Combined Balance and Happiness:

Considering the similarity I have chosen to combine the two posts into one. The fall semester was a difficult term academically and personally. The days were long and the nights were short. While most people enjoyed a summer break, I had Officer Candidate School with the Marine Corps all summer long. This was the most stressful time of my life-bar none. I returned to campus on Monday and we started classes on Wednesday, so there was really no time off. With my responsibilities in other organizations and work, class material was tough to stay up to speed on.

 To make through the semester, I learned to manage stress and enjoy the little things in life. I accepted everything will not be perfect, so do you best-then just keep moving. During the week, I would go to the gym nearly every day first thing in the morning. This would allow me time to free my mind, and relieve some stress. Then on the weekends, if possible I would drive home. I find value in solitude. I enjoy leaving Columbus and campus behind for a little while. It allows be to spend some time with my family and reset for the week ahead.

Living life to the fullest brings me happiness. My life’s goal thus far has been to become a Marine Office. August 4^th my dream becomes reality. I enjoy helping people in need. Not just in a socioeconomic sense, but when a friend or family member needs help with a task or project. I feel a sense of reward that comes from helping people. I guess that’s why I joined the Marine Corps.

“Some people wonder all their lives if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem.”- President Ronald Regan

BLF Leadership Vlog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hP2bhL2wxY&feature=g-upl

Click on the link to see my video.

Jack

Perception of Leadership

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRMZv_wVLOE&feature=g-upl

Click on the link to see my video.

Jack

BLF Weekend Retreat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnxehiG0mzI&feature=plcp

Mentorship

Over the last several years, I have had opportunities to be a mentor to others. Starting with serving in church children’s programs and now I am assisting new applicants to the United States Marine Corps officer selection process.  I do my best to share my experiences and lend advice as needed. I understand it’s not a large impact that I’m making, but I am always happy to help someone who has questions.

With the Marine Corps, I help with physical training, general military customs and courtesy and academic preparations for their start of training at Officer Candidate School. I want to help new applicants prepare for the challenges that they will face, so they will be more successful during training.

Through the BLF challenge last fall and our involvement with the Veterans in the OSU Veterans House. Through that challenge I have stayed on and have continued to assist with raising support.  James Miller has become a mentor to me and has assisted in the development of my leadership style.  This cause has led to my position in USG as a committee deputy director.  I have been hosting networking luncheons and receptions for corporate executives and student veterans make meaningful connections that can a make a difference in their careers. This mentorship has allowed me to have new can challenges as an undergrad that I would not have the opportunity to have otherwise.

I think in the most basic sense, a mentorship is just investing your time and resources to assist another person grow professionally or and personally through advice and opportunities to push yourself and grow into a better person. I have been a benefactor of mentorships, and enjoy even in having a small role, being a mentor in order to make a difference in someone’s life.

Jack

MBTI Post

I would use the MBTI for an interview when talking about my strengths. There are three reasons why it could be advantageous to talk about the MBTI in an interview setting.

1.       Talking about the MBTI during an interview allows you to talk about your strengths as an individual, and how you can be an asset to their institution.

2.       This is a great opportunity to show you have undertaken personality assessments which only more senior leadership will have exposure to. This will set you apart from your peers who will be applying for the same position.

3.       Lastly, talking about the MBTI in an intelligent manner in an interview is the best opportunity to show you have a larger understanding of yourself and along with the assessment you have more to offer than any of your peers.

While the MBTI is very helpful, I would not expect the assessment to land me a job. It is just a part of the larger picture of who I am.  I would probably not talk about the MBTI at a party or just any normal conversation. But I do like it far more than the Strengths Finder. The MBTI has far more depth to it.

Jack

Summer Vacation? What Vacation?!

This summer I reported for duty to the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA.  This was my second cycle of OCS. While I understood what to expect, nothing can prepare you for the stress and sleep deprivation each person deals with during training. 

The mission of Officer Candidate School is to screen, train and evaluate candidates for their leadership potential in the Marine Corps as a 2^nd Lieutenant.  To sum it all up, OCS is a round the clock job interview. We were always being evaluated; always being watched. 

 

There are three main grading areas at OCS physical, academic and leadership.  The physical part involves the obstacle course, forced marches, the endurance course, and a host of other physical training. We had classes on the Law of War, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, suicide prevention, military tactics and others as well. We had an entire semesters worth of academic courses in a span of about four and a half weeks.  Leadership involved, among other events, successfully leading formations of 4-13 other candidates through training exercises with explosions and gun fire.

A normal day would consist of getting up at 4AM before the lights come on. When the lights come on in the squad bay you have about 90 seconds to get dressed in your uniform boots and gear. During the day, we would have physical training, academic classes, hand to hand combat training and so much more in the course of the day.  The food was great, but we had no more than 10 minutes to eat all we could, so we didn’t taste very much of it. The lights would go out at 9PM to give us a “full eight hours of sleep”.  J  But we had tasks to get done for the next day, gear to get ready, studying to do for the next test and fire watch to stand for an hour too.  The majority of the time there I had about three hours of sleep a night.

We spent time in the field going on patrols as well as time in the swamp.  We dealt with leaches, snakes, ticks, spiders and swarms of mosquitoes. We had candidates going to the hospital for fevers of 107 and 108 degrees. They say at 109 degrees you begin to have brain damage. 

Through it all I did ok, I had good days and bad days too.  I learned that your body can take a great deal of punishment and still be able to perform.  Your mind can handle a great deal of stress and still to make decisions and accomplish the mission.  You just have to be mentally tough enough.  Now the goal is to graduate OSU and earn my Commission as a 2^nd Lt. in the United States Marine Corps.

It’s good to be back at OSU,

Jack McBride

P.S. You are all invited to the Commissioning Ceremony!