Openbah / Journal of a Marine Officer Candidate

Month: September 2006

  • PLC-Seniors? I thought you were OCC…

    I’m thinking some people might be confused when they read that I’m trying to go back to PLC-Seniors, as opposed to Officer Candidates Class, from which I was originally NPQ’d from, so I’m going to explain.

    OCC (10-weeks of training) is for college graduates who wish to become Officers in the Marines. PLC, or Platoon Leaders Class is for those still in college, who want to become Officers when they graduate. In order for students to have enough time to complete the required training and screening, PLC is broken into two 6-week sessions, PLC-Juniors and PLC-Seniors. If one completes both parts during two summer vacations from college, upon graduation they will become 2nd Lieutenants.

    Since I was doing well and had completed a significant amount of training before I was injured, I was invited back to PLC-Seniors, a 6-week course, instead of having to go through the entire 10-weeks again. I actually heard this second-hand, because I was in a hospital bed at Bethesda Naval Hospital at the time. When my father went to get my gear from OCS, the Colonel met him and asked my father to pass on the word.

    The PLC-Seniors class I am shooting for is exactly 8 months away.

  • 7 month update, and one of the last!

    Today was a very good day. I had my monthly meeting with my orthopedic specialist at Boston Medical Center. He took another set of x-rays and was very happy with them. My hip appears to be almost healed, and it shouldn’t be more than a couple months before I’m active again!

    I keep my crutch by the door because I only use it when I am walking around outside, the rest of the time I hobble/limp around. I am getting a heel lift for my shorter leg next week, hopefully that will make walking a little easier.

    The best news of all is, I asked how likely it would be that I could make a full recovery and be ready to go back to PLC-Srs in 8 months, and he said likely! He suggested I start doing non-impact excersises, like biking and swimming, until I can start running again in a couple months.

    I joined the YMCA that I talked about joining a while back. It’s not quite as nice as the Boston Sports Club I belonged to before, but it’s not even two blocks away, and it’s half the price.

    I am very excited about getting back into the shape I was in before. I’ve been waiting a long time for this. I’ve been at the gym every day since I joined. It feels so good to be sore!

  • Motivation – Cpl. Nick Beberniss

    The Commandant of the Marine Corps came to visit the injured Marines who are currently patients at Naval Medical Center San Diego on Sept. 15.

    A brief visit was not the only event on his schedule as he arrived at NMCSD. Gen. Michael Hagee was there to reenlist Cpl. Nick Beberniss, the Marine Corps’ first Permanent Limited Duty Marine.

    During a tour in Baghdad, Iraq, Beberniss, a Westminster, Co. native, served as a mortar man with 2nd Marines, 7th division. As he was setting up a vehicle check point, he was struck with an enemy double-stack anti-tank mine on July 21, 2004, which was supposed to have left him paralyzed.

    “The doctors told me I would never walk again. I even thought I would never walk again,” said Beberniss.

    With four broken vertebrae, Beberniss laid in a hospital bed with a collapsed spine and broken dreams. With the thought of never walking again, the Marine believed his time with the Marine Corps was over.

    Read the rest of the story at Marine Corps News

  • Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Casserole



    Here is the recipe.

  • Dead phone, new phone

    My cell phone mysteriously died two nights ago. This morning I went down to the Sprint store and since my phone was within warranty they said they’d give me a new phone, but since they didn’t have any of my old phone in stock, they gave me a new Sanyo Katana. I think it’s kinda ugly but it’s “ultraslim” which I love.

    Sanyo Katana