jinelson
12-12-06, 04:38 PM
Personal Limits Tested during the Crucible
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Pvt. Terry Ranker, Platoon 2039, Company H, enjoys a Meal, Ready to Eat during a short break in training. During the Crucible, recruits must make three MREs last three days while hiking and negotiating obstacles.During the Crucible, a 54-hour event that tests everything recruits have learned throughout training, recruits are evaluated on their skills and knowledge by completing numerous team-building obstacles at Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The confidence course, along with every other obstacle in the Crucible, is comprised of several events that allow the recruits to compose a plan before pursuing a timed mission.
“We have a similar confidence course on the depot, but it doesn’t have all of the obstacles we have here,” said Staff Sgt. Chad R. Kiehl, drill instructor, Platoon 2037, Company H. “Their only mission is to get across.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/crucible4.jpg
“Here, they have to transport ammo cans and five gallon jugs in a timed situation with simulated casualties,” continued Kiehl. “It forces them to think for themselves for the first time in recruit training and come up with a solution to accomplish the task.”
If a recruit steps in a red zone or falls off of an obstacle, he must drag “Fred,” a life-size dummy, to simulate emergency casualty evacuation from a combat zone.During the Crucible, recruits are only required to get four hours of sleep per night and have to stretch three proportioned meals to last three days. Sleep and food deprivation are a crucial aspect of the Crucible because it helps the recruits experience a combat situation, said Kiehl.
Although tired, hungry, and mentally and physically exhausted, the recruits still have to come together and accomplish the assignment set before them, said Kiehl, a native of Richfield, Minn.
The confidence course on the depot is designed to help recruits overcome their fear of heights and prove to themselves that even though their minds tell them they cannot do something, anything is possible, said Kiehl. The confidence course here goes a little further and forces the recruits to work as a team, which leaves no time for individual fears.
The recruits are made to solve their problems together with no guidance from the drill instructors. Each recruit has a turn developing plans to complete each obstacle on the confidence course.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/crucible3.jpg
Company H recruits are required to cross the two-line bridge. Their mission is to get every member in their squad, along with five ammunition cans across the bridge within a set time limit.“I think the (confidence course) helps us to build teamwork, self-confidence and shows us the true meaning of honor, courage and commitment,” said Pvt. Anthony D. Lanza, Platoon 2037.
He said he learned honor by helping out his team, courage by doing something even though it was challenging, and commitment by not quitting what he started.
The recruits gained a better understanding of the importance of being open to suggestions when tasked with a mission. When a recruit had a good idea, whether he was leading the mission or not, his idea helped the rest of the recruits in conducting the obstacle within the time limit.
They used the knowledge the drill instructors gave them prior to the Crucible, and added it to their common sense to complete each mission set in front of them.
“We had the bigger recruits hold security on the two-line bridge while the smaller recruits went across first,” said Lanza, who is from Twentynine Palms, Calif.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/crucible1.jpg
Pvt. Terry Ranker, Platoon 2039, Company H, enjoys a Meal, Ready to Eat during a short break in training. During the Crucible, recruits must make three MREs last three days while hiking and negotiating obstacles.During the Crucible, a 54-hour event that tests everything recruits have learned throughout training, recruits are evaluated on their skills and knowledge by completing numerous team-building obstacles at Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, Calif.
The confidence course, along with every other obstacle in the Crucible, is comprised of several events that allow the recruits to compose a plan before pursuing a timed mission.
“We have a similar confidence course on the depot, but it doesn’t have all of the obstacles we have here,” said Staff Sgt. Chad R. Kiehl, drill instructor, Platoon 2037, Company H. “Their only mission is to get across.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/crucible4.jpg
“Here, they have to transport ammo cans and five gallon jugs in a timed situation with simulated casualties,” continued Kiehl. “It forces them to think for themselves for the first time in recruit training and come up with a solution to accomplish the task.”
If a recruit steps in a red zone or falls off of an obstacle, he must drag “Fred,” a life-size dummy, to simulate emergency casualty evacuation from a combat zone.During the Crucible, recruits are only required to get four hours of sleep per night and have to stretch three proportioned meals to last three days. Sleep and food deprivation are a crucial aspect of the Crucible because it helps the recruits experience a combat situation, said Kiehl.
Although tired, hungry, and mentally and physically exhausted, the recruits still have to come together and accomplish the assignment set before them, said Kiehl, a native of Richfield, Minn.
The confidence course on the depot is designed to help recruits overcome their fear of heights and prove to themselves that even though their minds tell them they cannot do something, anything is possible, said Kiehl. The confidence course here goes a little further and forces the recruits to work as a team, which leaves no time for individual fears.
The recruits are made to solve their problems together with no guidance from the drill instructors. Each recruit has a turn developing plans to complete each obstacle on the confidence course.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v660/jinelson/crucible3.jpg
Company H recruits are required to cross the two-line bridge. Their mission is to get every member in their squad, along with five ammunition cans across the bridge within a set time limit.“I think the (confidence course) helps us to build teamwork, self-confidence and shows us the true meaning of honor, courage and commitment,” said Pvt. Anthony D. Lanza, Platoon 2037.
He said he learned honor by helping out his team, courage by doing something even though it was challenging, and commitment by not quitting what he started.
The recruits gained a better understanding of the importance of being open to suggestions when tasked with a mission. When a recruit had a good idea, whether he was leading the mission or not, his idea helped the rest of the recruits in conducting the obstacle within the time limit.
They used the knowledge the drill instructors gave them prior to the Crucible, and added it to their common sense to complete each mission set in front of them.
“We had the bigger recruits hold security on the two-line bridge while the smaller recruits went across first,” said Lanza, who is from Twentynine Palms, Calif.