Marine Corps Boot Camp

1. Attitude is the key to doing well at boot camp.  Train yourself to maintain a winning attitude and you will do well. 2. Stay motivated!  The Drill Instructors love to see motivated recruits.  Show them that you have the heart to be the best recruit ever. 3. Memorize the basics.  The basic academic questions [...]

MCT / ITB (Marine Combat Training / Infantry Training Battalion) Whether you go to MCT or ITB depends on the MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) you have chosen.  If you have chosen Infantry you will attend Infantry Training Battalion.  If you have chosen a non-infantry MOS, you will attend Marine Combat Training. What’s the difference? ITB [...]

You will become very familiar with IPT during your time at boot camp. Drill Instructors will use this as a form of punishment when you or anyone else in your platoon does something wrong. This form of punishment usually takes place in the squad bay on what is called the quarterdeck. Your Drill Instructor will [...]

Drill instructors have a purpose and that is to turn ordinary citizens into basically trained Marines ready to answer the call of duty for our nation.  They will try their best to discourage you.  Many people cannot handle the mental stress the Drill Instructors put on them.  Just remember that you are not the only [...]

You will learn many terms while in boot camp that are much different from what you hear in the civilian world.  This is known as ‘Marine Jargon.’  I have listed the most important ones below and I recommend you print them out and study them and use them until they become natural. Aboard on base, [...]

This will be one of the greatest days of your life.  You will have survived the constant physical and mental demands thrown at you, the never-ending yelling and screaming by the Drill Instructors, the academic overload, the extremely challenging Crucible and much more than the average person would dare to attempt.  You will have every [...]