Openbah / Journal of a Marine Officer Candidate

Author: Openbah

  • Letter from Maj Chris Brewster

    Received this note recently from a Major in the Reserves. Even though this letter is already availble as a comment to an earlier post, I wanted to put it on the front page to make sure everyone would see it. Belive it or not, the thing that gives me the most hope, is to hear other people’s successful stories of returning to OCS after serious injuries.

    Hang in there, Candidate. I found myself NPQ during the 4th week of PLC Seniors. I suffered a compound fracture of my right ankle during the same evolution (I fell off of the rope). I was not sure if I would be found PQ to return to training, and, to make matters worse, I was concerned about losing my scholarship as a cross country runner at my university.

    Well, I missed fall cross-country season, but, the next summer, I was back at OCS and I completed PLC Seniors and was commissioned a 2ndLt. I am now a Major (left active duty upon my promotion to Major and I am now in the Reserves). My point: if you want it bad enough, you can do it! Don’t give up.

    So, keep your chin up, many Marine Officers have been in your position. Now is the time for you to prove your desire to be a leader of Marines. Good luck!

    S/F
    Maj Chris Brewster

    Thank you sir.

  • Mushroom-Olive Burgers



    These burgers were really good, even though they had a hard time staying together on the grill. I topped mine with cheese and ketchup.
    Here is the recipe, from Cooking Pleasures magazine.

  • Trip to Newport Naval Hospital

    I had to go down to Newport to have a medical board done last Friday. I arrived on base and met with the orthopedic surgeon, a Navy Lt. Cdr. He was optimistic about my injury, which felt good to hear. He said as long as I healed correctly I could one day return to the Marines. Unfortunately I have to go back down to Newport, after I get an MRI. He saw some chips on the ball of the femur that could be osteonecrosis, one of the complications of a femural neck fracture. He wanted to make sure it wasn’t that before signing off on my med board. I am scheduled for an MRI on Thursday night at Beth Israel Hospital.

  • Banana Cream Pie



    Here is the recipe, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book.

  • Eighteen week update

    Had my monthly meeting with the ortho doctor two days ago. He said my femur is healing better and that there has been some progress, but the bone is not healed yet. He said another surgery isn’t likely, but still possible. He also said that there has been no slippage in the joint, and that the head of the femur looks healthy, so osteonecrosis is unlikely. Unfortunately, I’m still on crutches for at least the next 6 weeks until I meet with him again.