NPQ'd 3 weeks from commission...

As some of you know I shipped out to PLC Sr's for the Marine Corps about 3 weeks ago. It is a 6 week course in which I get offered a commission after graduation. Well, 2 weeks into it i hurt my tendon that runs from the top of the foot to my shin during a hump. pushed through the hump and the next few days of events but eventually it got so bad i could actually feel the tendon moving on my bone. turns out there are many small tears and i got npq'd. and dropped. startin over next year

 

Sorry to hear that. But, take it from someone who faced the same fate and went on to have a long military career, you have options.

I went to PLC back in '74 as a NFO candidate. At that point, the Marine Corps was letting pilots go after Vietnam was over. 40 of us were tagged as having "borderline high blood pressure" - a way to cull the herd. I was ultimately NPQ'd along with the rest and sent home. After a year, I entered Army ROTC, got some credits for my Quantico time and was commissioned 2 years later.

26 years later I retired as a colonel.

You have options but I certainly can understand your disappointment.

Good luck!!

 

Thanks for the story. It makes me feel better that im not the only one. Like I told my parents, Yeah im upset but i can only feel so bad because I know i pushed through as long as I could and I found my limit so there is no shame about it. It was also a good reality check and made me realize that I need to start thinking about plan B in case I do get hurt again next year. I have thought about going Army but it is hard to change over after training my ass off for the past 3 years to go Marine Corps.

 

ARe you going back for the 10 week option next year? My roommate went that route and many people say it's better than the two summer option.

For me, I knew I didn't have high blood pressure - 3 times a day, no matter how much stress, what I ate, how much sleep I had, etc...a corpsman told me my pressure was 140/80. Me and the other 39 guys they needed to eliminate. I was offered the chance to reenroll in the ground option but just felt I'd been screwed over.

Rest up that injury and get ready for next year!! I hope you breeze through!!

Mark

 

They are actually giving me the option to go back for the second six week session again so I will do that. If I could do it again i would do the ten week for sure but at this point it is 6 more weeks of suck or 10 more weeks of suck before commissioning. On the plus side I have seen what it is going to take and i have my knowledge book so I can take the next year to study and prepare physically for how I know it will be. Definitely wont be a breeze through but atleast i can better prepare.

That blows how they screwed you over. I would probably go to a different branch as well after that.

 

Sorry to hear you got hurt but keep sight of your goal. Hang in there, I know you will achieve it.