A Story on Discipline: The "Ground Shitter"

 Early on in my Marine Corps training, we learned the basics on field etiquette: how to maintain and fire your weapon, how to land navigate, how to cook your Meal, Ready to Eat (MRE), how to patrol the woods in a stealthy manner, leaving no traces for the enemy to discover, as you move from place to place. This last point is the subject of our story on discipline, as where a unit lacks sufficient discipline in policing up their area-of-operations, intel can be gathered by the enemy and ultimately this can lead to your demise.

Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Queensland Australia - 1997

We were conducting live-fire attacks on a hilltop objective, in order to hone our squad and platoon-level techniques. This was peace-time, mind you, but the danger level was still extreme, as we were using real bullets, it was hot as hell and we were dog-tired. The Company Commander was not happy with our performance, so we did the attack again and again, until which time we got it right, which we never did. Then, at dusk, we policed up all our brass, wearily trudging up the hill with our helmets full of 5.56 casings, shooting the shit and rousing one another all the time.

Satisfied with having worked us sufficiently to death, that evening the C.O. made us non-tactical, no more war games...all we were charged with was to post a watch (each man an hour throughout the night) to ensure the Company area was secure. PFC Bnotz (USMC-speak, for the lay-Marine) had fire watch at midnight, and by that time, the entirety of Charlie Company was fast asleep in their hooches (tents). Bnotz put in a fat dip of Copenhagen and sat on a box of MRE's, rifle in hand. It was a warm night, a gentle wind coming across the countryside. Firewatch sucked..."why do they always put me on at midnight...why even bother hit the rack if I got to wake up in a couple hours? Can't wait to get home to Suzy...thirty days and a wake up, man, then I'm on two weeks of block leave. Shit...they'll be lucky if I come back from that!"

The nicotine and other horrific chemicals in the Copenhagen got to stimulating PFC Bnotz' bowels..."man, gotta take a hearty dump now, but I ain't going in that straddle trench...THAT'S ABOUT NASTY!" (a straddle trench is 6" long, 1" wide and 1-2" deep...think about it). So Bnotz decided that he was going to go off into the bush where he could find some privacy. Without getting into the details, as I wasn't present, he wearily trudged off into the woods, leaned his weapon against a tree, did his business and came back to the Company area -WITHOUT HIS WEAPON!

0330: "OK, Charlie Company...wake the (expletive) up! PFC Bnotz has decided to go out into the bush, abandoning his post, took a dump and left his weapon out there. Who's his Squad Leader? Sgt. Oberst, huh...you'll pay me later, Marine. GET ON LINE! " We proceeded to get shoulder to shoulder, in the same way we had earlier that day, picking up our brass. Only now, we were looking for Bnotz's dump, as next to it should be his weapon. You see, Bnotz was what we termed a "ground shitter"...a lazy, undisciplined Marine who does his business on the ground's surface, instead of following proper procedures and digging a "cat hole": 1" X 1" X 1". This is a cardinal sin, but still a far cry from losing one's weapon, which was the equivalent of certain death. On top of all of this, Bnotz had also given away the security of our perimeter and dealt the rest of the unit a premature wake up and corresponding hard time. Bnotz didn't get much respect after he positively identified his dump and the adjacent weapon - because his discipline was out. Everyone paid for that, but in time of war, everyone might have died for that.

So each time you decide to sleep in without a valid excuse, give up or get nasty, know that I consider you a ground-shitter.



We all know what the right thing to do is. The difference between a disciplined person and a non-hacker is that the former does that thing and the latter can't be counted on. Look at the below definition of DISCIPLINE, our week two theme. It's important to note that the same people who glance at the weather forecast and skip Monday's workout - these folks are often repeat offenders, who behave this way not only in DDIP, but in the rest of their life. Life is a balance and none of us are perfect, but on each morning that we wake, we have a fresh opportunity to do the right thing...discipline gets us there. Show up and do the work and you will see results in DDIP, and in life.

Week Two - Discipline Week

Week 2 - Discipline Week

“SHOW UP AND DO THE WORK”

Discipline defined:

Definition: ¹dis·ci·pline

Pronunciation: \ˈdi-sə-plən\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin disciplina teaching, learning, from discipulus pupil

Date: 13th century

1 : punishment
2 obsolete : instruction
3 : a field of study
4 : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
5 a : control gained by enforcing obedience or order b : orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior c : self-control
6 : a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity

Discipline quote:
"Discipline is the instant willingness and obedience to all orders, respect for authority, self reliance and teamwork. The ability to do the right thing even when no one is watching or suffer the consequences of guilt which produces pain in our bodies, through pain comes discipline." --United States Marine Corps

Week One - "The Indoc"

Look up the term "indoctrinate" in the dictionary and what you read may frighten you! The traditional definitions describe it as, "to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., especially to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view."  Essentially, to drive something down your throat. While the mission of DDIP is to discipline, motivate, educate and exercise the public to an optimum state-of-health, and we will accomplish this at all costs, we prefer to merely engage the participant in healthy living the DDIP way and it's usually an easy sell - so there is no need to brainwash you. It's hard to argue with results gleaned by your own merit, facilitated by DDIP.

There are two other definitions that may add perspective to the DDIP, Week 1 theme:


Military indoctrination, (as in recruit training): The initial psychological preparation of soldiers during training.

It is important to note that the roots of DDIP are in my experiences in the Marine Corps. The USMC is reknowned for it ablity to produce warriors, through the boot camp experience and mentoring conducted up its ranks. Though DDIP is a civilian pursuit, the Marine Corps Leadership Traits http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/leadership_traits.htm and in fact, most USMC teachings are applicable to civilain life. All warriors pray for peace, but there are different types of enemies out there; for the purposes of DDIP, our foe is disease of the body and mind.

Information security: In the field of information security, indoctrination is the initial briefing and instructions given before a person is granted access to secret information.

Knowledge is POWER, my friends...it is important to understand what you're in for when joining DDIP. For new recruits, there is a very real learning curve, as some of the exercises and commands require you to both think and act, simultaneously. Before long, it will all be muscle-memory. As to veteran participants, it is also important that they re-focus leading up to the next session, so as to avoid becoming stale. Each successive session is a notch in your belt...a new height climbed on the ladder of results.

The bottom line in that with each session, we have many returning veterans and an increasing number of new recruits. Given the shear masses and the diversity within the DDIP formation, it is imperative that we find that common rhythm within our ranks. Everyone has a place at the table, regardless of age, gender, physical prowess or other demographical variable...we all work together, to achieve our personal goals and to facilitate that of our comrades.

DDIP is about YOU and ME! Fill your sails during Indoc Week and stay the course to your goals. The tempo ramps up significantly from here.