What’s Hotter than Djibouti?

Nothing–at least not according the Marines serving there. Marines get sent to all the best vacation spots.

What’s Cooler than a Gator?

Nothing–except maybe a cybernetic gator with a 50 cal and MK-19.

NAPS in Color and 3d Supply Bn

Here are some more images that we’re working on.

Heroes Have Heroes

We’re doing a design for the Naval Academy Preparatory School. The barracks for the Marines there are named after Col John W. Ripley who is the subject of the T-shirt design. What struck me was the awe of Col Ripley that was clearly in evidence in the voice of LCpl Vick as he described the design he wanted. The design depicts Col Ripley in the middle of blowing up a bridge in Viet Nam while under direct arms fire. The dramatized drawing is based on his real life exploit that earned him the Navy Cross.

I found his enthusiasm contagious and not being familiar with Col Ripley, I asked LCpl Vick for more information. He recommended the following link:

Colonel John W. Ripley

The biography recommended a book about the action that resulted in Col Ripley’s Navy Cross, which can be found here:

The Bridge at Dong Ha

The current generation of Marines rightfully admires those who have gone before. Ironically, whenever I speak with Vietnam vets or Gulf War vets about the new breed of Marines, the comment is always the same: They assess with admiration that the country is in good hands. Clearly, the hero worship goes both ways.

What is Your Profession?

Since 300 came out we’ve been getting a lot of requests for Spartans. I suspect it won’t end soon.

Tracking Progress

I have no idea if I run fast or slow anymore. I’ve been out of the Marines for 11 years now and I don’t have access to accurate three-mile courses to see how my run times are affected by my efforts.

My workout partner suggested the new Nikeplus system that integrates with the IPOD. Check out the video on the website. I think this technology is a great idea–especially for those of us that aren’t required to run physical fitness tests anymore but understand the benefits of maintaining the standards.

Not Accepted to Harvard? Join the (Junto) Club.

As Seth Godin points out in his blog, many kids think they need to get into a good school and form their whole lives around this quest. Many apply but few get in.

Ironically, Semper Fi House’s foundingest founder, Capt Michael Hallinan found out that he was not offered admission to Harvard, Columbia, or MIT for their MBA programs last month. Even though he won’t be going to the likes of Harvard, rest assured he is in good company. He is following in the footsteps of one of my heroes, Benjamin Franklin.

Benjamin Franklin (who I can work into almost any conversation by the way) wanted to go to Harvard, but couldn’t. The reason he gave was that his father couldn’t afford the expense. He sheds light on his feelings about not going to Harvard in one of his first published pieces under the name “Silence Dogood,” a pseudonym he used to make sure his jealous brother, who published the paper, would actually publish it. If you haven’t checked it out, it’s worth the read:

Silence Dogood, No. 4

Now, here is the thing: There is no doubt that Harvard was (and is) a great collaborative learning environment, but since Franklin couldn’t go to Harvard he created his own collaborative learning environment—the Junto. Comprised chiefly of young tradesmen, Franklin’s Junto met once a week for the purpose of personal and community improvement. If I lived in the 1700s and had a choice to go to Harvard or be in Benjamin Franklin’s Junto, I would have chosen the Junto hands down. There is no reason that people can’t learn within a Junto-like framework instead of a high priced university. There is also no reason that they wouldn’t become more educated in a Junto–like framework either, since it requires practical application of principles learned in the Junto. Proposals were not just for philosophical discourse in the Junto—they were for action.

Capt Hallinan is working to pull people together to collaborate on Semper Fi House, similarly to the way Franklin did on many of his projects. Semper Fi House’s mission is to help Marines transition into college life from active duty. Like the Junto proposals that resulted in America’s first lending library, and the University of Pennsylvania, Capt Hallinan’s project is directed at helping others become more educated.

Maybe Harvard should reconsider its decision about Capt Hallinan. After all, he is very Franklinian. Even though Franklin did not attend Harvard, he became one of the most educated men in the colonies through his Junto. He excelled as a writer, a businessman, a scientist, and later as a statesman. And what did Harvard think of Franklin? Ironically, Franklin did eventually get a degree from Harvard—an honorary one.

Semper Studiosus.

MCSFCO Bangor Washington

Here is a design for the Navy just to mix things up.

Overflowing with Bulldogs

Here is a design we did a couple of months ago that’s one of my favorites. It holds the record for the largest number of bulldogs requested in one image (17). We were just showing off by adding an eagle.

Five Day Weight Lifting Plan

“A stool with two legs cannot stand upright.” This principle is interwoven into the fabric of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program regarding the three disciplines (mental, physical and character). I’ve been talking a lot about the mental discipline, and for fear of becoming unbalanced, I thought it was time to talk about the physical discipline.

I don’t really weight lift anymore. I like to do a combination of calisthenics and running to maintain muscle strength, endurance, and agility. I find that my current regimen works well and I’ll eventually write about it. While my fitness is average compared to most Marines I meet these days, I’m extremely fit for a computer-working civilian pushing 35.

When I was on active duty, however, I worked out with (then) Sergeant Tony Haynes who was (and still is) about the most physically fit person I ever met. He is the perfect blend of speed, endurance, and strength. He does dead-hang pull-ups with about 100 lbs strapped to him; works out with almost 300 lbs on the bench press and well over 400 on squats; and can do full back flips in his dress blues (yes, really!). He has a musculature that has won him several amateur bodybuilding titles, and yet he has the endurance to carry him to a personal best of about 18:30 for his three mile run. While working out with him, I received similar results—minus the back flips. The following article, first published on OO-RAH.com, is a good resource for anyone wanting to try a good weight lifting program.

Getting Strong
Without a doubt physical fitness is one of the key ingredients to the success of the Marine Corps. Whether storming a beach, or carrying 70 lbs of gear 20 miles, it takes an enormous amount of physical toughness to be a Marine. This toughness, as every Marine knows, is the result of hard work, grit and sweat spent at countless pt sessions.

The quality of a unit’s pt program varies according to who is running the program. Some units that have absolutely fantastic programs, and others are merely adequate. When the pt program falls short, it is the responsibility of the individual Marine to close the gap and remain in that fantastic fighting shape that has been winning battles since 1775.

It’s not enough to just go to the gym and throw weights around for an hour or so; you need a battle plan. Here is an overview of a five-day workout plan that will put lean muscle on your body. The workout is broken down so that each body part gets worked once in a five-day period. This allows plenty of rest for your muscles between successive workouts, and (with two days full rest) allows you to fit the whole workout into a convenient seven-day schedule.

Here is the plan:

Monday – Chest
3 sets of bench press
3 sets of incline bench press
3 sets of decline bench press
3 sets of incline dumbbell flies
3 sets of cable cross overs
3 sets of crunches (30 seconds)

Tuesday – Quadriceps
3 sets of squats
3 sets of quadricep extensions
3 sets of leg press
3 sets of leg lifts (30 seconds)

Wednesday – Back and Calves
4 sets of pull-ups
3 sets of lat pull downs
3 sets of barbell rows
3 sets of single arm dumbbell rows
3 sets of donkey calf raises
3 sets of seated calf raises
3 sets of crunches (30 seconds)

Thursday – Arms
3 sets of seated double arm dumbbell curls
3 sets of easy bar curls
3 sets of tricep extensions
3 sets of standing tricep pull-downs
3 sets of leg lifts (30 seconds)

Friday – Shoulders and hamstrings
3 sets of stiff dead lifts
3 sets of hamstring curls
3 sets of military press
3 sets of standing dumbbell flies
3 sets of crunches (30 seconds)

You can switch it up if you like, or substitute different exercises that you like better. Simply work each major muscle group once a week (except abs which get worked more frequently) and get a few days rest. This is the best strength-building program I’ve ever done and is worth a try if you’re looking to get strong. An aerobic plan would need to augment this plan to achieve endurance.