How to Make it in Marine Boot Camp

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The #1 Thing You Need to Know to Succeed at MCRD.

In this video I'm going to tell you how to be successful in Marine Corps Boot Camp.

And how do I know? I was a Marine Master Sergeant and served 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. I went to boot camp in 1983 (Ronald Reagan was President). I hit the yellow foot prints about a month after the bombing in Beirut.

I learned very quickly what it too to be successful in Marine boot camp.

The secret is to "surrender" to boot camp. Surrendering to your drill instructors. What does that mean? It's not as ethereal as it sounds. It just means giving up what you knew before. If you're a hunter, give up the way you shoot. Give up the thinking you know how how to do it when you're at the rifle range. The recruits that were successful at the range were not the hunters. The recruits that never shot a weapon before in their lives were the ones knocking out expert. Because they didn't know what they were doing so they had to surrender completely to the shooting instructors.

People who are ROTC have limited success. They know how to march (a little), they knew some history, customs etc., but what they didn't know was that they needed to give that up and do things they way the D.I.s wanted them to do it. Not the way they thought it should be done, not they way they had done it before. One of the worst things you can say in the military is, "This is the way it's always been done."

The key to success: Surrender to bot camp, surrender to the knowledge and authority of your D.I.s and you will be a success.

Thanks for watching.

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• topabbott

[W4UAV]

I know thats where I failed. I went to Parris Island Aug of 1990.. tried my best to maintain my individualism and struggled physically which did not help. After being dropped back twice and being injured on the 1st Bat. obstacle course, my goal became leaving and not staying.. which is what ultimately happened, 4 months later! After learning so much of the history of the Marine Corps my respect for marines and members of the military in general has been incredibly high since.

[TopAbbott]

@W4UAV That was a very tough way to learn a lesson! The military, especially the Marine Corps, is not for everyone. I'm certainly glad to hear your experience did not sour you on respecting the military.

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[boobtubious]

HooRah!

[TopAbbott]

@boobtubious Haha, thanks for the comment! Semper Fi!

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[dunebladerunnerfan]

I'll always have boot camp in my heart. I graduated from PI 19 years ago (June 11, 1993): Platoon 3048, India Company, 3rd Battalion. Whenever I have self-doubt or feel depressed, I simply listen to the yelling of my Drill Instructors in my head. I then feel stronger. Brings tears to my eyes whenever I reminisce the hardships I went through. It wasn't easy for me: Originally I was in 1st Battalion the first week, then I was dropped because I couldn't do the pull-ups, then spent 3 months in PCP!

[GUNNYMADDOG]

OOHRAH Top.

[GiacomoKnox]

OOOORAH, Top!