If you want to know what Marine training is like from someone who has experienced it personally, then Devil Dog Diary is the book for you. Devil Dog Diary is the ONLY fully-illustrated, first-hand account of USMC basic training ever published. It's packed with photos -- it's even got a glossary of Marine slang. It's a must-read for both recruits and salty dogs who want to relive their boot camp days. Click the links to see photos or read some sample chapters from the book. Click to order a copy, for yourself, or for the future Marine in your life. You're not prepared for boot camp until you read Devil Dog Diary!
AUGUST 1, 2008 PASSING INSPECTION
Pictured below is GySgt. Will Price, author of the bootcamp journal Devil Dog Diary, with Ed Vogt, the Assistant Inspector General of the Navy and Marine Corps, after a motivating Evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington. Ed is a retired Master Gunnery Sgt. in the Corps. His 19 year-old twins are both in bootcamp aboard Parris Island, and will graduate later this month. Ooh Rah!
JULY 25, 2008 FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA
I met with the Future Farmers of America after a Sunset Parade at the Marine Corps War Memorial. If the rest of the young people in America are as motivated as this particular group of gifted young Americans, the future is indeed going to be bright -- some of them do need to work on their "jazz hands," though! ;)
JULY 19, 2008 MARINE PARENTS UNITED
GySgt. Will Price, author of the bootcamp journal Devil Dog Diary, recently had this pleasure of meeting with Marianne Jordan, President ofMarine Parents United, at a Sunset Parade at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. MPU held their annual conference in Chantilly, Va. More than 100 motivated Marine parents gathered to share sea stories. I got to meet lots of great people, including Frank Schaeffer, author of Keeping Faith, former Senior DI Staff Sgt. Mike Nichols, whose platoon was featured in the innovative bootcamp documentary, Ears Open, Eyeballs Click,and Max Beerup, Navy Corpsman and the President of the 1st Division Marine Corps League! Also pictured below is Ms. Jordan's daughter Cassandra!
JULY 16, 2008
"I must have read your book about 10 times"
Pictured above is Marine, Pfc. Mike Ward and his proud Marine Mother, Donna. Ward was 2nd Battalion, Fox Co., Plt. 2046. The Ward family, along with Ward's girlfriend Melanie, recently attended his graduation on Parris Island. Soon after the Ward's graduation, I received the e-mail below from Ward's girlfriend, Melanie. It brought a tear to my eye!
Dear Gysgt Price,
I just wanted to extend my thanks for your book, Devil Dog Diary. My boyfriend left on Easter Sunday of this year for Parris Island. Since then, I must have read your book about 10 times. On the plane ride home from Hilton Head this past Friday after graduation, I handed the book to him with a note on the inside cover that read 'Dear PFC Ward, This book helped me get through these past four months of boot camp. When you are ready to read it, I am sure it will help you see how far you have come. Semper Fi, and Godspeed I love you, Melanie.'
He just about cried, let me tell you! He immediately began reading your book, which surprised me! I thought he would need a few days to be ready for a recap of Boot Camp! He understands now how I knew about "bag nasties" and "go fasters." All in all, I am thankful for you writing this and helping all of us families understand what is going on down on the Island. It truly, truly helps. Thank you again, and God Bless you and your family. OOOh Rahhh! :)
Sincerely, Melanie Davidson
JULY 11, 2008 YOUNG MARINES, MISSOURI GySgt. Will Price, author of the bootcamp journal Devil Dog Diary, met with a fine group of Young Marines from Missouri, following a Friday evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. Also featured is our former Barracks mascot and resident rockstar, Sgt. Chesty
XII.
JULY 8, 2008 YOUNG MARINES, FLORIDA At a recent Evening Parade held at Marine Barracks Washington, GySgt. Will Price, author of the bootcamp journal Devil Dog Diary, met with an extremely motivated, dedicated group of Young Marines from Gainesville, Florida. (Go Gators!) Their OOH-RAHS and motivation were so loud I think they might have woken up the Commandant himself. The Milton Lewis Young Marines are pictured here with your favorite Gunny, PFC. Jones with Chesty the XIII, our newest mascot, and Drum Major Master Sgt. Browne of the President's Own U.S. Marine Band.
JUNE 24, 2008 YOUNG MARINES, MASS. I spent most of the day with Kevin Jandreau's Young Marines of Westover, Mass. First, they paid a visit to the Oldest Post of the Corps at 8th & I, where Cpl. John Parry gave them a tour of Marine Barracks Washington. The Young Marines were paid a special visit by a former Inspector General of the young Marines, retired Major Joe Bles. Later, the group posed with me, GySgt. Will Price, author of Devil Dog Diary, in front of the Marine Corps War Memorial, in Arlington, Va., after watching a Sunset Parade. Making the evening even more special was the presence of Lance Cpl. Justin Gelgut of Bravo Company, a ceremonial marcher in the evening parade and former 1st Sgt. for the Westover Young Marines! Semper Fi, Young Devil Pups!
JUNE 18, 2008 DEVIL DOG DIARY AD Here's the latest ad for my Marine bootcamp journal, Devil Dog Diary!
JUNE 14, 2008 LOCK AND LOAD GySgt. R. Lee Ermey came to Marine barracks Washington recently to film his new History Channel show Lock and Load. I was able to meet him, and slip him a copy of everyone's favorite bootcamp journal, Devil Dog Diary. The Full Metal Jacket star said, "Great! Now I have something to read on the plane ride back to Texas!" He also made fun of my mop-headed "before the corps" picture on the book's back cover. There's a picture of him laughing at it below, along with a picture of him and Gysgt. Will Price (me). Ermey was a completely down-to-earth, warm, generous man, and he graciously took the time to pose for individual pictures with more than 500 of the Marines stationed at the Corps' the Oldest Post, in Washington, D.C. Semper Fi, Lee!
JUNE 13, 2008 CALVIN HILL Chosen in the first round of the 1969 draft out of Yale, Calvin Hill became the Dallas Cowboy's first 1000-yard rusher in 1972. In his first year, he won Rookie of the Year after rushing 942 yards. He lead the team in rushing in 69, 72, 73 & 74 and in receiving in 72 & 73, making four Pro Bowl teams and finishing his career with 6030 yards rushing. His son is superstar Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons (1994–2000), and Orlando Magic (2000–2007), currently playing with the Phoenix Suns. Grant Hill was born in Dallas, Texas, when his father, Calvin, was a running back for the Cowboys. Calvin Hill is pictured below with his wife, Janet, and GySgt. Will Price, author of Devil Dog Diary.
JUNE 12, 2008 REVIEW: PURPLE HEART MAGAZINE A review of Devil Dog Diary appeared in the latest issue of Purple Heart Magaine. The magazine warns that reading my book "May trigger a case of flashback in all its rigor, humor and pride in earning the title Marine." Here's the whole review:
JUNE 11, 2008 "DEVIL DOG DIARY" meets "DELTA TO DMZ" That's a whole lot of D's! Marine Colonel Charles Waterhouse (Ret.) and GySgt. Will Price traded books at the Colonel Charles Waterhouse Historical Museum in Tom's River, New Jersey, on June 4, 2008. Waterhouse's paintings and sketches brilliantly capture the history of the Marine Corps, from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror. His book, "Delta to DMZ" collects some of the hundreds of sketches the legendary USMC artist drew during the three years he spent in Vietnam. One of his paintings is shown below. Special thanks to Charlie, his wife Bobbie, and their family for being so gracious to me, and to our group of visiting Marines. For more information on the Waterhouse Museum and all its amazing Marine Corps artwork, go to www.waterhousemuseum.com or call 732-818-9040.
JUNE 10, 2008 DEVIL PUP Here I am with my son, Will Jr., shortly before a Friday Evening Parade here at Marine Barracks Washington. A Marine rule of thumb is "Never put on your Dress Blues without having someone to check them," so Will Jr., made sure all my ribbons, medals and buttons were covered and aligned! You may find it hard to believe that a 19-month-old boy knows uniform regulations, but his grandfather was a Marine F-18 fighter pilot and he himself was born on the Marine Corps birthday -- Nov. 10, 2006 -- so I guess you could say it's in his blood.
JUNE 9, 2008 CROWD EDUCATOR Every Friday evening in the summer, Marine Barracks Washington presents a one hour and fifteen minute performance of music and precision marching, featuring "The President's Own" United States Marine Band, "The Commandant's Own" The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Ceremonial Marchers, and Sgt. Chesty XII, the official mascot of Marine Barracks Washington. Before the parade, "Crowd Educators" warm up the audience. Pictured below is Crowd Educator Will Price, author of DEVIL DOG DIARY, at a parade held in 2007.
JUNE 8, 2008 "WE HAVE ALL ENJOYED THE BOOK IMMENSELY"
I got the letter below from Robin Goodman, the mother of a future Marine, thanking me for writing Devil Dog Diary. My bootcamp journal helped her understand the training her son is currently going through, and she mentions that several members of her family have also read the book. She calls it "a valuable resource for any young man or woman embarking on recruit training." Awesome! It doesn't GET any better than this:
JUNE 7, 2008 THE RIGHT STUFF
GySgt. Will Price meets Senator John Glenn! After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Glenn enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. When the Army did not call him up, he enlisted as a United States Navy aviation cadet in March 1942 and was trained at Naval Air Station, where he made his first solo flight in a military aircraft. During advanced training at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi he was reassigned to the Marine Corps in 1943. In April 1959, Glenn was assigned to NASA as one of the original group of the "Right Stuff" Mercury astronauts. During this time, he remained an officer in the Marine Corps. Glenn piloted the first American manned orbital mission in 1962, and later served in the U.S. Senate, representing Ohio for 24 years. Semper Fi, John!
JUNE 6, 2008 HIGH AND TIGHT Last month, the Senior class of 2008 from Westminster Christian Academy of St. Louis came to Washington, D.C., to visit Marine Barracks Washington. They were given a tour of the Barracks and the Home of the Commandants, then had lunch in our outstanding chow hall. That is where I got to meet Academy member David Testrake, and some of his classmates and teachers. After having lunch with them and talking about everything from politics to the history of the Marine Corps, I looked at the mop of hair on David and decided he was in need of a motivating high and tight hair cut. I offered to contribute a sawbuck to pay for his new 'do.' After a little bit of indecision, David finally rogered up and we were off to Sneed's Barber shop, just across the street.
After getting his genuine Marine motivational high and tight hair cut, we took a group shot with the rest of the Westminster Academy, shown below. In the center of the picture are GySgt. Will Price and David Testrake, sporting a fresh haircut.
Inspired by his new haircut, David started reading Devil Dog Diary. He recently sent me this e-mail to tell me how much he liked the book: "Dear Gunny, I just finished your book, and it was really good! I think that's it up there with "Flowers for Algernon" in its ability to show how your thoughts and emotions were changing as you went through basic. I'm glad that you shared that part of your life with the world, and I wish you all the success you deserve with your writing." Signed, David Testrake. Oo-rah, David!
JUNE 5, 2008 LEATHERNECK MAGAZINE REVIEW
Below is a great review of my bootcamp journal, DEVIL DOG DIARY from Leatherneck magazine, March 2008 issue. They said my book was "a frank portrayal of life through a recruit's eyes... a must-read for America's young men and women." Wow! High praise from the official magazine of the U.S.Marine Corps. Here's the full review:
JUNE 4, 2008 PROMOTIONAL IMAGES
Pictured below are six new DEVIL DOG DIARY promotional Images. Feel free to add them to your web site, and please link them to www.devildogdiary.com.
