Chaplain Keith Adams offered the women a prayer by the light of their glow sticks. And, Lord, these women are about to set off on 54 hours, a real important part in their boot camp, but, more importantly, in their life, so we ask, Lord, that You would go with them. For the next two and a half days men would train with men, women with women, as they slogged through the toughest ordeal of the 12 weeks of Marine boot camp, the Crucible. The Crucible is a final test of physical fitness and a chance for recruits to bond together for a common goal. The course is spread out over 560 acres, with 32 stations.
Recruits have to get through obstacle courses under warlike conditions.
They march 40 miles, sometimes in full pack, including their M-16 rifle. They get only two and a half meals of field rations and are allowed only four hours of sleep a night. The man who made the Crucible part of boot camp is Marine Commandant General Charles Krulak. We call it a gut check. It is the ultimate gut check.