# 99019. The March to "Marine"

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By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

Note to visitors: This is part of a three-story series. 
Here's the full Web version, or visit the DoD home page, 
www.defenselink.mil.

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- It's 3 a.m. and Marine drill 
instructors interrupt your beauty sleep by slamming the 
door to your hut and yelling for you and your teammates to 
get out of the rack, get your gear on and get outside -- 
NOW!

For the past 49 hours, you have had little sleep, little 
food, and you and your team have run through a physically, 
mentally and emotionally challenging set of events. You 
have been participating in the Crucible -- the culminating 
event of Marine Corps basic training.

Now it's almost over. By 8 a.m., your company will be on 
the Parade Deck of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot here, 
receiving the hat insignia with the symbol of the Marine 
Corps -- the eagle, globe and anchor. There's just one more 
hurdle to cross: a nine-mile road march.

At 3:45 a.m., the company assembles. Your feet and some 
muscles hurt, but other recruits limp into place, too. No 
one quits. Everyone wants to finish. The end is close 
enough you can almost taste it. You shoulder your backpack 
and weapon and clap on your Kevlar helmet. Then you check 
your teammates' equipment. One last slug from your canteen 
and you're ready.

One of the drill instructors says that at least the weather 
is decent, and you have to agree. There hasn't been a drop 
of rain during this Crucible, and the temperature has gone 
from the upper 40s to the mid-80s. Right now, the 
temperature is in the 60s. It's humid, but nothing like 
when you got to the South Carolina lowlands 11 weeks ago. 

That, you recall, was the last time you had any 
individuality. Since then, you have been addressed as 
"recruit." You've had to begin every sentence with "Sir, 
this recruit would like to know � ."

The company steps out at 4 a.m. The pace is fast and the 
"accordion effect" occurs as the 481-member formation 
marches. Gaps appear and recruits have to step out quicker 
to close them. The march becomes easier as your sore 
muscles stretch. You watch some poor devils, obviously with 
blisters, try to find a way to walk that doesn't tear at 
their feet.

You notice Navy corpsmen, carrying at least 50 pounds of 
gear, checking out recruits who seem to be having 
difficulty. 

It's still dark. No one speaks, as if the effort might be 
too much. Actually, though, talking's not allowed. An hour 
and a little over three miles later, the formation stops. 
As you drop your pack, you notice sweat has soaked through 
everyone's BDU blouses. You've got a 10-minute break, to 
hit the head and drink more water. Some recruits sit on 
their packs and check their feet. Too soon, the drill 
instructors are rousting everyone.

The other platoon takes the lead this time and you really 
understand what the accordion effect means. Drill 
instructors tell you to close up. "Don't run," they yell. 
"Just lengthen your stride." It doesn't work. You have to 
break into a trot to close up the space.

Again, there is no talking. You focus on the pack in front 
of you and let your mind go blank. The sky is lightening in 
the east and you are getting closer to end of this torture.

A little over six miles into the march, you stop again. 
This time, there is juice and fruit available and you 
realize you're going to be here for a bit. Your woodland 
pattern BDUs are soaked. You suck down some more water and 
get ready for the final stretch.

It's full light now. You look around and realize where you 
are: That's the gas chamber! You've marched past here a 
number of times. You could get back to Main Base with your 
eyes closed. Everyone trades a few quiet words. "You can do 
it!" "It's not far now," you say to each other.

The company starts out. As you march you look to the side 
and see the swamps of Parris Island. Birds are starting to 
sing and you see white cranes walking through the shallows 
looking for food. The sun clears the horizon as you 
approach Drill Sergeants Bridge. Just before getting there, 
the senior drill instructor starts a Jody call. You and 
your team pick it up. 

"Hey, hey, Captain Jack,

"Meet me by the railroad track,

"With your rifle in your hand,

I want to be a killing man."

It makes it easier to march and takes your mind off those 
pack straps digging into your shoulders.

As you approach the base, you see two figures off to the 
left -- it's the base commander and sergeant major. You 
must really be close!

The Jody calls get louder as you reach the Parade Deck. 
Folks can probably hear you in Charleston!

Finally, you get the order to halt. The road march is over. 
You ground your packs, stack your weapons and put that 
heavy Kevlar helmet on top of your pack. The soft cap never 
felt so good.

It's 7:45 a.m. as the company forms around the half-size 
replica of the Marine Corps Memorial. The Felix de Weldon 
statue depicts the flag raising on Iwo Jima. You are called 
to attention and a color guard marches out and prepares to 
raise the flag on the sculpture. But first, the chaplain 
speaks a few words. He thanks God for helping you through 
the Crucible. He mentions all the difficulties you have 
surmounted, and he prays you will be worthy of the honor 
you are about to receive. 

When he finishes, the first sergeant speaks. He tells you 
about the Marine Memorial and says you are about to join an 
elite company. The sculpture depicts real men -- four 
Marines and a Navy corpsman. The first sergeant tells you 
to never besmirch their memory.

The color guard raises the flag, and then your drill 
instructor begins passing out the eagle, globe and anchor. 
He passes you the emblem, shakes your hand and says "Good 
work, Marine."

##end##
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 Seven Marine recruits wear protective masks and must walk as one to finish a Crucible warrior station. The climax of basic training, the Crucible poses 54 hours of challenges and problems that trainees can only solve by working as a team. Lance Cpl. Michael J. Supples, USMC
 Delta Company, 1st Training Battalion, stands in formation around the half-size Marine Corps Memorial sculpture on the parade deck of Parris Island Marine Recruit Depot, S.C. The recruits had just finished the Crucible, the culminating event of Marine Corps basic training. Lance Cpl. Michael J. Supples, USMC
 A Marine holds his eagle, globe and anchor hat insignia tightly following the Crucible, the 54-hour climax of Marine basic training. Until he finished, drill instructors called him "recruit." Once he finished it, he had earned the title "Marine." Lance Cpl. Michael J. Supples, USMC