January 9 - April 7, 2007
Where Do I begin? I dont want to bore those who have heard the stories nor do I want to leave those in the dark who havent..Ill do my best.
Boot Camp: its meant to break you down to nothing and then build you back up, its meant to teach you the discipline that only a Drill Instructor (DI) can instill in you, and its meant to make the ultimate transformation from Civilian to Marine.
From the moment your off the plane, onto the bus, rushed to the yellow footprints, and pushed through recieving the butterflies never leave your stomache. You start by being up for 3 days straight and the fun continues from there. Quarter Deck (QD) Well my mouth got me a lot of time there and the pit. Definition: Push-ups, side straddle hops, running in place, and mountain climbers until you cannot lift your leg or arm again. Drill: Marching with your rifle, formations, and sitting still while bugs cover your body! Snaping in: Sitting in positions for hours on end and your body goes numb. Yelling: Spit flying at you in many directions. And thats only half of it. Sure they broke me down to the point of tears and I would have given anything to get out, but you know what, I made it and Im stronger today because of it. How many people can say they have been to a gas chamber, shot the M16 A2 Service Rifle, Repelled down towers, Got to run Obstacle and Confidence Courses, and went through the Crucible. - The time to test what you learned and push you further than ever. 54 hours with food and sleep deprivation and over 40 miles of marching. You aslo need to pass a 100 question knowledge test, three inspections, and a PFT which consists of a 3 mile run, 70 seconds of hangnig on a bar and atleast 50 crunches in 2 minutes, Combat Water Survival, and earn a tan belt in MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program)
I wouldnt change a minute of what I went through. It made me who I am today, A United States Marine.
