Zach is a Marine!

Hi Friends and Family,
I wanted to get these pictures up and let you know a little bit about Zach's graduation today.  He is now a United States Marine!

It is very hard to verbalize how intense these 2 days have been!  It is hard to communicate any sense of how amazing it is to watch a company of young Marines graduate.  Yes, there is a lot of marching (too much, as Zach would say), but it is remarkable to watch.  And exciting to see these young men who have all not just survived boot camp, but excelled.  All of the recruits in Zach's company graduated!

Here are some pictures.  They only tell half the story - I'll let Tim and Zach fill you in on the rest. 

Our first glimpse of Zach on Family Day - after their Motovational Run (which is basically running each platoon past the families in the hot San Diego sun).  This is also after we, the families had been subjected to a slight taste of what drill instructors do.  Ears!  Open, Sir.  Eyes!  Click, Sir.  Stand up.  Aye aye, Sir.  Sit down!  Aye, aye, Sir.  We got the sanitized version too! 

Our next glimpse of Zach on Family Day - their formation on the Parade Deck.




 

My Big Brother is a Marine!!




 

 We were able to have a Picnic lunch on the base.  Most families went to the restaurant of the fast food they had set up, but you know the Zieglers - we came with food!  We had a nice time, relaxing and hearing stories.

Graduation Day

Zach's Platoon, one of 5 that graduated together.


No caption needed!

Thank you for all your prayers!  We are SO proud of Zach and what he has accomplished! 

A special thank you to the Strachans - their generosity and hospitality here in San Diego has made this event even more special for us.  We can't thank you enough for your love and support!

We will write more as soon as we get back. Zach has his cell phone back (at least for a while) so feel free to call or text him!

love to you all,

Margaret

November 11, 2010 - Veteran's Day

Today is Veteran's Day and Zach is finishing Swim Week. No letter this week so there is no way to KNOW how he is doing. Meanwhile, my friend Bruce Kesler was posting about Veterans on Maggie's Farm.

Kesler is a former Marine Sgt. from Vietnam Days and generously included a link here. Thanks, Bruce. Semper Fi!

November 10, 2010 MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY RECRUIT!

Today is the 235th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps

Happy Birthday Marines and Recruit Zach Ziegler

Change of Command November 1, 2010

The last active duty Marine that I personally know and served with was Commandant Jim Conway. General Conway was a Captain when I saw him first at OCS at Quantico, VA and then I had the good fortune to be taught by him while a 2nd Lieutenant there. I again served with him in the 31st MAU in WESTPAC and as we went into Beirut, Lebanon in 1983.

General Conway was one of the officers that you had the good fortune to meet and you knew that he was one of the good ones and one of the officers you could expect great things from. Here is the summary of the Change of Command at Marine Barracks 8th and I in Washington, D.C.

Fair winds and following seas General.

Semper Fi,

Tim Ziegler

October 31, 2010 - Day 19 - Happy Halloween

We received our first real letter from Zach. No sugar coating. No brave face for the home front. Reads like a new recruit at MCRD should read. After all the movies, discussions at home, talks with the recruiters, viewing the Marine's website, Zach is in total shock.

So, I guess the old Marine's phrase, "We still make 'em like we used to." "We never promised you a rose garden." are all still true. The reality is that it is hard for me to hear as a Dad. It's comforting for me to hear as a former Marine. Semper Fi Zach.

July 22, 2003

PFC Sarah M. Hickey
Staff Correspondent

We STILL don't promise you a rose garden

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. (July 22, 2003) -
In the early 1970's, a Marine Corps recruiting poster featuring a Drill Instructor menacing a recruit began its tenure. The poster served to remind prospective Marines of the reality of their obligation with the harsh phrase "We don't promise you a rose garden." It ran from late 1971, to mid 1984, but no one expected the poster to become such a legend and staple of the recruiting offices, least of all the model for the poster, former drill instructor Sgt. Charles A. Taliano.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010 - Day 15

Howdy All,

Due to films, television and just general knowledge of the Marine Corps, Pugil Sticks is one of the more famous aspects of Marine Corps Boot Camp. I'm putting this in here because if you send Zach a letter by the time he gets your letter this is what he will probably be doing. First Phase (the first four weeks of bootcamp) is the most difficult for most recruits. Pugil Sticks is an integral part of boot camp and of the growth of the recruit. Check it out!



Pugil Sticks

Please keep Zach in your prayers.

Tim

St. Crispians Day - Day 14 - First Letter

Today we received Zach's first letter. The form letter. The one where he is allowed to scrawl in our names and then fold and put into an envelope and send to us with his address. (Except Zach scratched in "Send to Mom and Heather, Plz.") We did. Please email us if you would like to get his address. No Cards, no packages, no medicine, no pain-killers, no socks, no underwear, no snacks, no candy. Just letters.

But since it is St. Crispians Day and Zach and I had read this several times I thought I'd put in one of the more unique renditions of this famous Shakespearean speech. And since Zach's in the Marines wouldn't this be an appropriate version? Enjoy:

Atlanta actor and Marine Corps machine gunner Jay Peterson performs the St. Crispian's Day speech from Henry V while disassembling and reassembling an M240B Machine gun twice.

Here is one of the most famous versions of the same speech - this time by Kenneth Brannagh:


"We few, we happy few!"

Semper Fi! Z