Don’t fret brother it took me a few recycles to get my Ranger Tab. This was back when you could stay in the Gulag forever, I was there quite a long time, I was a 17 year old PV2. I was out of my league being so young basically right out of airborne school and I found myself in Ranger School(contract issue and a mistake on my orders) I finally made it with a patrol record of 6-2. I graduated as an 18 year old Private with a ranger tab and never spent any time in a unit. I showed up to ranger regiment and got my ass smoked for 12 hours straight. They thought I was stealing valor, nobody had ever seen a brand new Private with a TAB.
Nick Koumalatsos I made it harder on myself because I was so Cherry. I had a choice to make because my orders were so conflicting(before everything was computerized). My orders told me to report to Regiment and gave me a ranger school class date. I asked my chain of command what I’m supposed to do and I could have waited for new orders or try and get in to Ranger school. Well the rest is history. 5-92 was my graduation class and my class start was 3-92, lol took me a bit but I made it.
gary cole thanks but I just did what I had to do. Ranger school back then was mostly a gut check, just don’t quit and you will be ok. Now it’s more technical, it’s still hard but very different. I became and instructor at 6th RTB and I was shocked at how it had changed.
I just got dropped from BRC a few weeks ago after I told them about a fracture I had in my pelvis, the corpsman at the 52 clinic area denied me to train so I got dropped from RTC and sent to a Rehabilitation Platoon. I’ve never been more depressed in my life. It’s funny because I see my self as a mentally strong individual and I’ve been through situations that others would perceive as “worse”. But this had been my dream for a long time. I trained so hard and got so far, ran through the entire course up until the point I had got dropped with the injury. I hate it when people tell me including the instructors before I got dropped “at least you put in your all and never quit” I didn’t care, the fact is despite the effort I’m not a recon marine. I would do anything to go back and redo the whole 2 courses 3x if I had to. Whatever it takes I just want it. RTC was some of the most challenging and overall best time I’ve had in my life, me seeing so many people give up upset me especially the new pickups/MART guys that I would do my best to train on the weekends at the San Clemente aquatic center. But it gave me strength and all the more reason to get through it all. Now I’m just sitting around in bleachers all day on crutches, not doing jack. Haven’t been sleeping or doing anything productive, my mental health is getting worse by the day. I miss the friends I made and all the hard times we went through. I have the upmost respect for my former instructors, truly remarkable men, incredible teachers who always kept us on the edge, pushed us to our limits and to new heights...
Talking about it with somebody I’ve seen helps out. What’s done is done, don’t live in the past. Get out and enjoy life surf, snowboard, sky dive don’t just sit in your room and get complacent. reorient your goals and see it as a minor set back but I’ve gone through the same process as you. Make the most out of your time out in the fleet but that feeling never goes away. Even a year later. Hope your killen it somewhere, stay safe
Keep pushing. Keep looking for other avenues of approach. I don’t know where you’re at now and I don’t know where you’re going. You gotta keep moving and searching. You have to. Time won’t slow down for you, so you either have to pull your ass out of the dirt and run to catch up or sit there feeling bad about your situation. This is just another obstacle in your way. There’s a opening somewhere. You just have to find it. You gotta keep looking. Talk to your senior leaders. Find out information. Read the orders. Nobody will do it for you. You have people around you that can help. Don’t think that it’s weak to look for help. A man takes care of his issues, but it doesn’t mean that he has to do it by himself. Read the stories of the Marines and service members that came before you and what they did. There’s wisdom and passion to be found there. You just have to keep moving.
Nick, cant count how many times I had to kick myself in ass and shut my brain off. Pre-scuba helped me a lot. almost 90% drop rate for others who went in cold. Great Video BTW Semper Fi 8654
Thank you for your service Mr. Koumalatsos. You give marine veterans like me the inspiration and the discipline to keep striving to become the best version of ourselves. Just because we are out of the military doesn't mean that our service has to end. Keep up the great work, Semper Gumby!
This is a great video Nick. I remember when I went through my agency SWAT school in 2003 I was on a full gear five mile run and was thinking, I could chill for a bit, I've got this. Low and behold, I didn't meet the standard and failed the run. I remember the look that the Deputy Chief gave me when I had to explain my times. Never again, bro. Never again. Outstanding video about never giving up.
Yes Dive school is tough, no matter which one you attend in the Military. Physical training, pool sessions, dive physics, dive medicine, dive tables, graded events and of course “ problem solving “ with no let up until it’s over,
Scuba school sucked. Couldn't imagine combat dive. I failed my first time on emergency accents and got sent home. I made it my 2nd time and got my bubble. Run, swim, runs sucked. The worst was doing flutter kicks on the pier with fins and mask on, having the instructors fill your mask with the hose. Drowning on dry land blows
That is one of the hardest lessons to learn in life. Thank you and we're ahead of the game and failing because we weren't. That you never did that again. Life experience it's great.
Hey Nick, Love your channel Bro! I am a 8 year Navy Vet and never accomplished anything close to what you have, however I did attend Air Force Raven School out on a Marine base on the NC VA border did not know the name. I had to push through the pain like you did and just just put mind over matter and ignore the pain. However, I tore my hip flexor on my right hip during week 2 of the 3 week school. Med discharged but I still live my life the way you described your not letting up and just keep moving forward. Thanks again for the motivation and for your service. Chad
I know that exact thought and I've learned to say GTFO! I fell into a drunken state of depression after the Marines. When I came home the whole situation was surreal because my whole family had changed for the worse. I cleaned it up after my grand parents who were also my guardians passed and started a family of my own. I never imagined myself with children but I enjoy putting myself into my family more than anything else. I've followed your channel for a few years and you are doing a great service setting an example for others. I surround myself with great hearted people so I can push myself to do better as well. That mentality to not slack for a moment and keep pushing sounds easy in theory but in reality can be tricky, don't fall for it. Sorry for the blog post, but have a great day. Your gym will come back out on top as well, have faith. We are pushing for you.
How many times have you said to yourself,”I can’t go on with this pace”, and then you do. It’s amazing how your body works. Just don’t quit. Although I’ve seen many guys in convulsions from heat stroke who didn’t quit. I was just glad it wasn’t me. So many factors.
I had the opposite experience as I am much smaller than you and was usually the smallest, if not among the smallest in the class and had it my mind that guys like you were far ahead of me and I needed to push it. I was envious of guys like you that always seemed to have a natural ease of motion and made it look easy!!! I could not let up ever. I always finished in the middle of the pack and always went to after class instruction!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I remember when that tiny thought crossed my mind during selection. Being specific british sas selection. You cant stop. 41 miles you start with 55 pounds of gear it gets worse from there. Mountains that's all I'll say.
For the duration set goal, either your 100% in it to win it with 100% effort 100% of the time; or you have to be willing to accept failure. But, its interesting how that "voice" tends to convince us that its okay to stray and ignore the other voice whispering "no stay the course ... commit ..."
I went to dive right after BRC (3-96) and I was smoked ( I was the class leader). Going to dive after the ball-buster that BRC was, was a tough nut, physically but I still had the BRC mindset which helped, a lot. It always helped to just shut down my brain and let my body take over. The other guys ended up going to jump after BRC so I imagine that dive was a little easier for them.
Great story about your experience in Marine combat dive school and the lesson learned about being the best version of ourselves that includes myself pursuing goals dreams and missions in life is a nonstop grind to greatness
Hello Nick, I don’t know if you get to read all of your comments, so I won’t feel bad if you don’t get to read all of my challenges whilst serving in the Australian regular army. Anyway, I joined in 1989, when the uniforms were all green and there were no PCs invented back then. No youtube, nothing to compare what I was doing with the norm, the only things that assisted me to compare were the 700+ other men in my battalion in Townsville. To put things in perspective, I was a very competitive cross country runner from when I was 15 to when I joined at 17, yes 2 years of competition and being only 5 foot 7 and competing with guys 6+ feet tall and kicking their butts was an inspiration for me at school. I won everything from school local right up to state, then on to national “I loved running”. 1990, I get posted to this hell of earth Townsville from where I lived in Newcastle. Townsville was a very humid and muggy place to live in the tropics, 30+ degrees Celsius, and still sweating like a pig, living on barracks with the other grunts ‘fun times’. I loved going for night runs doing the 5km runs in 16m32s or the 2.4km runs in 8m13s, I was testing myself. Each year we’d have the annual athletics carnivals, of course I competed in the 3000m runs, my first I got lapped by this tall string bean ‘Browny’. What a kick in the buts, here’s me thinking I was on top of the ball until he kicked my butt. Worse thing for Browny was that he was a runner, first and foremost, but here’s the kicker. We would do a company 40km route march, in full marching order, twice each year. No matter what training we would so, it was a battalion readiness requirement to do this on top of the CFA and the PFAs and he platoon/company/battalion exercises or the joined ex’s with the yanks and the brits etc. We did a live fire exercise, and had to walk back to base, 75km, my company D was laping other companies when we came across B company where ‘Browny’ was, he was struggling. He’s only let down what he was 100% lean muscle 0% fat, he went to shit. 5km, before the finish line aka the battalion base, Browny goes down. I discharged in 2012 at the rank of sergeant, stopped my endurance running in 2004 when I was running around a lake in Canberra with a mate, who had a heart attack just trying to keep up with me, I went solo but had no competition. I loved my career, but bloody hell, it was a hard slog. Just thought I’d share my story with you, and if you want to know more about what I did in my career, then just look me up. Cheers
You know I was watching a lot of videos with this sort of message several years ago and I decided to get in shape. My second run of the year I tried for 2 miles. While I was running my knee started to hurt, but I pushed through. Then I decided to also play some volleyball after, even though my knee was hurting. Well me fighting through the pain ended up getting me a torn meniscus. Now I have had surgery and have recovered and am still trying to get at it. I haven’t put a ceiling on my post surgery physical ability yet. But I wonder if the message I needed at that point in training was train smarter not harder. Now I get its different when you are in the Marine Corp, it’s different when you’ve been training since you were 13 and your muscles, tendons, ligaments and skill have all adapted. Also I know there are some missions in the Marine Corp that are worth a torn meniscus. But when it comes to a civilian just starting out, pain should be seen as instructive. Pain is always trying to tell you something. Sometimes pain is telling you to stop because you are in the process of tearing your meniscus, sometimes pain is telling you that you are pushing your muscular strength and cardio to a perceived limit. You need time to become the warrior that Nick has. So put in the work and stay smart over a sustained period of time.
Bro.1993, I went to 2 weeks of pre-scuba, barely passed, shipped to Key West a week later, and made it to Friday of pool week. I failed OC ditch and don (too many deficiencies) and when I took the retest I was being as careful as I could, but I went over time because watches weren't allowed in the pool. So, I get thrown out/sent home. I said I wanted to try again, so a week later I was in pre-scuba again (because my boss said it was free and I deserve it for fucking up the first time), then like a week later back to Key West, and passed. So I spent like 3 months in either pre-scuba or scuba school. And that is what we call a shit sandwich. But at least I finally got it.
How did that work in 93? That was before The Corps had its own program correct? I remember a couple of guys in 1/8 had silver bubbles when I was checking in,..I never made it passed CWSS😂
@@chrisharm6242 I was in the army. There were a couple of Marines in my class. The Marines didn't have their own school until a few years later. Before that, they mostly went to a navy school or sometimes a few might go to Key West.
@Chill Will Interesting. That place was still open when I went through dive school. And they were incinerating what I assume were sick animals. I imagine that is how an old nazi death camp must have smelled like. It was really weird (and disgusting). Especially when you had just gone 2 or 3 clicks under water on a rebreather finning your ass off to make time, breathing that same old hot recycled O2- then when you finally hit the shore (as tired, sore, and spent as you have ever been and probably stung a few times by jelly fish), you turn off the dive surface valve, shout out your team number for the grader, snatch off your mask and go to take a breath of fresh surface air... and inhale burning critter carcass. If they are using that facility for anything that involves people, I hope they do a serious HAZMAT DECON. Shit like that is the background for some type of horror movie.
@Chill Will It was definitely open in 93 when I went to the school. I went there a few times after for other training, recerts, etc. I can't remember if it was still operating some of the times when I went back, or at which point it stopped.
Like I told you on Facebook, I did 60lbs in a rucksack that was equipped with a belt. I did 4 miles in about 55 minutes. I didn’t let up, but it did humble me once again.
Chasing the ruck-less “rabbit” in ARS was WAY worse for me then any of the swims I had to do in dive. But regardless of whatever you’re doing, strong points or weak that little “voice” is always going to be there. For me it wasn’t about trying to shut the voice up, it was about identifying it and understanding what was taking place.
I have always had a falsify that I go by this has helped me deal with some really dark shit! And here it is. You cant change the past, It is hard to control the future Buy you can always overcome today! Their is no one in this world that can tell you what you can or can do except YOU! We are not human we are an animal dont forget that! And a animal in the wild will literally fight tell it is dead. We have to dig down into are animal cores and from that you will never give up!
Love the videos man. You've inspired me to not just become a marine, but to also go Recon, and Marsoc. Thanks to you, I can change my life. Can you make a video on tattoos in the military? Like when is the bet time to get them, or worst time to get them?
Hey Nick, I watch your videos from time to time. If you want some motivation training you can think of my Uncle who participated in Bataan Death March and then survived two years in a Japanese POW camp. Major Lyles G. Hardin . thank you for your service and motivation. Jake Brown -US Army retired
It's all in the context Nick. There are some very legitimate times, in life, to quit things. Toxic relationship, bad business idea, etc. Quitting an endeavor is downright logical at times. So not quitting is not always the panacea it might seem. You and I both quit the military after all. The never quit attitude led me to go all in, all the time, as a judo player. ACL surgery and total hip replacement were the realities telling me to really rethink my "never quit" never die, always push forward attitude. There are many things in life that we should quit. Sometimes a tac withdrawal is the best choice. You can retool and go again but you need to be smart about being too stubborn. Spiral fractures in your feet might be a good time to ease up on doing Bataan death marches.....otherwise you might be forced to quit walking. Anyway context matters. 👍
As a tactical firearms police officer who was retired through spinal injury I completely concur. I have multiple injuries to my neck, back and knees all because of the job. There are some time’s you just have to say enough is enough. Context is everything!!! Well said sir.
@@abefroman8202 God Bless ya Abe. Try to enjoy your retirement. It's going to take these young guys a few years to understand just what we have said above. Time, gravity and entropy will guarantee that they WILL get there. Take care sir.
Glenn Hynes. And you too sir. There comes a time when you have to accept that the spirit maybe willing, bu the flesh is a lot further behind. You have a wise head on your shoulders.
Failed out of BUD/S... To this day it haunts the depth of my soul. And really the only reason was because I believed that a certain pass/fail event was close to impossible. Well, because I let that seed of doubt fester, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. The reality is that it was achievable all along.... So though I didn't ring the bell, did I not still actually quit because I let up? If I'm being honest with myself, I let up because I was giving in... not fully, but enough to where it didn't really matter. Your brain can be the most powerful tool in your arsenal or your greatest enemy.
I’m 16 and when I get out of high school I am signing up and go for recon i am doing everything to train for it now got and tips what I should do though
Long Slow Distance running is one of the best ways to increase your endurance. Just run at a comfortable pace where you can still have a conversation and do it for at least 45minutes - 1 hour, once or twice a week. The rest of the days run 2-3 miles. Even on rest days run at least 1 mile. Endurance is where most people get fucked. Strength is one thing but if you don’t have endurance to keep using your strength then it’s pointless. Try to get a perfect PFT score before shipping to boot camp. Learn the breast stroke and combat side stroke and be able to swim 500 meters EASILY doing both of them. After that, it’s all a mental game. Just don’t quit and remember WHY you started.
@@isaacaceves4637 Definitely this, endurance is very important to just about everything you'll do in Basic and beyond. I'd also do some humping/rucking starting with low weight and working your way up. And if you're going to San Diego for boot camp, find whatever hills you can, the bigger the better, and start humping those because you'll be humping some serious hills in Pendleton.
Don’t waste your time with Recon cause you’ll just be going on MEUs like the rest of the infantry battalions. Go to an infantry battalion, get some experience, do a deployment, then go to A&S for MARSOC.
Brother it's so true. I had the privilege of working an exceptional job with exceptional, tough mother fuckers and I know myself and many of my brothers would be dead or really fucked up if we didn't constantly keep that mindset. "If you think you're fine you'll die" 🤘
I'm not military but this was inspiring. Thanks and Nick always hard working workaholic with thorasos if I wrote it right. Regardless heart and huevos in my mind!
Don’t count yourself out man. If you want it bad enough find a way. You’d be surprised there’s waivers for everything these days you just gotta find someone willing to give you a shot. And there’s tons of options if you count Spec ops enablers (EOD, Navy Corpsman, JTACS, CCT, etc.)
Great motivational life lesson about how to face and surpass adversity. Had a question can you ruck the march with more than 45 lbs or is that the max weight allowed?
Lol I know what he is saying. When I raced motocross years ago. I always thought half way tgrought I could ride one slower lap then go like he'll and it would be ok. Lol not even a little. Wide open till you drop. Goog luck to you who serve. And thanks.
Random Reviews nick has been out for several years so he doesn’t know that the regulations have been updated. According to a MARADMIN that came out a few years ago, Marines who rate can wear both duel cools and the stripper chicken at the same time in uniform. However, if all 3 devices are worn at the same time they must be worn centered along the front trouser flap and spaced 1/8” apart. Hope this helps.
Jaeger1-4 I was asking as a personal preference but turns out u can’t MARADMIN 490/16 d. Paragraph 4002.3.l. Raider dagger and none else But it did help me google it so thanks www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/946753/marine-s/
In hindsight, what pack would you prefer loaded with the same weight? New Grey Ghost ruck, original ruck, hiking pack or other? Again, just 45 pounds. Would your answer be the same for different distances? 1 day for 2 hours? 5 days for 6+ hours per day? Etc
Hey do you think you could make an in depth video of a&s and itc or at least as much as you’d be allowed to say and what differences do you see from grunts at a&s vs other mos’s
Don’t fret brother it took me a few recycles to get my Ranger Tab. This was back when you could stay in the Gulag forever, I was there quite a long time, I was a 17 year old PV2. I was out of my league being so young basically right out of airborne school and I found myself in Ranger School(contract issue and a mistake on my orders) I finally made it with a patrol record of 6-2. I graduated as an 18 year old Private with a ranger tab and never spent any time in a unit. I showed up to ranger regiment and got my ass smoked for 12 hours straight. They thought I was stealing valor, nobody had ever seen a brand new Private with a TAB.
Nick Koumalatsos I made it harder on myself because I was so Cherry. I had a choice to make because my orders were so conflicting(before everything was computerized). My orders told me to report to Regiment and gave me a ranger school class date. I asked my chain of command what I’m supposed to do and I could have waited for new orders or try and get in to Ranger school. Well the rest is history. 5-92 was my graduation class and my class start was 3-92, lol took me a bit but I made it.
Impressive!
gary cole thanks but I just did what I had to do. Ranger school back then was mostly a gut check, just don’t quit and you will be ok. Now it’s more technical, it’s still hard but very different. I became and instructor at 6th RTB and I was shocked at how it had changed.
Lmao that’s funny as fuck actually.
@@jonathanbell8887 now when I look back but at the time it was nothing but pain and misery. Wouldn’t change a thing.
I just got dropped from BRC a few weeks ago after I told them about a fracture I had in my pelvis, the corpsman at the 52 clinic area denied me to train so I got dropped from RTC and sent to a Rehabilitation Platoon. I’ve never been more depressed in my life. It’s funny because I see my self as a mentally strong individual and I’ve been through situations that others would perceive as “worse”. But this had been my dream for a long time. I trained so hard and got so far, ran through the entire course up until the point I had got dropped with the injury.
I hate it when people tell me including the instructors before I got dropped “at least you put in your all and never quit” I didn’t care, the fact is despite the effort I’m not a recon marine. I would do anything to go back and redo the whole 2 courses 3x if I had to. Whatever it takes I just want it.
RTC was some of the most challenging and overall best time I’ve had in my life, me seeing so many people give up upset me especially the new pickups/MART guys that I would do my best to train on the weekends at the San Clemente aquatic center. But it gave me strength and all the more reason to get through it all.
Now I’m just sitting around in bleachers all day on crutches, not doing jack. Haven’t been sleeping or doing anything productive, my mental health is getting worse by the day. I miss the friends I made and all the hard times we went through. I have the upmost respect for my former instructors, truly remarkable men, incredible teachers who always kept us on the edge, pushed us to our limits and to new heights...
Talking about it with somebody I’ve seen helps out. What’s done is done, don’t live in the past. Get out and enjoy life surf, snowboard, sky dive don’t just sit in your room and get complacent. reorient your goals and see it as a minor set back but I’ve gone through the same process as you. Make the most out of your time out in the fleet but that feeling never goes away. Even a year later. Hope your killen it somewhere, stay safe
Keep pushing. Keep looking for other avenues of approach. I don’t know where you’re at now and I don’t know where you’re going. You gotta keep moving and searching. You have to. Time won’t slow down for you, so you either have to pull your ass out of the dirt and run to catch up or sit there feeling bad about your situation. This is just another obstacle in your way. There’s a opening somewhere. You just have to find it. You gotta keep looking. Talk to your senior leaders. Find out information. Read the orders. Nobody will do it for you. You have people around you that can help. Don’t think that it’s weak to look for help. A man takes care of his issues, but it doesn’t mean that he has to do it by himself. Read the stories of the Marines and service members that came before you and what they did. There’s wisdom and passion to be found there. You just have to keep moving.
Yeah, I get it. I went as a 27 year old Sgt and it sucked. I know your post was 4-years ago, but I hope you got back on it and went again. Semper Fi
Dude this video is exactly what I needed! Thank you brother!
Same. Redline the whole way. Thank you brother.
Nick, cant count how many times I had to kick myself in ass and shut my brain off. Pre-scuba helped me a lot. almost 90% drop rate for others who went in cold. Great Video BTW Semper Fi 8654
What's pre scuba 's going in cold
@@deathlarsen7502 either winter scuba training or people went in with no pre scuba training
Pain...Suffering...Misery...
Thank you for your service Mr. Koumalatsos. You give marine veterans like me the inspiration and the discipline to keep striving to become the best version of ourselves. Just because we are out of the military doesn't mean that our service has to end. Keep up the great work, Semper Gumby!
This is a great video Nick. I remember when I went through my agency SWAT school in 2003 I was on a full gear five mile run and was thinking, I could chill for a bit, I've got this. Low and behold, I didn't meet the standard and failed the run. I remember the look that the Deputy Chief gave me when I had to explain my times. Never again, bro. Never again. Outstanding video about never giving up.
Spot on advice! Read "War of Art" by Steven Pressfield. It talks about overcoming resistance. And the little lies we tell ourselves. Pure gold
Yes Dive school is tough, no matter which one you attend in the Military. Physical training, pool sessions, dive physics, dive medicine, dive tables, graded events and of course “ problem solving “ with no let up until it’s over,
Been waiting years of a dive story. You're an animal.
@@NickKoumalatsos82 What chapter?
Scuba school sucked. Couldn't imagine combat dive. I failed my first time on emergency accents and got sent home. I made it my 2nd time and got my bubble. Run, swim, runs sucked. The worst was doing flutter kicks on the pier with fins and mask on, having the instructors fill your mask with the hose. Drowning on dry land blows
That is one of the hardest lessons to learn in life. Thank you and we're ahead of the game and failing because we weren't. That you never did that again. Life experience it's great.
Hey Nick, Love your channel Bro! I am a 8 year Navy Vet and never accomplished anything close to what you have, however I did attend Air Force Raven School out on a Marine base on the NC VA border did not know the name. I had to push through the pain like you did and just just put mind over matter and ignore the pain. However, I tore my hip flexor on my right hip during week 2 of the 3 week school. Med discharged but I still live my life the way you described your not letting up and just keep moving forward. Thanks again for the motivation and for your service. Chad
I know that exact thought and I've learned to say GTFO! I fell into a drunken state of depression after the Marines. When I came home the whole situation was surreal because my whole family had changed for the worse. I cleaned it up after my grand parents who were also my guardians passed and started a family of my own. I never imagined myself with children but I enjoy putting myself into my family more than anything else. I've followed your channel for a few years and you are doing a great service setting an example for others. I surround myself with great hearted people so I can push myself to do better as well. That mentality to not slack for a moment and keep pushing sounds easy in theory but in reality can be tricky, don't fall for it. Sorry for the blog post, but have a great day. Your gym will come back out on top as well, have faith. We are pushing for you.
How many times have you said to yourself,”I can’t go on with this pace”, and then you do. It’s amazing how your body works. Just don’t quit. Although I’ve seen many guys in convulsions from heat stroke who didn’t quit. I was just glad it wasn’t me. So many factors.
I had the opposite experience as I am much smaller than you and was usually the smallest, if not among the smallest in the class and had it my mind that guys like you were far ahead of me and I needed to push it. I was envious of guys like you that always seemed to have a natural ease of motion and made it look easy!!! I could not let up ever. I always finished in the middle of the pack and always went to after class instruction!!!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
I remember when that tiny thought crossed my mind during selection. Being specific british sas selection. You cant stop. 41 miles you start with 55 pounds of gear it gets worse from there. Mountains that's all I'll say.
For the duration set goal, either your 100% in it to win it with 100% effort 100% of the time; or you have to be willing to accept failure. But, its interesting how that "voice" tends to convince us that its okay to stray and ignore the other voice whispering "no stay the course ... commit ..."
headed to dive next week, needed to hear this message.
You make it
@@evankinkelaar2178 sure did
I went to dive right after BRC (3-96) and I was smoked ( I was the class leader). Going to dive after the ball-buster that BRC was, was a tough nut, physically but I still had the BRC mindset which helped, a lot. It always helped to just shut down my brain and let my body take over. The other guys ended up going to jump after BRC so I imagine that dive was a little easier for them.
Great story about your experience in Marine combat dive school and the lesson learned about being the best version of ourselves that includes myself pursuing goals dreams and missions in life is a nonstop grind to greatness
Just enlisted into the Air Force to tryout for the PJs and your videos have always helped me stay focus. Thanks man.
You make it through the PJ pipeline?
That's alright, I failed the $hit out of Pool Comp in BUD/S first 3 times.
Greoric M did u become a seal?
Greoric M did you get the trident 🔱?
@@nonyabusiness644 a seal never says he’s a seal
@@miguelrodriguez-pl5ru that’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard
@@Oliver-lc9ud ofc you think it’s a lie because you can never accomplish something like that
Pain is temporary failure is forever. Awesome lesson.
Yo I literally just signed my life away and onwards to becoming a Marine 😂
God Speed. 👍🏼
Colin what mos
@@gsXXXrhub no clue, heading to MEPS on Wednesday
What type of job skills are you going to aquire by joining?
Just graduated on feb 7. Good luck..🇺🇸🇺🇸 ooorraaahhhh
Kudos on the Fat Owl swag Nick....Stay the course my friend, you are inspiring!!
Roger that. I’ve heard that lie b4 like hey you’re doing good turn it down just a bit... never quit never surrender always forward
Rah!
Great video Nick it’s so in life too it’s only temporary until the end . Thank you 🙏
I needed this today. Thank you Nick.
I needed this bro, thank you. I've had that thought before and it's cost me a lot.
Hello Nick, I don’t know if you get to read all of your comments, so I won’t feel bad if you don’t get to read all of my challenges whilst serving in the Australian regular army. Anyway, I joined in 1989, when the uniforms were all green and there were no PCs invented back then. No youtube, nothing to compare what I was doing with the norm, the only things that assisted me to compare were the 700+ other men in my battalion in Townsville. To put things in perspective, I was a very competitive cross country runner from when I was 15 to when I joined at 17, yes 2 years of competition and being only 5 foot 7 and competing with guys 6+ feet tall and kicking their butts was an inspiration for me at school. I won everything from school local right up to state, then on to national “I loved running”. 1990, I get posted to this hell of earth Townsville from where I lived in Newcastle. Townsville was a very humid and muggy place to live in the tropics, 30+ degrees Celsius, and still sweating like a pig, living on barracks with the other grunts ‘fun times’. I loved going for night runs doing the 5km runs in 16m32s or the 2.4km runs in 8m13s, I was testing myself. Each year we’d have the annual athletics carnivals, of course I competed in the 3000m runs, my first I got lapped by this tall string bean ‘Browny’. What a kick in the buts, here’s me thinking I was on top of the ball until he kicked my butt. Worse thing for Browny was that he was a runner, first and foremost, but here’s the kicker. We would do a company 40km route march, in full marching order, twice each year. No matter what training we would so, it was a battalion readiness requirement to do this on top of the CFA and the PFAs and he platoon/company/battalion exercises or the joined ex’s with the yanks and the brits etc. We did a live fire exercise, and had to walk back to base, 75km, my company D was laping other companies when we came across B company where ‘Browny’ was, he was struggling. He’s only let down what he was 100% lean muscle 0% fat, he went to shit. 5km, before the finish line aka the battalion base, Browny goes down. I discharged in 2012 at the rank of sergeant, stopped my endurance running in 2004 when I was running around a lake in Canberra with a mate, who had a heart attack just trying to keep up with me, I went solo but had no competition. I loved my career, but bloody hell, it was a hard slog. Just thought I’d share my story with you, and if you want to know more about what I did in my career, then just look me up. Cheers
Great video Sir like one of your saying you cant succeed without failure
You know I was watching a lot of videos with this sort of message several years ago and I decided to get in shape.
My second run of the year I tried for 2 miles. While I was running my knee started to hurt, but I pushed through. Then I decided to also play some volleyball after, even though my knee was hurting.
Well me fighting through the pain ended up getting me a torn meniscus.
Now I have had surgery and have recovered and am still trying to get at it. I haven’t put a ceiling on my post surgery physical ability yet.
But I wonder if the message I needed at that point in training was train smarter not harder.
Now I get its different when you are in the Marine Corp, it’s different when you’ve been training since you were 13 and your muscles, tendons, ligaments and skill have all adapted. Also I know there are some missions in the Marine Corp that are worth a torn meniscus.
But when it comes to a civilian just starting out, pain should be seen as instructive. Pain is always trying to tell you something. Sometimes pain is telling you to stop because you are in the process of tearing your meniscus, sometimes pain is telling you that you are pushing your muscular strength and cardio to a perceived limit.
You need time to become the warrior that Nick has. So put in the work and stay smart over a sustained period of time.
On the bright side, steak and lobster is a weekly thing at the galley/dfac lol
I made it to masters this year for wrestling. I have my mind set on state for next year. Your videos definitely helped
Making me Miss the military days. Then I remember why I got out. 😉
Great video! Thanks for sharing brother!
Dam good lesson my friend..your 100% correct!!
Bro.1993, I went to 2 weeks of pre-scuba, barely passed, shipped to Key West a week later, and made it to Friday of pool week. I failed OC ditch and don (too many deficiencies) and when I took the retest I was being as careful as I could, but I went over time because watches weren't allowed in the pool. So, I get thrown out/sent home. I said I wanted to try again, so a week later I was in pre-scuba again (because my boss said it was free and I deserve it for fucking up the first time), then like a week later back to Key West, and passed. So I spent like 3 months in either pre-scuba or scuba school. And that is what we call a shit sandwich. But at least I finally got it.
How did that work in 93? That was before The Corps had its own program correct? I remember a couple of guys in 1/8 had silver bubbles when I was checking in,..I never made it passed CWSS😂
@@chrisharm6242 I was in the army. There were a couple of Marines in my class. The Marines didn't have their own school until a few years later. Before that, they mostly went to a navy school or sometimes a few might go to Key West.
@Chill Will Interesting. That place was still open when I went through dive school. And they were incinerating what I assume were sick animals. I imagine that is how an old nazi death camp must have smelled like. It was really weird (and disgusting). Especially when you had just gone 2 or 3 clicks under water on a rebreather finning your ass off to make time, breathing that same old hot recycled O2- then when you finally hit the shore (as tired, sore, and spent as you have ever been and probably stung a few times by jelly fish), you turn off the dive surface valve, shout out your team number for the grader, snatch off your mask and go to take a breath of fresh surface air... and inhale burning critter carcass. If they are using that facility for anything that involves people, I hope they do a serious HAZMAT DECON. Shit like that is the background for some type of horror movie.
@Chill Will It was definitely open in 93 when I went to the school. I went there a few times after for other training, recerts, etc. I can't remember if it was still operating some of the times when I went back, or at which point it stopped.
I appreciate your stories bud, good stuff!
Like I told you on Facebook, I did 60lbs in a rucksack that was equipped with a belt. I did 4 miles in about 55 minutes. I didn’t let up, but it did humble me once again.
SMB Pls your right I should. Still, not bad for a guy about to be fifty who just started doing this again.
Amen Brother it’s those schools that makes us what we are .
So true! Great video
Chasing the ruck-less “rabbit” in ARS was WAY worse for me then any of the swims I had to do in dive. But regardless of whatever you’re doing, strong points or weak that little “voice” is always going to be there. For me it wasn’t about trying to shut the voice up, it was about identifying it and understanding what was taking place.
Thanks Nick! You inspire me!
Just got back from the recruiters office was doing paperwork and all that good processing stuff. #RECON
I won't to go army SF. This really put some stuff into perspective for me thanks
That water training is what made me become a JTAC instead. To hell with that water, nothing good can come of it. PJ’s, SEALS, CCT, please have at it!
Been subbed for a long time thank you for your service semper fi
I have always had a falsify that I go by this has helped me deal with some really dark shit! And here it is.
You cant change the past,
It is hard to control the future
Buy you can always overcome today!
Their is no one in this world that can tell you what you can or can do except YOU!
We are not human we are an animal dont forget that! And a animal in the wild will literally fight tell it is dead. We have to dig down into are animal cores and from that you will never give up!
Thank you, need to hear this.
Thank you for this vid. I get the same little voice and I needed this.
Way to go! Thumbs up!
Love the videos man. You've inspired me to not just become a marine, but to also go Recon, and Marsoc. Thanks to you, I can change my life. Can you make a video on tattoos in the military? Like when is the bet time to get them, or worst time to get them?
I believe CMC prohibited tattoos years ago. Maybe a new one unfucked that shit.
@@NickKoumalatsos82 Alright thanks. I'll be sure to check them out.
Never get a tatoo for a childish reason.
There has to be a good reason for it, otherwise you'll hate it real quick !
Words of wisdom.
Hey Nick, I watch your videos from time to time. If you want some motivation training you can think of my Uncle who participated in Bataan Death March and then survived two years in a Japanese POW camp. Major Lyles G. Hardin . thank you for your service and motivation.
Jake Brown -US Army retired
It's all in the context Nick. There are some very legitimate times, in life, to quit things. Toxic relationship, bad business idea, etc.
Quitting an endeavor is downright logical at times. So not quitting is not always the panacea it might seem.
You and I both quit the military after all.
The never quit attitude led me to go all in, all the time, as a judo player. ACL surgery and total hip replacement were the realities telling me to really rethink my "never quit" never die, always push forward attitude.
There are many things in life that we should quit. Sometimes a tac withdrawal is the best choice.
You can retool and go again but you need to be smart about being too stubborn.
Spiral fractures in your feet might be a good time to ease up on doing Bataan death marches.....otherwise you might be forced to quit walking. Anyway context matters. 👍
As a tactical firearms police officer who was retired through spinal injury I completely concur. I have multiple injuries to my neck, back and knees all because of the job. There are some time’s you just have to say enough is enough. Context is everything!!! Well said sir.
@@abefroman8202 God Bless ya Abe. Try to enjoy your retirement. It's going to take these young guys a few years to understand just what we have said above. Time, gravity and entropy will guarantee that they WILL get there. Take care sir.
Glenn Hynes. And you too sir. There comes a time when you have to accept that the spirit maybe willing, bu the flesh is a lot further behind. You have a wise head on your shoulders.
Good story Nick
Reminds me of the phrase leaving some in the tank.
Yess more vids like this!!!
Failed out of BUD/S... To this day it haunts the depth of my soul. And really the only reason was because I believed that a certain pass/fail event was close to impossible. Well, because I let that seed of doubt fester, it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. The reality is that it was achievable all along.... So though I didn't ring the bell, did I not still actually quit because I let up? If I'm being honest with myself, I let up because I was giving in... not fully, but enough to where it didn't really matter. Your brain can be the most powerful tool in your arsenal or your greatest enemy.
Freaking A ... those who don’t heed the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it... glad you didn’t ratchet down Nick 👏👏👏👏👏👏on your hike 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I’m 16 and when I get out of high school I am signing up and go for recon i am doing everything to train for it now got and tips what I should do though
Nick Koumalatsos thank you I greatly appreciate this
Long Slow Distance running is one of the best ways to increase your endurance. Just run at a comfortable pace where you can still have a conversation and do it for at least 45minutes - 1 hour, once or twice a week. The rest of the days run 2-3 miles. Even on rest days run at least 1 mile. Endurance is where most people get fucked. Strength is one thing but if you don’t have endurance to keep using your strength then it’s pointless. Try to get a perfect PFT score before shipping to boot camp.
Learn the breast stroke and combat side stroke and be able to swim 500 meters EASILY doing both of them.
After that, it’s all a mental game. Just don’t quit and remember WHY you started.
Nick Koumalatsos Just got your book USMC Prep 12 week marine corps my journey starts now
@@isaacaceves4637 Definitely this, endurance is very important to just about everything you'll do in Basic and beyond. I'd also do some humping/rucking starting with low weight and working your way up. And if you're going to San Diego for boot camp, find whatever hills you can, the bigger the better, and start humping those because you'll be humping some serious hills in Pendleton.
Don’t waste your time with Recon cause you’ll just be going on MEUs like the rest of the infantry battalions. Go to an infantry battalion, get some experience, do a deployment, then go to A&S for MARSOC.
Straight up truth.
Brother it's so true. I had the privilege of working an exceptional job with exceptional, tough mother fuckers and I know myself and many of my brothers would be dead or really fucked up if we didn't constantly keep that mindset. "If you think you're fine you'll die" 🤘
vetbro haircut and beard, sweet
Were you talking about the baton march in NM ?
good word brother
hope to see you at Bataan!
I'm not military but this was inspiring. Thanks and Nick always hard working workaholic with thorasos if I wrote it right. Regardless heart and huevos in my mind!
Proud to have a greek marine
I'm colorblind and realistically, I'll never be able to do any sort of Special Operations.
How bad are you colorblind because I’m barley colorblind so could I join
Don’t count yourself out man. If you want it bad enough find a way. You’d be surprised there’s waivers for everything these days you just gotta find someone willing to give you a shot. And there’s tons of options if you count Spec ops enablers (EOD, Navy Corpsman, JTACS, CCT, etc.)
Great motivational life lesson about how to face and surpass adversity. Had a question can you ruck the march with more than 45 lbs or is that the max weight allowed?
Lol I know what he is saying. When I raced motocross years ago. I always thought half way tgrought I could ride one slower lap then go like he'll and it would be ok. Lol not even a little. Wide open till you drop. Goog luck to you who serve. And thanks.
We all fuck up sometime just get done I had to redo my in 1999 to
So when you’re ahead is when you’re most likely to fall behind.
I want to try this and I know it’ll be the hardest thing I’ll ever do
"You need to un-f$ck yourself" is only a line used on a mature marine. Because you actually walk away feeling absolutely terrible.
Random question: do u guys wear the jump wings and scuba bubble with the raider badge in uni or no?
Random Reviews nick has been out for several years so he doesn’t know that the regulations have been updated. According to a MARADMIN that came out a few years ago, Marines who rate can wear both duel cools and the stripper chicken at the same time in uniform. However, if all 3 devices are worn at the same time they must be worn centered along the front trouser flap and spaced 1/8” apart.
Hope this helps.
Jaeger1-4 I was asking as a personal preference but turns out u can’t
MARADMIN 490/16 d. Paragraph 4002.3.l.
Raider dagger and none else
But it did help me google it so thanks
www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/946753/marine-s/
@@loudnoises4627
I think it was a joke. Putting badges on you trousers zipper.
This shit just fucking hit home brother
Your body can take more than your mind thinks it can.
The battan death March that's near Las Cruces NM?
I encounter this in myself with school all the time.
tnx man
Hey can marsoc go to dive and jump and halo school
What brand of pants are those that you have on when you're rucking? Need to get me some of those
In hindsight, what pack would you prefer loaded with the same weight? New Grey Ghost ruck, original ruck, hiking pack or other? Again, just 45 pounds.
Would your answer be the same for different distances?
1 day for 2 hours?
5 days for 6+ hours per day?
Etc
You stop once, u stop twice they always say
Do he say 45 miles ?!?! Is that none stop ???
Bet you hated that Platoon Sergeant.
I really want to go to the recons or raiders
Thanks
Dive school- dieing of dehydration while surrounded water
Hey do you think you could make an in depth video of a&s and itc or at least as much as you’d be allowed to say and what differences do you see from grunts at a&s vs other mos’s
Probably didn't use a mic
💪🏼
Walking on that ruck?? Whaaaaat?
Who was your corpsman I was around the same time
what other schools did you attend?
Dang the pictures of the younger you you look so different haha it’s the beard and hair haha
How about the stem cells
✍️
Have any experiences with sharks ? Any fears about them in the back of your head?
Nick Koumalatsos Sharks are fake news😂