IOC Journal #1

 I have been meaning to do this for over a year now. During my schooling I always kept two notebooks in my pockets - regardless what training we were doing. One tan notebook for technical and tactical formal instruction, and one green notebook for field training notes. 

My intention is to re-read through all of these notebooks, and pull out anything I can that may be worth passing on. If anything just remember what I learned and what I was going through at the time. Hopefully there will be some leadership lessons, some points on mental toughness, and on persevering adversity. 

Girls, I pray that one day you will marry a man who's hands are calloused from work and whose mind is calloused against the world. 

Gardner, any other son's that God Willing we will have in the future, I pray that you will be that man. 

May what I wrote in my notes while during my time in TBS, Infantry officer course, Sniper Course, and the intel schools teach you even a small fraction of what I learned there.

All of the following IOC Journals may lack a bit of context (I will try to provide it with some background if needed) and will not flow like a normal excerpt of writing. They are all taken verbatim from the scribbles and writings in my notebooks. Many will be quotes from instructors, many will be my own thoughts or those of my peers. 

Entry 1:

 "Losers say things like, 'I did my best' the expectation is to win, not just to do your best."

Therefore, prepare ruthlessly. Decide, communicate, and act in uncertain environments. Win without compromising your integrity and honor.

Mistakes should be from bold aggressiveness not indecision or incompetence. 

Prep For Combat: 

Nutrition, hydration, study, rehearsals, physical conditioning, research

Prep for combat is decisive

If you don't do it you will lose. 

You cannot just survive... What will happen on your 87th Day?

There will always be consequences for violating time. 

Fear of failure will haunt you as long as you wear this green cloth. And if you let it, it will paralyze you. Mental and physical toughness gets us through the human factors, this is pain masking - not for you, for the Marines you will lead in the future.