<p>I know that there are a few SLS members on here, so I figured it would be better to take the subject to a seperate thread rather than clutter someone elses. I was in 1st platoon, 1st squad, and I had a blast. Every now and then I catch myself humming one of the cadences that I picked up there. I can still remember looking out that dormitory window and thinking to myself, "I have GOT to get back here."
As far as experiences are concerned, I will never forget the ridiculous pair of shades that our sergeant insisted on wearing. To give you some kind of visual, think "Miami Vice" plus State Trooper. Oh yeah. </p>
<p>Oh, and before I forget.... Federales! AYAHHHHHHH!</p>
<p>i seriously loved this experience- it greatly influenced my decision on West Point. i know that the stuff we did was wayyy watered down compared to real cadet life, but it was a great introduction to the basics. plus, i met so many awesome people that i hope to see again on R-Day. </p>
<p>it's miller time!</p>
<p>(by the way- are any of yall kinda worried that our former sergeants won't be quite as nice as they were during the sls when we get to the academy in june? i keep imagining that i'll see sergeant miller sometime and he'll totally haze/yell/etc at me. haha anyways, just wanted to throw that out there...)</p>
<p>I remember that little incident with Ultimate Frisbee, mainly because it happened right outside my window. It was one of those things that's really funny when you watch it from 3 stories up. Is that the same night that they played until about 10 minutes before lights out? I seem to recall brushing my teeth one night and still hearing a frisbee skidding across the black top.</p>
<p>You can say that again. I think it's safe to say that our sergeant didn't exactly think through that scheme before he sent our entire platoon out running, screaming, and being a**holes in general. Like you said, though, it was a heck of a lot of fun.
While running, I remember that I tripped and skinned open my knee, and the thing didn't heal for the whole time that I was there (it just kind of oozed, pretty disgusting). So on the way home, I'm sitting in the plane and I fall asleep with my knees pressed up against the seat in front of me. When I woke up, the ooze from my wound had actually dried to the seat and stuck my knee there! It was one of those things that made you want to laugh and puke at the same time.</p>
<p>I'm sure most of you already realize this, but Beast is NOTHING like SLS. </p>
<p>The second someone starts yelling at you to greet you'll understand... Actually, I take it back. You'll probably start to figure it out when you walk out of Ike Hall and they herd you on the bus. Good times...</p>
<p>I was in 5th squad, 3rd platoon. SLS was one of those experiences I will never forget and it has made me pursue an appointment very aggressively.</p>
<p>Marines4me: Don't worry. I think we all realize that SLS was more of a college visit than Beast, and I definitely got the sense that some of those sergeants were dying to pull some "harass the plebe" antics, but had been ordered not to. However, the lack of hazing allowed us to kind of get a feel for the place after you've gotten past the initial hell, and that is what excites us. I may have the wrong idea, but it's the impression that I got.</p>
<p>i got that idea too. my laison officer stated clearly that i shouldn't expect the actual academy experience to be nearly as easy/fun/etc as the sls was...and i don't, but it still has given me something great to hopefully look forward to :)</p>