On Contemplating Joining The Marine Corps Reserves..
From March '08 - Dec '12 I was active duty in the Marine Corps (as most already know via ZBT). Looking back it's hard to believe I've been out for about a decade now because some of the memories are still so visceral it feels like they happened yesterday, and though it wasn't all smoke-pit keggers, trips up the coast with buddies and fun & games (mostly Spades & Risk, fyi) I miss it. A lot.
That era included my first time really traveling & living on/exploring the West coast, training for years to deploy & then experiencing all that it encompasses from extreme boredom to sudden action to crapping in plastic baggies and flinging it into a fire you slept next to (ah, the good 'ol days!), life moments amplified from the hilarious to the heartbreaking, working & living 24/7 with friends from all over the country who felt like family, new customs & cultures I never dreamed I'd get to experience firsthand.. There was always something new.
And today? Uh... Not quite the same. Lately it's hard to match that sense of excitement & adventure...
The only thing that relies on me to have my shit together now is my cat, Spork. (Long-time Stoolie, Spork. Brick by brick.)
To say I love my current job is an understatement however that being said, the only things that get my heart pumping anymore are petty internet dramas & riding my bike without a helmet on. Yet there I am on ZeroBlog30 twice per week yammering away like I'm still an expert who's with it. Lady,,, it's been A WHILE.
But wait... Is there a way to change that & get relevant with my military anecdotes again??? Is there a way to bring rare thrills back into my life?
It is possible... According to Marines.mil:
By law, the maximum age for enlistment is 35. This is not waiverable. If an individual has prior service time, this time will be subtracted from his/her age in order to determine if their age is compatible with the maximum age limit. For example, if a 37-year-old Marine with 10 years of service desires to reenlist in the Marine Corps, his/her age will be 27 for enlistment purposes. Although the maximum age for enlistment is 35, any individual older than 28 is required to request an age waiver.
According to the Marine Corps, with prior time in service I'm only like 29 or something. I could absolutely re-up in the Reserves and get back into the sw…. ahahahahhhahah Just goofin'. Not in a million years. I'd rather eat that weird, dusty food blob under PFT's desk that even the mice haven't touched. I'm free - No more shining dress shoes & door knobs, no more getting yelled at for wearing the wrong eye-pro or walking on grass, no more group punishments & losing liberty on the weekends because some PFC in the unit failed room inspection… Not today, Green Weenie. Not today. ha ha
* Much love & respect to all who are currently serving. Still looks good on you, though.
So ok, I've come full circle in one quick blog meant solely to push a new episode ha ha. I still truly miss a lot about it but maybe the Reserves just isn't for me (mostly because I'm built like a string-bean rolled in lard, can barely do a sit-up now, and would be an enormous liability). And perhaps I've been out for quite some time, but I do love keeping in tune with our military and its amazing members & veterans through the show. Whether you've served or not it's a fun & interesting listen and the topics are varied enough for anyone to follow along & enjoy. If you're looking for something new check it out! Here's what we've got on today's episode:
* PS - If you're a recruiter reading this we are willing to send our producer Kyle back in so long as the podcast gets his bonus. Please hit us up.