We Are The Mighty

Marine Corps Basic Training is all of that and then some. Every Marine that graduates from boot camp is a basically trained Marine. They learn the basics and then once you get to your first duty station (after your MOS training), that's where you truly learn what it's like to be a Marine. Boot camp was long and tough but once you graduate, you truly feel like you've accomplished something meaningful.

First 4 points are true enough.......but that 5th one, not so much. It "is" extremely difficult.....both physically and mentally. I was prepared for the physical part, the mental part caught me by surprise. But to become a Marine, you had to be tough in both ways......the training was designed to weed out those who couldn't adapt and thrive under difficult circumstances. It was very effective in that regard.

Your senior DI is not nearly as visible as your two primary Drill Instructors. That is true. They are just as unbending as the others so it doesn't make much of a difference when they are there. I remember seeing my SDI grab a rope (no knots) in each hand and do the rope climb like that. I struggled initially with two hands and two feet on one rope. I thought, how in the hell did he do that.

It is true, you don't learn to shoot from your DI's. You have instructors for marksmanship. The DI's still have control of you they just don't teach marksmanship.

You learn some basic infantry tactics. You are not a grunt though.

There was a lot of PT when I was there 37 years ago. Not just formal PT but also quarterdeck PT and Rose Garden PT etc.

My DI's were harsh to the bitter end. There was zero let up. The day we graduated on the parade deck one of my DI's Sheathed his sword, told us to get the F%# away from him and he walked away. They were not our friends, ever, period. No let down, no soft spots.

It is very difficult in a number of ways. Physically it was a challenge for most people. More PT than most of us had done in our entire lives in 3 months. The harder part was being completely controlled 24-7. There was no time away, no peace and quiet. Even head calls were orchestrated events with only so much time, getting dressed by the numbers early on too. We did get an hour in the evening to shine boots, brass, shower etc. write a quick letter or read one but the DI's were ever present and casual chatter or screwing around were dealt with harshly.

There was physical correction too. You could get taken out pretty quickly if you screwed up. Most of us did something to earn more than one whack. I got a few. Sometimes for eyeballing or saying "I" instead of "the private" I called a DI "you" once early on, that was a mistake. Some got a lot more than I did.

We were given informal instruction on how to properly kill ourselves if we were going to do it. They hated failure. We had a guy that tried by drinking laundry detergent. It didn't work. I remember eating duck a few times too. They would take you to the chow hall, you would get food on your tray, walk to the garbage and throw it away without eating any of it. When you heard we were having duck tonight you knew what it meant. It was another punishment meted out.

We even marched to Church on Sundays and almost everyone went. It was a respite but eyes were always on you. There were DI's at the service sometimes just a couple but you sat by platoon and a report was given if anyone screwed up.