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Marine Boot Camp

For those individuals who are interested in joining one of the branches of the United States military, make no mistake the Marine Corps is generally accepted as the most physically demanding. This contrast with other branches of service begins with basic training, or Marine Boot Camp.

Marine Boot Camp Locations

There are two locations the Marine Corps uses for basic training, or marine boot camp, for their recruits. One camp is located at the Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California. This is generally the assignment given to recruits that originate west of the Mississippi. For those whose enlistment originates east of the Mississippi generally will be assigned to the Recruit Training Depot located in Parris Island, South Carolina. All female recruits also attend Parris Island.

Recent numbers show that Parris Island graduates 17,000 marines per year with an average daily male recruit population of 3,786. The average daily female recruit population is 600. San Diego is slightly higher at 21,000 recruits per year. The average age of both male and female recruits is 19 years of age.

Marine Boot Camp: Physically and Mentally Taxing

As before stated, Marine Corps basic training, or marine boot camp, is physically very challenging with personal fitness being a large part of training. However, many are unaware that basic training, or marine boot camp, constitutes much more than just physical fitness. There is a great deal of information that is to be learned and thus a recruit is pushed and tested not only physically, but mentally as well. Among the many things that are to be memorized are:

• Eleven orders for a Sentry
• United States Marine Corps Rank
• Marine Rifle Creed
• Marine’s Hymn

In addition, the recruit will learn United States Marine Corps values, study Marine Corps history, and become familiar to the point of memory of the characteristics of the M16 rifle. When the recruit arrives he is instructed to bring only important documents (passport, drivers license, social security card, and bank information), and the clothes on his back. All else will be issued through the Marine Corps. This includes medications that the recruit may have been prescribed. The Marine Corps doctors will review medications and then if proved pertinent will issue prescriptions from the Marine Corps pharmacy.

Marine Boot Camp: A Harsh Reality

For many, marine boot camp is a rude awakening to the reality to their new life as a marine. Marine boot camp is a way for training officers to weed out those individuals who are not cut out for the challenge of marine life. For others, it is a chance to prove to themselves as well as others that they are ready and able to endure challenging, demanding tests both physically and mentally in honor of themselves and their country.