The last few days have been focused on getting ready for week eight (that’s the week coming up). We will be going out to the field in order to implement Marine things we have learned so far. From what the instructors have indicated, this will be a full, busy, and important week of evaluation. We will conclude the week with a 5-mile hike which none of us are looking forward to.
A mix of classroom time and outdoor practical application time was the focus of this past week. We were visited by some higher ranking individuals who conducted a panel discussion. There was also a really great leadership class/discussion with the Commanding Officer (CO) of TBS. The overall theme of the topic was being faithful in the little things. I find it interesting that secular views on leadership typically run parallel to biblical principles. Jesus even talks about being faithful in small things. The CO had some stories, experiences, quotes, and books to share. One leadership quote that stuck out was the following:
“Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire, become what you respect, and mirror what you admire.”
Along with the leadership topic, we had some classroom time discussing morals, ethics, and unintentional bias. These were good topics as we are learning to bring the “officer lens” forward. It is no longer acceptable to employ enlisted tactics. I look forward to more discussions on leadership and navigating the transition from enlisted to officer.
Monday and Wednesday we had to run two physically demanding events. One is the endurance course and the other was the double obstacle course (my last post has a couple video links for the obstacle course). We are all hurting. I will need to visit medical at some point because I’m pretty sure I now have tendonitis of the elbow (and potentially the knees). Anybody have some good remedies besides anti-inflammatory medication?
This coming week is not slated to be a ton of fun. Pray for safety, favorable weather, and health for all. We are a class of older folks (not 22 year old young officers) trying to do bootcamp/MCT (Marine Combat Training) stuff again. Our Platoon is really good at making less than desirable situations more bearable through encouragement and humor. We will get through next week one day at a time.
Thank you for following along on this wild ride. Keep on keeping on. Until next time: Be strong. Love God. Love others.
rejoice.always
The Wild Ride 
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