Boot camp is a period of transition in the military. During this time, new recruits learn the basics of the military including what services they are, how to answer questions, and what rights they have.
However, Boot camp is more than just learning the basics. It is a month-long period of transition where new members learn who they are as people and what they can and cannot do. They also build relationships with other recruits that can be important as things like squad leaders or future team members.
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Proud of who they are
When your fellow Marines tell you who they are, you can be proud of who you are as a person. They get into what they want to get into and they do it with confidence.
They are proud of their looks and how they represent the Corps. They feel cool in their Marine uniforms and hats. They enjoy wearing them and being reminded of why they wear them.
You can feel confident in your soldiers, because they undergo a long process to earn their security clearance. It takes a long time for them to become trusted members of your team, but I believe that is what happens.
They trust their assignment is being done correctly, which brings me to the next point. After boot camp, soldiers must go through physical training in order to maintain fitness levels.
Could not be more different from air force basic training
When you look at basic training, you see many similarities to air force basic training. You have the street shoes, the leggings, and the oversized shirt and jacket. You also have the rings and rings on chainmail shirts.
These styles are similar because both systems use those pieces of clothing as a standard for your physical appearance while in boot camp. The difference is that in basic training, you practice and learn how to be active and ready for anything during your week of training, whereas in boot camp, you just get ready to go to war!
Basic training is very hard. There are a lot of rules, you may or may not be called right away, and when you do get called, it can be nerve-wracking. It’s also very regimented, with all the colors we wear and what they say on our gear. It can be difficult to break from that if you don’t like it.
They do things the marine way
Before you even get to boot camp, you do your basic training in a non-military setting. This is called JROTC or “Junior Roster Training” and it’s designed to give you experience in the outdoors and hard work that takes pressure and consistency.
After all of your basic training, you go to your first duty station where you train, practice, and learn how to lead a unit. You spend a week at your station learning what supplies and equipment your unit uses and how they respond in an emergency.
Then, you move on to the next step: Individual training, or what marine boot campers call actual military training. Here, you learn how to act like a marine in an emergency and take steps to prevent it from happening again.
You also learn how to use first aid and self-defense skills during this phase of boot camp.
Make your bed every morning
This may seem like an insignificant detail, but your bed can make a big difference in your day. You’ll want to put your feet on the floor for this one, and then get into your horizontal position in the morning.
Your feet will need to be dried, and you’ll want to put away all of your belongings. All of this must be done before you start school or work or whatever you’re doing for the day.
You’ll need to make your bed in order to keep track of things. Also, if you have lots of college-age kids, then you’ll want to make a bed for everyone because there’s probably going to be a late night out coming soon.
Making the bed is another way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Say you had a really busy day and didn’t make your room on time, people might think that you were unorganized or didn’t care about their stuff.
Silent drill platoon
Assembling at boot camp is a mentally and physically draining process. You have to keep your focus and intensity up or you will be punished with extra time in the drill platoon.
You will also be divided into specific platoons to learn your skills. This is called being split up, prepared for training. Being prepared for training means being briefed on what duties you will perform during Boot Camp, how long you will stay at Boot Camp, and what the schedule will be.
You will also be paired up with another soldier who is going to join you in your job of preparing for battle. This makes sense—two people sharing one room, two weeks of intensive training, and two weeks of no training!
You’ll stay in basic training until you’re ready to go to boot camp, so don’t get nervous! Everything is organized and timed, so there’s no need to rush anything.
They do push-ups everywhere
Even during boot camp, your newly assigned cadet is expected to do at least a few push-ups per day. Most cadets are good at about four a day, but those with bigger arms or legs can make more per day.
That’s why you are here! You’re on the Marine Corps Boot Camp diet, right?
Your instructor will tell you that you have to do at least two full rounds of push-ups every other workday, so don’t worry about making too many mistakes or not being consistent. Every time you need to throw in a couple of mistakes or days with no training, your instructor will help out with progression.
The point is to get these guys into shape and be consistent in your training.
Running is a big part of boot camp
Your commander will ask you to run a few times per week during boot camp. This is part of his training for how to manage your soldiers.
Your running can affect your rank and advancement. Rank depends on how many runs you do per week, runs in training effect rank as well as promotion potential.
Your running can also affect your morale. Many soldiers feel that running is a nice way to unwind after a long day of training and working with young, energetic troops.
Friendship can be affected by running, since many friends cannot take the pace that army boots are made to be taken!
Teamwork is important in boot camp, so don’t be too busy trying to run to get it done.
Learning how to fight
As cadets, you’ll learn a few things about fighting. The first is that there are no shortcuts to becoming a good fighter. You’re going to have to learn how to use your hands, feet, and body in a fight-ful manner.
You’re also going to have to be taught how to control your emotions in a fight, because if you show fear or lose your composure, your opponent will gain the upper hand.
The second thing is that training can go slow as cadets. While we were being trained, the rest of the world was being trained as well. As we learned our positions and started fighting, it was like we were on our own again!
There were times when I would wait for my commanding officer before starting a new assignment because I had done so much that day that I needed rest. It is important that you keep working hard even while taking time for rest and relaxation.