View Full Version : Typical day at Bootcamp
noleafclover
11-08-04, 10:29 PM
Hi, future Marine here. I'm just gathering as much info as I can get before I enlist. My question is: what is a typical day for phase 1, 2, and 3 at bootcamp like? This is what I've got so far:
0430 - Revillie
0500 - ?
0505 - Chow
0600 - ?
0700 - ?
0800 - ?
0900 - ?
1000 - ?
1100 - ?
1145 - Di Time
1200 - ?
1300 - ?
1400 - ?
1415 - PT
1530 - return to barracks
1600 - Chow
1620 - DI Time
2000 Free Time
2100 - Taps
I also would like to know what happens during "DI Time". And please don't go easy.
First of all I think your worrying too much. There isn't day that is the same. At least it wasn't for me (3rd BN Lima Co. 1997). What you should be focused on is getting yourself ready physically and expecting the worst mentally.
But to ease your thoughts a bit.. You get up, clean up, eat up, pt -throw up-drill-drill-drill-drill-pt some more- classes-drill-pt-drill-drill-eat-n-duck-drill-class-drill-drill-visit the beach-drill-play games-drill-eat-clean-up-shower up-inspection-hit the rack- fire watch, sleep...dream about drill- wake up and do it all over again.
oh yeah.. DI time, is what ever in the He(( they want it to be... hopefully it involves instilling disipline in hopes to create well trained Marines.
cjdoyle
11-09-04, 12:04 AM
Sgt J
That is the best D@mn answer I have ever heard to that question.
Sgt D
:banana:
Like Sgt J said it changes day to day. There is no "same as yesterday". Each day you will do some sort of PT (whether planned or "imprompt"), you'll get to chow 3 times a day (no garantee on eating), and you'll get to bed at night.
There will be days when your in a classroom setting and there all day, others you'll be outside doing hand to hand combat. As for phases P1 your learning what to do, learning how to drill, procedure, basic weapon nomenclature, etc. P2 your doing marksmanship and field training. P3 You put everything together and should be a team.
The best is to just make sure your mentally prepared and in the best shape you could be in before you ship.
airframesguru
11-09-04, 07:20 AM
0430 - Revillie
0500 - PIT
0505 - Chow
0600 - PIT
0700 - PIT
0800 - PIT
0900 - PIT
1000 - PIT
1100 - PIT
1145 - Di Time
1200 - PIT
1300 - PIT
1400 - PIT
1415 - PT (PIT)
1530 - return to barracks
1600 - Chow
1620 - DI Time
2000 Free Time
2100 - PIT thenTaps
Debate_god21
11-09-04, 08:16 AM
PIT about sums it up!
How many of you remember this as the place you were born again? (During the time frame this picture was taken)
http://history.sandiego.edu/cdr2/corps/pics/u00010.jpg
MillRatUSMC
11-09-04, 10:06 AM
enviro,
That's MCRD San Diego, on other message board, we thought it was during World War II because of the number of Quonset huts near the grinder.
Possibly early 50's, the bulding in center of the foreground is the General's Headquaters on the right at the end of the "L" shape building, I believe that were Sea School was located in the 60's
To the rear of the Quonset huts, those would be the "Heads".
Across the road are the Obstacle Courses.
The rifle ranges were at La Jolla, Camp Matthews till they moved to Camp Pendleton, Edson Range.
At the other end of this photo but not shown was the Base Theater and the Recieving Barracks.
The buildings on the left had an archway, which is barely visable, with a small building like structure in between each large building.
I remember yelling ATTENTION!!! at 0130 in the morning.
Each ATTENTION!!! was greeted by "Shutup you damn fools!"
Oh those were the days...
Where we were reborned again...
Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo
MillRatUSMC
11-09-04, 10:15 AM
noleafclover,
There no typical day in boot camp, everyday, of training is different, there many places on the web that will give the schedule for the training cycles of boot camp.
There's more information on boot camp now than when we went through.
I have a page of links on the web;
http://www.geocities.com/millrat_99/index.html
Look through some of that for any information that you might want to view.
It might give you an idea of a "typical day in boot camp"
You might try a search on google, typing in the words "typical day in boot camp"...you might be surprise on all that's out there on the web...
Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo
Namvet67
11-09-04, 11:13 AM
Yep....I agree...no day is typical. The Drill Instructor's mood will set the pace for the day. The purpose of boot camp is to break down the way a civilian thinks...get rid of old habits and teach you how to think and act as a team. We are all on the same team working towards a commom goal. No room for show boaters and attitudes. Some day you may have to depend on your buddie in a combat situation...the place where teamwork may mean life or death. In the beginning when you step on those footprints, it will be all about sleep deprivation and a lot of mental and physical stress. This is the beginning of the brain washing process. Good luck noleafclover.
Poolee08/09
11-09-04, 09:58 PM
at PI it was never the same lights was at either 0400 or 0500 depending on what Di has duty that night. and most of those blanks are doing the extra stuff like scuzzing the deck or drilling or having a beach party in teh pit. free time is never a garuntee. most of the time for us it was toes against the wood of out footlockers. and chow was at 0430, 1130 and 1730 most of the time. and i never heard of DI time. but thats just at PI 2nd BN Hotel Co PLT 2098 Grad date 5 Nov 2004
"But to ease your thoughts a bit.. You get up, clean up, eat up, pt -throw up-drill-drill-drill-drill-pt some more- classes-drill-pt-drill-drill-eat-n-duck-drill-class-drill-drill-visit the beach-drill-play games-drill-eat-clean-up-shower up-inspection-hit the rack- fire watch, sleep...dream about drill- wake up and do it all over again."
that about sums it up. I just graduated a few months ago and that is pretty much all i remember. I never had DI time Before 2000 except on sundays and most of the time we were standing on line or doing up downs.
jinelson
11-10-04, 11:57 PM
I remember well MCRD San Diego in that time. I went back in May, yeah many changes but, the Corps and my younger brothers are the same only better and my yellow foot steps are as as I left them as a United States Marine. I also remember the tent citity that was on the left in the open area.
Semper Fidelis and Happy Birthday
Jim MCRDSD class of 1967, 2nd MCRTREGT PLT. 2218
drillinstructor
11-11-04, 08:59 PM
FREE TIME? UMMMM NO IT IS CALLED SQUARE AWAY TIME AND FIRST PHASE RECRUITS WILL HAVE PLENTY TO SQUARE AWAY.....HAHA
hrscowboy
11-11-04, 09:56 PM
OMG the nightmares have returned after seeing that photo of MCRD
The Toad
11-11-04, 10:49 PM
"dream about drill"
I always dreamed about food.
LivinSoFree
11-11-04, 11:20 PM
I snapped in in my sleep during the time at the range... I'd wake up sore like you wouldn't believe because I'd been holding "a goooooooood PRONE position!" for an hour or so.
wsimkins
11-12-04, 11:53 AM
Noleafclover,
I agree with the others on the fact you are worrying too much. I can't blame you though, I was scarred to death when I left Louisville, KY enroute to PI. I didn't even know where the heck PI was.
When I entered the USMC I weighed 118 lbs soaking wet. By the time I graduated I was 179 lbs of pure muscle and meaness. Though it was back in April 1982, I still remember it like it was yesterday. Believe me, it will be the toughest experience of your life, but it won't kill you. The day you march on the Parade Deck for graduation will be the proudest day of your life!
Years from now you will look back at your proudest accomplishments and "The Title" will be one of them. Let me explain "The Title", this about sums it up.
"THE TITLE"
It cannot be inherited.
Nor can it ever be purchased.
You and no one alive can buy it for any price.
It is impossible to rent.
And it cannot be lent.
You alone and our own have earned it with your sweat, blood and lives.
You own it FOREVER.
The Title.
UNITED STATES MARINE
We are the only branch of the service that reconizes the fact, that when you exit active duty, you are never an ex member, but ways a former Marine.
Get in shape and prepare for the most physically challenging mission of your young life. If I did it, SO CAN YOU!
Semper Fi
drillinstructor
Member
Offline
Registered: Aug 2004
Location: San Diego Ca
Posts: 77
FREE TIME? UMMMM NO IT IS CALLED SQUARE AWAY TIME AND FIRST PHASE RECRUITS WILL HAVE PLENTY TO SQUARE AWAY.....HAHA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So true. And most of the time you don't even get the whole hour. Also that time includes hygiene time and an "eyeballs" list that you have to do (chores that the duty DI expects you to complete)
The only time you will ever havce to write a letter is on Sundays or in your racks (if you don't get caught. If you get caught reading/writing in your racks, its 2 hours firewatch + ass chewing + IT)
good luck. I know it was the hardest time of my life, and I';m sure it will be the same for you.
And heaven help you if you boogher in Initial Drill, as we did...they were so ****ed that we even got ITed on the day we found out we took 1st place in initial PFT.
Platoon 1008, Delta Co
MCRDSD Oct 15, 2004
When I entered the USMC I weighed 118 lbs soaking wet. By the time I graduated I was 179 lbs of pure muscle and meaness. Though it was back in April 1982, I still remember it like it was yesterday. Believe me, it will be the toughest experience of your life, but it won't kill you. The day you march on the Parade Deck for graduation will be the proudest day of your life!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yoiu must've been a double rat, Sgt.
For me it was a different experience. I went to boot camp 6'3 and 180 lbs lean and mean. Bench Pressed 215 lbs and was doing 12 pullups. Not spectacular but not bad either. By the time I came out, I weighed a skinny 160 lbs and was doing 7-9 pullups. I hit the gym on boot leave and 135 lbs (which I used to be able to almost throw) felt heavy on bench press.
They will wear you out. The only advice I can give you guys is - eat as much chow as you possibly can.
LivinSoFree
11-17-04, 01:39 AM
I had a similar experience, Sunman. I went in at 6'3", 180, stacked and ripped. I lost 13 pounds in first phase, and got weaker as the time went on. I'm sure my cardiovascular endurance went up, but as a whole, I got weaker. I came out at 167 lbs and lost a LOT of muscle mass... to this day, I'm still working to gain it back.
Poolees:
Eat as much chow as you possibly can... you'll need it. And especially load up on fruits... when they herd you through, the salad bar is the only thing you have a little control over, so load that friggin' tray up as high as you can with fruits, rye/wheat bread (white bread is nutritionally worthless), everything you can that's HEALTHY. Stay away from the desserts (if you're lucky enough to get to have them... technically the Drill Instructors can't tell you what to eat, but they have their ways), they'll only weigh you down.
Drink water at night. If you wake up for a minute in the rack at night, chug a canteen... it'll only make it easier in the mornings.
Try to get your body on a schedule such that you take care of your sanitary necessities during the night, that way you can relieve yourself in relative peace... trust me, it's those little things that'll go a long way.
When training, go for a combination of strength and endurance training. Build some extra muscle mass, as you WILL lose some when you get down there. However, concentrate more on lean, defined muscle, rather than a lot of mass, high-reps, low-weight, extended periods. That's what you'll be doing... and RUN, RUN, RUN. The fact that I had a decent IST and I could keep up with the rabbit group saved me a LOT of grief while I was there. In my case, when we would break into Squad Ability Groups (Rabbits, Mediums, Turtles, they are what they sound like), my Senior Drill Instructor or my second hat Drill Instructor would almost always take the Rabbits... that meant that we got to JUST PT (albeit extremely hard), instead of PT AND get screwed with... they'd even encourage you ONCE in a while, IF you were putting out. The meds and turtles, more often than not, ran with the kill hats, which meant that they got run into the ground just as much, AND they got screwed with... believe me, like I said, it's the little things that'll make it better for you.
One more thing. If you're going into recruit training not doing at least
10 pullups
85+ crunches
10:30 1.5 mile run
you're wrong. Dont think you can get by with your 3 pullups, 44 crunches and 13 minutes 1.5 mile. As PFC LivinSoFree said, you WILL get a lot more grief and I-T than you would like.
I went in doing
12 pullups
100+ crunches
9:00 1.5 mile run
not only was I told quite often that I was still UNSAT AND "HANUS", when I came out I did
9 pullups
100+ crunches
20:10 3 mile run
no improvement..., only deprovement on the pullups. They say its because I don't put out, but every recruit in 1008/D knew that I busted my balls every day in boot camp.
When I went to the salad bar, I'd get at least 3 scoops of macaroni salad. That stuff is high in carbs and calories. People behind me would whine and yell "hurry up ! One shot one kill !" but I'd ignore them :-)
I usually ran with the fast group too...but I still get screwed with daily for being tall, skinny and Asian...lol
Oh BTW whoever is going to Army Base Ft. Leonard Wood for MOS training...its a blast.
Its fun seeing how hanus the Army "soldiers in training" (recruits) are. Drill Sergeants kinda remind me of DIs though. :-)
Back to the topic - Typical day at boot camp. Let me explain.
0430 - Revillie
0500 - You fail to get fully dressed in 60 seconds. - IT
0505 - Chow
0600 - IT
0700 - IT
0800 - Drill
0900 - Drill
1000 - Platoon was nasty and drill with no intensity - Platoon IT
1100 - Chow
1145 - Di Time (what?) - IT
1200 - MCMAP/Class/PT whatever
1300 - Since you got ITed all day, you slept through MCMAP/Class or you fell out on a PT run, therefore you're rewarded with some- IT
1400 - IT
1530 - return to barracks for IT on the quarterdeck
1600 - Chow
1620 - You smile during chow - IT
1700 - You move when the drill instructor says "ZERO" - IT
2000 Free Time? (yeah right...Senior Drill Instructor time, share shower with 70 naked men and complete tasks on the eyeballs list)
2100 - Taps...you're tired as heck from being ITed all day and you wanna hit the rack...but alas. You have 2 hours of firewatch.\
2100-2300 - You fail to salute an officer walking on deck because its dark and you refer to yourself in 1st person. Broom/Scuz brush IT.
2300 - You go to bed...amen
noleafclover
11-20-04, 10:51 PM
Since I'm slightly ignorant on boot camp terms, "IT" stands for "Individual Training" right?
garryh123
11-20-04, 10:54 PM
LOL
LivinSoFree
11-21-04, 12:02 AM
That would be INCENTIVE TRAINING, noleaf... and believe me, it's plenty of incentive... just you wait... :marine:
GySgtRet
11-21-04, 07:20 AM
Sgtj,
I agree with your description. Pretty much a free for all. 3rd Bn "I" company PISC.
Semper Fidelis
drillinstructor
11-21-04, 08:52 AM
Originally posted by SuNmAN
drillinstructor
Member
Offline
Registered: Aug 2004
Location: San Diego Ca
Posts: 77
FREE TIME? UMMMM NO IT IS CALLED SQUARE AWAY TIME AND FIRST PHASE RECRUITS WILL HAVE PLENTY TO SQUARE AWAY.....HAHA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So true. And most of the time you don't even get the whole hour. Also that time includes hygiene time and an "eyeballs" list that you have to do (chores that the duty DI expects you to complete)
The only time you will ever havce to write a letter is on Sundays or in your racks (if you don't get caught. If you get caught reading/writing in your racks, its 2 hours firewatch + ass chewing + IT)
good luck. I know it was the hardest time of my life, and I';m sure it will be the same for you.
And heaven help you if you boogher in Initial Drill, as we did...they were so ****ed that we even got ITed on the day we found out we took 1st place in initial PFT.
Platoon 1008, Delta Co
MCRDSD Oct 15, 2004
Hey I remember you your Senior took his black belt off and Marched you back to the yellow footprints..well ran whatever with all your gear
LivinSoFree
11-21-04, 03:08 PM
Wow... our Drill Instructors had us do some pretty degrading stuff, but that's gotta be about the most embarassing one I've heard yet... I don't think our platoon ever got to the point of our Senior taking his black belt off... much less "reverse forming."
Originally posted by drillinstructor
Hey I remember you your Senior took his black belt off and Marched you back to the yellow footprints..well ran whatever with all your gear
Thats not us. Must've been 1003 or 1005, they were even more hanus than we were.
Platoon 1008, Senior Drill Instructor SSgt Duranleau, kill, kill, kill them all !
drillinstructor
11-21-04, 06:08 PM
were you with SSgt Walter?
No, Senior Drill Instructor Staff Sergeant Walter owned Platoon 1003.
I was in 1008...I still remember my chain of command :-)
Company Commander - Capt. Marshall
Company 1stSgt - GySgt Rodriguez (most muscular guy on the depot...I swear he was a beast)
Series Commander - Capt. Chambliss
Series GySgt - SSgt Vilca
Senior Drill Instructor - SSgt Duranleau
Drill Instructor - SSgt Cantu
Drill Instructor - SSgt Ellis
Drill Instructor - SSgt Vest
Do you know any of these gentlemen?
drillinstructor
11-22-04, 08:23 PM
Cantu is getting promoted to GySgt and SSgt Walter is now the J for SSgt Duranleau...I seen them in the pit today killing their kids....SSgt D would move the guideon to the side for the recruits to do pushups and stand it up right for side straddle hops...I think I will use that one also
drillinstructor
11-22-04, 08:24 PM
and yes I know all of them
LivinSoFree
11-22-04, 09:14 PM
That guidon IT reminds me of our "silent kill" sessions: one of our kill hats would use 2 fingers to signal the exercise: 2 fingers running for run in place, make a collapsing/expanding "V" for side-straddle-hops, pointing up and down towards the deck for pushups, etc... I remember at one point, the Drill Instructor actually stopped the IT session, had us all lock eyeballs, and explained what the signals meant, because recruits were getting confused as to how they were supposed to be getting killed.
Patrick8605
11-22-04, 09:37 PM
sounds curcial. Pretty funny, but crucial.
Well noleaf, every Marine who has survived the transition to earn this title we call MARINE proudly wears it and have lived through an experience that no one can ever boast, (unless of course your one of us). We have all taken away with us different but similar experiences from our days in Hell, however this is the stuff that legends are made of, no one can ever take that away from us. I will agree with most of my brothers the most important issue is not for you to worry about what will fill your day but that you prepare yourself mentally first and then physically if you have time as the Senior Drill Instructor & his team will see to that.
Ps. oh! and I will agree with swapping your body clock to night time manoeuvers to the head, as it would appear that some things are not sacred, however just think of it as a preparation for combat as nothing is sacred there either.
I'm still scared of all of them...lol
ESPECIALLY Drill Instructor SSgt Cantu. He was definitely a badass and the most intimidating figure in 1008.
drillinstructor
11-23-04, 08:33 PM
haha Cantu is one of my closest friends..He is a hero in Iraq seen some ****
Anyone know SDI SSgt Sampson, DI Sgt Ferguson or DI Sgt Dicosimo of Plt 1100 on PI? :)
In response to that taking the black belt off, that's nothing.
We were out drilling on the parade deck at the rifle range one saturday afternoon. We kept screwing up Column of Files and Column of Two's and finally our Senior took off his belt and walked away back into his house. Our drill hat then took us over & made us step it out to the squadbay, all the while holding the black belt. When we got inside & on line about 10 mins later after "Concentrating" for those 10 mins (standing at attention, not moving etc) Senior walks out in his soft cover and throws his campaign cover on the ground & forcibly makes the entire platoon walk buy stepping on it, then storms out saying "f u all, you f'ing SUCK!" then we "Concentrated" for another few minutes and our drill hat walked out with the black belt & scissors... he then cut it into pieces & made us all take a piece, the guide got the leftover biggest piece.
that was a fun day :/ Senior didn't come back at all till monday after evening chow
Joe
Semper Fi
LivinSoFree
11-26-04, 01:28 AM
Man... this is starting to make my platoon sound like a bunch of golden boys... and I thought WE were jacked up...
wow...thats even worse than an hour of IT !
gilliegtst
11-28-04, 07:42 PM
Yeah i remember my Square away time, they told us that will be the time to write any letters home and stuff like that....well lemme tell you...i didnt' send home any letters for about the first month...
Cpl G
LivinSoFree
11-28-04, 11:57 PM
Some days were better than others... depending on the training schedule and the moods of the DIs. I actually enjoyed Crucible, to be honest, because we were TRAINING, and not getting screwed with...
Pvt Drake
11-29-04, 02:20 AM
I was thinking the other day if I actually liked anything in bootcamp and it was the Crucible. I hated everything else, but I thought the Crucible was a tough, but fun training exercise.
I friggin loved every time we hit the O course and Confidence course. The rifle range was a fun 2 weeks too. And the Crucible was 54 hours of party time :P
yellowwing
11-29-04, 05:19 AM
All of these Marines enjoyed the Crucible. That's proof that we train Warriors. Every Marine a rifleman. :marine:
For me, the time dripped by slowly. The obstacle/confidence course was fun. The rifle range was great. The combat training was really cool.
It was the stuff in between that made it difficult. But I think that's where we had our Character shaped and molded. Where we bonded as a unit.
Failing to do your job became a bigger nightmare than the harshest Drill Instructor.
I'm at Ft Leonardwood and some soldiers are telling me that they're at AIT (Army's MOS school) and they still stay with the Drill Sergeants and still get smoked...
lol
drillinstructor
12-02-04, 06:51 PM
haha i left fort lost in the woods to come to SD
Eric Robinson
12-04-04, 11:03 PM
I just got back from Ft. Leonard Wood and I have seen the Army recruits and their training first hand. At first it was a joke and I laughed but as time went on it kinda scared me that besides the Marines these are the “soldiers” protecting the United States of America. Their training is pathetic and they are almost buddy’s with their drill sergeants. I have talked to the on post taxi cap drivers that are mostly former army soldiers and they agree the “new kinder more gentle army” is putting out a lot of undertrained and weak soldiers. Im not hear to bash the army or anything, that’s not the kind of person I am, but the fact is their job is to defend this great country of ours and there is not a chance in hell I would fight beside any of these “soldiers.”
Oorah Marine Corps. Semper Fi