well enough to sing in a group, when I was there, no one was gouged, "recite the Marine Corps. Hymn" The other stuff never came up, and I can only imagine how old and un-updated that flip book is (I went through OCS in 2002)

 

[CLAM97to99]

I have found a lot of discrepancies between the flipbook and what the OCS pages says. For example the flip book says on the 9 General Order of the Sentry (GOC) you should call the officer of the watch, and in the 10 GOC in the flipbook says you should salute all colors and standards, and colors not cased. The OCS pages says officer of the deck, and salute all colors and standards not cased. Which is correct? Personally it seems to me that the OCS page is more reliable and makes the most sense.

 

[Thisguy]

The OCS page is correct. I memorized the flip book all summer, which was better than not memorizing at all, but had to adjust a word here or there in my memory. That's huge, because you'll be expected to know the big 3 verbatim by week nine, no stuttering or corrections allowed.