# Semper Fi



## Epic Myth (Aug 12, 2013)

Corny U.S. Marine title aside (if you don't know what that means, it's a short for Semper Fidelis - Always Faithful), hello.

I am here because I like to write short or long fiction. 

I'm 19 years old, currently enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Combat Correspondent. 

I have yet to publish a fiction story of my own. However, I do have stories in the Okinawa Marine Newspaper. 

I am stationed at Okinawa, Japan. It's pretty hot down here, but I am from Miami so it doesn't bother me as much compared to other people.

I hope to get my writing torn apart and to grow from it. Confidence in my writing has always been a problem, which is why I still can't fathom ever being published and paid. There seems to be too many good writers (better than me, I suppose) who are younger than me and have already published four to five stories.

I guess it's my block.


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## PiP (Aug 12, 2013)

Hi Epic Myth,

Welcome to WF.



> I have yet to publish a fiction story of my own. However, I do have stories in the Okinawa Marine Newspaper.



That's a positive start 



> I hope to get my writing torn apart and to grow from it.



Once you have made 10 posts you are welcome to post your work for critique  In the meantime, why not comment on the works of others or participate in the General Forum. Members and Staff are friendly and helpful so if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.

PiP


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## Jeko (Aug 12, 2013)

Welcome to WF, Epic myth.

19's a great age to be writing - the younger you are, the longer you have left to get better and better.


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## Stormyknight1976 (Aug 12, 2013)

Hello Epicmyth and welcome to WF. Thank you for your service. You will do great. Just go with what you know. If you want to write about something else there is a thread on the website that can help you with whatever you need help with. History research. Technology research. Help with poems, music, and everything on the writing spectrum. Have a seat and share with us what you have written? Nice meeting you as well.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 12, 2013)

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the love. I'll get to posting on other people's work. 

I am not much of a critic but I can give an honest opinion. 

As for the research department, that's really neat. Writing fiction from facts give it a good amount of substance. Too long have I pulled stuff out of my butt.


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## Kehawin (Aug 12, 2013)

Ooh Rah Devil Dog!  Can't wait to see some of what you are writing, you aren't alone in wondering if your "stuff" is good enough - personally I think anyone who denies feeling that once in a while is either a liar or has stopped caring.  

Former corpsman here, saw your title and had to check in!  Welcome!


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## bookmasta (Aug 12, 2013)

Thank you for your service in the armed forces. Welcome to WF!


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## John_O (Aug 12, 2013)

Welcome to the group & thanks you for your service!


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## Epic Myth (Aug 12, 2013)

Kehawin said:


> Ooh Rah Devil Dog!  Can't wait to
> see some of what you are writing, you aren't alone in wondering if your "stuff" is good enough - personally I think anyone who denies feeling that once in a while is either a liar or has stopped caring.
> 
> Former corpsman here, saw your title and had to check in!  Welcome!





bookmasta said:


> Thank you for your service in the armed forces. Welcome to WF!





John_O said:


> Welcome to the group & thanks you for your service!



Thank you all! This is a really friendly forum. I am excited to get started.


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## Sunny (Aug 12, 2013)

Hi Epic Myth!

I believe we all have the potential to be great writers, just like all those other published authors. You just have to try hard and be true to your own voice, and someone out there will recognize your talent. Keep writing!


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## Lewdog (Aug 12, 2013)

Welcome to the board!  How long have you been finished with Parris Island and your Advanced Training?  I here Okinawa is a beautiful place!  Thank you for your service and I look forward to reading some of your work.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

Sunny said:


> Hi Epic Myth!
> 
> I believe we all have the potential to be great writers, just like all those other published authors. You just have to try hard and be true to your own voice, and someone out there will recognize your talent. Keep writing!



Mmm, maybe I might post something I've written a couple of months and start from there.



Lewdog said:


> Welcome to the board!  How long have you been finished with Parris Island and your Advanced Training?  I here Okinawa is a beautiful place!  Thank you for your service and I look forward to reading some of your work.




If you include M.O.S School as advanced training then I have been in the fleet for about 5 months. Okinawa is beautiful... I literally seen 4 rainbows in this one week. It's just really, really, really hot. It's not very fun walking around, up and down hills, with a bus system that works against you. Since I am a junior Marine I am not allowed to get a car out here...

_Unlike the Air Force... 

_But other than the regular complaints and stuff, it's really cool here. Lots of opportunities for travel.


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## Lewdog (Aug 13, 2013)

Oh lord I couldn't imagine doing PT in the hot humid weather there.  That's worse than doing sand cookies!  haha


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> Oh lord I couldn't imagine doing PT in the hot humid weather there.  That's worse than doing sand cookies!  haha



Oh yeah, it takes a month for anyone to get used to the weather. It gets really bad here so we tend to work out in the morning and if I do extra PT, I do it during the evening. 

Not today though... catching up on my role-plays and just being a lazy Marine today.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

In other news... I did my first constructive criticism! Oorah! 

I decided to go with a thread who hasn't been commented on. Seems like all the other newbies like me pounce on the easy and short and pretty good stuff. 

No way Jose! I take the road less traveled.


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## Lewdog (Aug 13, 2013)

Epic Myth said:


> Oh yeah, it takes a month for anyone to get used to the weather. It gets really bad here so we tend to work out in the morning and if I do extra PT, I do it during the evening.
> 
> Not today though... catching up on my role-plays and just being a lazy Marine today.




So what kind of stuff do you write about when you are not on the front line?  Just fluff pieces about what is going on at the base?  Whose basketball team won, etc.?


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> So what kind of stuff do you write about when you are not on the front line?  Just fluff pieces about what is going on at the base?  Whose basketball team won, etc.?



Training. My part in the news publication is to write about the training going on. 

For example: 5th ANGLICO which is underneath III MHG fires m240B medium machine guns on Camp Hansen. 

So I go there, take pictures, interview the Marines and capture quotes on this app I have on my phone. Then I shoot the machine gun because it's cool to have the PA Marine do stuff too. Which was a bad idea since loud noises mess up the hearing in my right ear since the Artillery job I've done two months ago.

About 3 weeks ago, I did a story on Law Enforcement Marines conducting intermediate rifle training which consist of box drills, pivoting, and shooting while moving anywhere from 25 to 5 yards to the paper targets. 

Again... I got in on that action. Perks of my job is the travelling and experiencing and learning bits and pieces of the Corps wherever I go.

Con: Working in the office suuuuuuuuucks.


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## Lewdog (Aug 13, 2013)

Law Enforcement...you just brought up the memory of doing PT in the field at Parris Island next to the dog kennel where they trained the Police dogs.  Man when you go there it just sticks in your head for life.  It's been nine years since I was there and I swear I could still draw a map of the place.  Boy do I miss suzzing the hard deck!  Haha kidding!  And calling running shoes, "Go fasters!"


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

They still call the "Go Fasters." 

And the scuzz brush... the games. The IT sessions. 

Hm. 

I am sorry to say that my experience in Boot camp might not compare to yours. Things have changed over the years. The Corps is a different organization entirely... for the best? I am not sure, but as it stands, things are definitely not the same. 

But that's a running gag. What is the Old Corps and what is the new corps?


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## Lewdog (Aug 13, 2013)

Well when I talk to people that are enlisting and they talk about how the Corps has been lightened up and that the DI's can't touch you, etc.  I laugh and tell them that is all a lie.  One day we were doing pull ups and they said everyone had to do ten, even if they had to be spotted to finish.  Well I knew I was going to need a spot, so I turned to look behind me to make sure I was going to have someone to do it.  Well DI Sargent Sims was there and he said, "What are you doing turning around recruit Lewis?"  Then he pinched my arm so hard, it left a bruise the size of a golf ball for a week.  No joke!  I saw a DI hock a luggie right in the face of a recruit for looking at him.  I could go on and on with stories, but I can tell you that some DI's have to really try hard to be jerks, because they do really care about the recruits.  Even though DI Sargent Sims did that to me, he did other stuff when he pulled me aside and talked to me, that I knew he really cared about what was going on with me.  DI Staff Sargent Garret was like that too, when I saw him in the office one day he talked to me like a regular person and not like a recruit.  It's a different world and people that haven't been there can't really understand the experience.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

I was a drop so I stayed on that island for 4 months. 

My original company, Kilo, 3rd Bn. was a bad-ass company. I still remember the shock across all the recruits face when my Kill Hat walked up to some kid and spartan kicked him into the rack. 

The son of a gun was a cold, scary man, very efficient at his job. 

There were so many funny moments. Bearing was everything, but it was hard when your DI's say so much funny stuff. 

Like, right around the end of boot camp, this kid moved during drill. My Heavy Hat was like "Did you just move? I saw that. Boy, don't you know I can throw this clipboard from fifty yards away and knock off your grape! I am Captain American in this @#$%!"

... nearly died laughing. Favorite line of boot camp to this date. 

Oh! Remember the foot lockers?! Still got those things.


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## Lewdog (Aug 13, 2013)

Epic Myth said:


> I was a drop so I stayed on that island for 4 months.
> 
> My original company, Kilo, 3rd Bn. was a bad-ass company. I still remember the shock across all the recruits face when my Kill Hat walked up to some kid and spartan kicked him into the rack.
> 
> ...



See I went in when I was 28 which is the cut off age.  I was the oldest person in my Bn.  I was A company Darkside.  I still have my smart card!  

I worked at a prison before going to boot camp and we always called them Locker Boxes.  So out of habit I kept calling them Locker Boxes, and one day DI Sargent Sims pulled me aside, I guess he thought I might have some kind of learning disability or something, and he asked, "Why do you keep calling them locker boxes?  They are foot lockers!"

I said, "Sir this recruit ask permission to speak, sir.  This recruit worked at a prison prior to coming to Parris Island, and there we called them Locker Boxes for the inmates."

He just kind of smiled and hung his head then responded, "Well recruit, here they are foot lockers ok?"  

Then he just kind of laughed and told me to get back to work.

DI Sargent Sims was a good guy.  He was probably in the best shape of any DI on the island.  He climbed the rope hanging upside down.  He said his dad was a DI and he grew up on Parris Island.  It has always been his home and he lives to be a Marine.


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## Gumby (Aug 13, 2013)

Welcome to the site. It sounds like you have a good start in the writing area.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 13, 2013)

Lewdog said:


> See I went in when I was 28 which is the cut off age.  I was the oldest person in my Bn.  I was A company Darkside.  I still have my smart card!
> 
> I worked at a prison before going to boot camp and we always called them Locker Boxes.  So out of habit I kept calling them Locker Boxes, and one day DI Sargent Sims pulled me aside, I guess he thought I might have some kind of learning disability or something, and he asked, "Why do you keep calling them locker boxes?  They are foot lockers!"
> 
> ...



That's motivating. I might put out a crude piece of work I've done a couple of months ago soon. 



Gumby said:


> Welcome to the site. It sounds like you have a good start in the writing area.



Thank you and it is.


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## Angelwing (Aug 15, 2013)

Saw the title and thought I'd drop by-not a Marine or in the military (I'm 18, going to college in a couple weeks) but I am big into military history and all things military. Have been since a child. Used to do some military themed art then, still do now. I'd like to thank you for your service, and welcome you to the forums. 

Feel free to bounce stuff off of people around here when it comes to your writing-that's what we're here for. It certainly has helped me with my fiction story I'm working on right now.


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## Epic Myth (Aug 24, 2013)

Angelwing said:


> Saw the title and thought I'd drop by-not a Marine or in the military (I'm 18, going to college in a couple weeks) but I am big into military history and all things military. Have been since a child. Used to do some military themed art then, still do now. I'd like to thank you for your service, and welcome you to the forums.
> 
> Feel free to bounce stuff off of people around here when it comes to your writing-that's what we're here for. It certainly has helped me with my fiction story I'm working on right now.



Thank you, I will put something up soon somewhere on the site.


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## WechtleinUns (Aug 24, 2013)

Excellent! Welcome aboard, Epic Myth. (Ehh? And what's this about Jose? What did he ever do to you? )


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## Funkyjunky (Aug 26, 2013)

Welcome to the site, although I can't say thank you for serving in the military, since it's not my military, I can still say I admire people who go through all that arduous training to put their lives at stake for the sake of others, whatever may be their own personal reason. I salute you with all the respect a foreigner can have for you. Cheers.


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