Went to the recruiting office

Congratulations to your son and you! i enlisted in the Marine Corps several months ago and am leaving for MCRD Parris Island in 7 weeks. Any knife you buy him for enlisting will probably have great sentimental value to him, but you should know that he cant bring it to Boot camp. You really can't bring anything to boot camp. From what i have been told, you are only to bring your social security card, picture ID, no more than $20 for the trip to Parris Island, the clothes on your back and a good attitude haha. His recruiter will tell him all of this though. Again, congratulations and good luck to your son!
 
Well, i may be a little late in regards to replying, i havent been checking up on this forum since surgery, but heres just my 2 cents...ive been in the Army now for 4.5 years and as a medic with an armor unit (constantly around vehicles) if he aalready has a sharp/maintained/"hasnt lost it yet" pocket knife hes already light years ahead of other new guys (dont know how many times ive argued during downtime why my buck 110 is hundreds if times better than a 2ft cold steel rapid action quadruple lock tacticool knife) i was given a SOG multitool by my dad before i left for basic and issued a gerber from rfi, and that is pribably the single most used tool in the army (at least) so much as to the point where all multitools are considered "gerbers" (regArdless of brand) and its extremely common to hear things like "hey (joe) lemme see your gerber right quick" so with all that nonsense said and wasting your time il get to the point, he's prolly gonna open a lit of boxes in garrison as well as other meanial cutting tasks, and open alot if "brown bags" in the field, so that pocket knife is gonna get some time at hand as its easier to open crap up with, and a multitool is going to see an equally large amount of use, so honestly you should get him something like a slim pocket slip for his pocket knife and a multitool but make sure its in a black belt sheath, leather is not allowed on our belts, unless youre a tanker or tanker medic, and theres other off set rules like i can wear multiple sheaths fir trauma shears multitool ect because im attatched to infantry ect, but the safest bet is a black sheath which is universally accepted, but he wknt want to give up him pocket knife either, so might as well let it ride cozy and somewhat protected, sorry went off in space on the reply i apologize, but good luck and regards to him and yourself

-lucus
 
Once he gets out of boot camp, get him a good fixed blade like the USMC kabar or a becker bk7, if they are allowed. If he likes the saddlehorn, don't bother getting him another pocket knife, it'll be dead weight in the bottom of his pack. You can't go wrong with a leatherman and a sharpening kit though.
Semper fi and oorah
 
Thanks everyone for the replies. I did talk with him and he is not allowed any extras in basic.
The idea of a sharpening kit is a good one so I will probably go with that.
I'm afraid that a fixed blade may end up being dead weight also. I do have a few months to think about it though.
Yes he will be going to Paris Island.

God Bless
Tracy
 
The fixed may become dead weight, and if you are really concerned about it, maybe get him a small one, like a kabar shorty or a becker bk11 or bk14. It's up to you, of course, but all of the vets I talked to (one Marine, rest Army) said that a fixed blade was one of the most useful things they were never issued (the Army hadn't issued knives at all up to that point, and the Marines had stopped issuing the kabar). The shorty weighs about 10 oz. in sheath, and the 11/14 weigh appx. 8 oz. with sheath, sans scales. If you have any more questions about the beckers or kabars, you are always welcome in their respective forums. Good luck with your decision.
Semper Fi and Oorah
 
Whatever you decide he'll love it because it's from you, his ol' man. Hang on to it till he leaves school and hits the fleet. Tell him to keep his eyes and ears open, mouth shut, don't volunteer for squat and don't take anything personal (his DI's are just guys doing a job) and he'll be a.o.k.. I could have made worse decisions then a life in the Corps. Tell him Stryker said "Semper Fi".
 
OOORAHHH! If he has the option, Id suggest West Coast; Miramar and Pendleton both suck but the surrounding areas (San Diego) are nice. And get the kid a .45!
 
The small pocket knife and sharpener,or multi tool sound like a good idea, tell him to leave his favorite knife at home. Doing the job of a Marine or Soldier odds are good that it may get lost or stolen. Good luck to your son.
Semper Fi
 
Back in the middle '80s ...I was a young private in an infantry unit in the 82nd Airborne.

One year I wasn't able to go home on Christmas leave and I remember my father sent me a nice care package. I was in the barracks with a couple of buddies when I opened it and the first thing I saw was a Schrade Uncle Henry LB7.

Back then(I don't know about now) we were able to carry whatever large fixed blade we wanted on our LBE. Some of the guys carried daggers, some carried those cheap screw-on cap survival knives and several of us carried Ka-Bars. I had one of those Glock fixed blades that one of the guys gave me. Anyway...I digress.

That Schrade went everywhere I went as long as I wasn't on duty. As far as I was concerned, my father gave me that knife when I was away from home and feeling homesick...and it has always had a special place. I still have that knife 26 years later.

You might consider...whatever you choose for him...sending it to him in the mail.

One thing a young serviceman will always appreciate, is a letter or package from home. Especially from dear ole Dad.

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(leatherman charge) kind of expensive but the best multi tool out there yet!!!!!!!!
 
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