Usmc boot camp: the most extreme and challenging of all military forces

Lynn Freeman USMC Boot Camp: The Most Extreme and Challenging of all Military Forces The Free Dictionary defines a boot camp as “ a correctional facility that uses the training techniques applied to military recruits to teach usually youthful offenders socially acceptable patterns of behavior” (Free Dictionary, par. 1). Specifically, the US Marine Boot Camp is the initial training program undertaken by potential recruits to join the US Marine Corps (USMC). There are two specific locations for training: the Recruit Training Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, and the Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California (Powers, 1). Successful recruits have attested that training at the USMC boot camp is the most extremely challenging of all military trainings globally. The aim of the essay therefore is to determine if the contentions that training at the US Marine Boot Camp is the most grueling basic training in the world. Training at the Marine boot camp takes about 12 weeks with an estimated 70 days devoted primarily to training activities: physical training, intensive education, instilling discipline, rifle training, the crucible, and polishing, among others (Leatherneck, 1). Aside from using physical strength to sustain the required physical training (running or marching up to 10 miles, pull ups and sit ups), a recruit is obliged to memorize a number of required marine creeds and information (11 General Orders for a Sentry, the Marine Rifle Creed, Marine Hymn, USMC Core Values, History, Code of Conduct) (Powers, 1). Recruits who are not in shape physically, in terms of either being overweight or underweight, need to be subjected to a Physical Conditioning Platoon (PCP) where, according to Powers “ while it is normally a 21 day program, once you’re in, you don’t get out until you can do 3 pull ups, 40 sit ups in 2 minutes, and run 3 miles in 28: 00 minutes” (1). Further, the first phase alone is designed to psychologically prepare the recruits through “ disorienting them and instilling in them the mental and physical discipline needed to perform under stressful situations that will be simulated in subsequent phases, and experienced in combat situations” (Leatherneck, 1). These activities need to prepare a recruit not only physically, but mentally and emotionally, to determine their genuine interest, determination, capability and strength to be included as one of the members of the USMC. Finally, other challenging phases are the combat water survival, weapons training, field firing range and the crucible. The crucible is notorious for its subjecting the recruits to “ three days of constant strenuous testing, humping, hardship, punishment, and starvation” (Leatherneck, 1). Training at the US Marine Boot Camp is the most grueling basic training in the world. The trainings at marine boot camp are therefore supported to be rigorous and most challenging as the programs aim to develop recruits in all phases: physical strength, mental agility and capacity, emotional stability and competence through diverse environments: in the field, during combat, under water, with weapons and to work as member of a team. With the amount of time needed to continually train the whole day for more than six days a week, as needed, the Marine boot camp training is definitely an experience that only a selected few could survive. Works Cited Free Dictionary. Boot Camp. 2011. Web. 03 June 2011. Leatherneck. Sample Daily Boot Camp Training Schedule. N. d. Web. 03 June 2011. Powers, Rod. Surviving Marine Corps Basic Training. 2011. Web. 03 June 2011.