What's the one thing you learned during your time in the service that's stuck with you. Mine was how to listen and follow directions if you don't it could get you killed always stuck with me. Another is how to pack I can get my whole closet in one suitcase my wife hates it when we go on trips I tell her get out the way I can get all that in one suitcase then I get in boot camp mode and will have the kids 45 corners on their beds ready for inspection they absolutely hate it.

That after 10 weeks, even the ugliest woman on the planet will look REEAAAAAAAAAAAL good!

One our Drill Sergeants was a female. Ugliest damn woman you've ever seen but had some tig ole bitties. Here is a timeline of events

Week 1: Damn, she's ugly

Week 2: She's got some bigguns

Week 3: For an older gal, she's not horrible

Week 4: She's in good shape and has a decent body

Week 5: Her arse ain't half bad

Week 6: My god them tig ole bitties look nice

Week 7; Oh my god, I so hope she does PT with us this morning

Week 8: Holy Schit, she is the hottest thing ever!


True Story

I'll never forget what someone wrote, on a Porta toilet, at AL Asad air base.
It said, "hey girls, what are you gonna do, when you get home, and find out you're ugly again?"

a.k.a. "A Desert Fox"

Fire, Ready, Aim really does work sometimes.

Weapons. Gear. Self. Always, in that order...

Haha I bet.

Attention to detail and how to push beyond mental barriers.

I went in at 17 so I was a punk that needed the Army way more than it needed me. We still got issued woodland camo and combat boots back then (90s). The quicker you learned to embrace the suck the better off you were.

I know a guy (not me) that leaned the importance of personal hygiene.
I learned that cheap beer can taste really good in the right circumstances.
I learned that some DI's know very little about marksmanship/ballistics.
I learned that RF can burn the crap out of you.
I learned that $3 in a field barber shop in Korea just might be the best money you ever spent!

Discipline, responsibilities and teamwork. Bad food taste damn good when you are hungry.

Which way the toilet paper rolls goes on the wall.

How to fold t-shirts and underwear. I can also properly make a bed. It's been over 33-years since I was in BMT and I still fold my t-shirts and underwear exactly the same. And much like OP stated - I can pack a suitcase with the best of them.

First 6 weeks in how to kill.

Don't fold em. Roll em.

Mrs. Irish calls me the "Chinese Puzzle Master" when we go to pack on trips.



There is nothing I have done since graduating from Parris Island that really felt like was a challenge that I couldn't handle. Seriously. Parris Island helped reveal a mental toughness in me that I feel is extremely lacking in a large percentage of average people.



Yes, Yes and Yes. And some of the best food I have ever eaten was at the mess hall at Camp Geiger and Camp Lejune. Marine and Navy cooks are some of the best.

I learned to be a better marksman using iron sights than I ever thought I would be. 9 out of 10 bulls eyes at 500 yards on the KD range at Parris Island. I was 3rd award expert by the time I got out. I wish my eyesight was as good now as it was then.

I learned in a fight to be aggressive. I got the $h!t kicked out of me in a boxing match once (Knocked out cold) and that was enough for a young Irish guy to learn his lesson. I haven't lost a fight since... Of course I haven't picked any either.

I learned to keep my mouth shut and do what needs to be done and never volunteer for anything. (Of course if you know me you know I'm still working on those. )

I have long since thought that every young person should have to endure some type of crucible after graduating from high school and before college or a career. They should be forced to live and work and be teammates with people of all different walks of life, different cultures, different religions and different races. And not necessarily the military either, there's forestry service, medical service, inner cities, etc... but everyone needs to go through some type of mental and physical character building process, some type of boot camp regardless of what kind of service they decide to render to our country. I'm all in favor of some type of semi-mandatory service to our country. It would build citizenship, physical strength and mental character.

I also learned that I don’t give a crap if you are in the best breakfast joint in France, you won’t find a better omelette than in the chowhall, true to this day.

I also learned not to eat the old “Pork Patty” MRE and bail out at 34,000 feet. It’s unnatural!

I learned that Morphine and Jack Daniel’s works Mo-Betta!

I learned that 40Mike, handgrenades, and a tag on your helmet can keep you from getting killed by the enemy and the aircraft lighting the enemy up.