The Crucible Journal - Thursday

Erica - 93 or 94 (age 3) peewee soccer before pre-school

THURSDAY - Parris Island Boot Camp - CRUCIBLE:

Dear Journal, Up at 0200, staged and ready to roll at 0215.

After having to wait for a while,

we proceeded to the Parade Deck where we

broke up into our squads and humped 6 miles

out to Page Airfield (the Crucible site) for

our first set of obstacles. Our gear is heavy,

but we are in good spirits.

Each Platoon has different Drill Instructors for

Crucible Leaders.

Another Drill Instructor followed behind us in a

safety vehicle. We humped to the first Warrior Station

and waited until 0600.

Each obstacle is set up at a Warrior station.

On our first obstacle the scenario was that our HUMVEE

had run out of fuel while carrying supplies.

While we were headed back to Motor-T to get fuel,

we came across a bridge that had been partially

destroyed by the enemy. Our obstacle was to carry

(3) 55 gal. drums across a cable from

one platform to another.

The drums had to remain upright and there are

3 red stripes on the cables 3' long.

If you or your equipment (drums) touch the stripes…

you are dead and your equipment is lost!

It was hard because we were looking to the

Crucible Leader to tell us how to get across,

but he told us we had to figure it out ourselves.

It was just out of habit,

because for the last 11 weeks we hadn't made a move

without asking permission.

It made us feel proud when we made sound decisions

and executed a successful plan!

Another station was called the

Enhanced Obstacle Course,

where we had to maneuver though while carrying a

dummy (casualty) and heavy ammo cans.

We had to get the casualty and ammo cans

over each obstacle, as well! Then there was another

station in which we went from tire swing to tire swing

(6 swings total) and at each end was a platform.

Touch the deck instead of the platform and you're dead!

Another obstacle was a 12' pole and we had to get a tire

around it and lower it all the way to the deck.

We cheered when the first recruit finally hooked the pole

and the tire went down! We thought man,

this is going to be fun…like throwing rings over the

bottles at a fair!!

Then the Crucible Leader said

we had to take the tire back off too!!!

You can imagine the smiles fell right off our faces.

Afterwards, we were told we would be starting the

Team Shoot and Pugil Sticks shortly.

Each recruit had to compete in 3 consecutive matches.

Each round was quick and vicious.

We already had 3 matches in Phase II,

so we were all talking trash and comparing scores

and saying things like…

"Dude, I'm 3-0 for Crucible and 6-0 overall!"

After Pugil Sticks we humped back

out to where we started this morning.

We completed 4 more obstacles:

The "Stairway to Heaven" which is a ladder 50' high with

rungs 4-5 feet apart!

We had to lug 2 ammo cans over it.

The "Skyscraper" which is way bigger

than the one at Base.

The obstacle, there was a wounded Marine

at the top of a tower. We had to retrieve him as a team.

I guess it started to sink in that…

you know that could be me! Do I really want to do this?

But as I looked around and followed my team up that tower,

I thought, all these guys would do

this for me in a heartbeat. I

realized that there was probably NOTHING

I wouldn't do for them. It kind of energized me.

The "Weaver" was next.

This was kind of challenging.

We had to climb over logs with ammo and water cans.

I am so tired. I have no idea what time it is.

And finally we went to the Rope Bridge. Sounds easy…

maybe even fun huh?

Yea RIGHT! For each of these obstacles we were

required to also carry heavy objects…

through them, up them, under them or over them…

like ammo cans and water jugs all filled with

concrete to make them heavier!

Oh, I forgot to mention this important fact,

each obstacle station is named for a Marine Hero.

At each station, our Crucible Leader made a Recruit read

a brief explanation of how the Hero's actions

exemplify the Corps and its values.

It was my favorite part.

The DI's also choose a

different leader for each obstacle.

That way, we all got to understand

what it's like to be a leader,

and what your responsibilities

are as a follower.

I am getting very hungry now.

One of the Warrior Station obstacles

is built around an

enemy-mined rope bridge

called the "Two Line Bridge."

It is just two very long ropes,

basically,

that wobbles…

and impossible to cross

when two are on it.

So, as a team we determined it was

best to cross it one by one.

But we are timed…

so we had to move quickly.

We had to cross

with all our gear on,

carrying those heavy

ammunition boxes!

When we were finally

forging on and

were well on our way,

we lost one of the guys.

"If one fails …We all fail."

So, I was the last person

on the bridge

and I just couldn't leave him there.

He was either going to

have to start over from

the beginning of the rope,

or I could help him.

So, I let go of the rope with

one hand and

kept a good strong grip

with my other.

I extended my hand out towards

my fellow Recruit.

He grabbed my arm and I pulled with

all my might to get his hand

back up to the rope.

"Lord, I can't pull any harder. I

know I'm going to drop him.

Please give me strength."

And, just when I thought the

rest of the team

had moved on ahead of us….

through my clinched eyes

I heard rounds of "Come on Man!…

You've got him!…

Pull- Pull!… You're almost there!"

My team had come back to

encourage me!

And then…somehow…

he was safely holding on to the rope.

Everyone was shoulder

bumping me after.

It felt like this was real-life!

Like I really did save someone…Wait!

I really did!! My Crucible Leader said,

"You did, you saved a Recruit

from failing this. Well done!"

I tell you NOTHING feels like this.

No matter what you do to

make yourself happy,

new cars, watching a game,

hunting…

none of what you do for

yourself compares

to the feeling of helping

another human being!

NOTHING! Maybe,

I CAN do this after all!

I WANT to do this!! Man,

I know Mom and Dad would be

so proud of me!

I wonder what they are doing right now?

At another Station called Cpl.

Day's Defense,

we had to run into firing

positions and engage

pop-up targets in and

around a building with

10-rounds in two magazines.

We only had about a minute to fire.

That was cool! If I wasn't so tired,

I would have wanted

to stay there all day!

Afterwards, we humped back to the

huts and chilled until 2100.

At 2100 we stepped

out for a re-supply hump.

Each squad had to carry 2 large

ammo cans and 4 small ammo cans …

again filled with concrete for 2.5 miles!

I could not believe this!

After all we had done today they "told" us

that our huts had been stripped so we

had to re-supply.

That was the last obstacle for the day.

So we humped back to the supply station.

We are getting grouchy now and

short with each other. It was so dark

and we couldn't see 2 feet in front of us.

The DI's said the last 2 companies

did this run in 2.25 and 2.3 hours.

I don't know our time yet,

but I know we did it

in better than 2.0 hours!

I guess you are wondering how

I am doing with my 2.5 MRE's!

Well, we are responsible for

rationing them out ourselves.

So, today I ate 2 of my 3

cracker packages

with peanut butter and grape jelly.

I also ate my peanuts,

pound cake, and beverage powder.

The beverage powder is

like Power-Aide.

We just had to pour it in our

mouth and swish it around inside

our mouth with some water.

We couldn't put anything into

our canteens but water.

We also have 2 coffee packets…

same deal…pour in mouth…

swish with canteen water.

My plan was to eat as light as

possible today, saving the most

of the MRE's for tomorrow.

I just made sure I hydrated a lot.

When we got back,

we had to sit and wait

for 0000 (midnight) to come around…

before they would let us go to sleep!

I held my eyes open somehow,

but inside I was already sleeping.

More tomorrow…"

written by:

Peggy VPMFd Plt.1105

posted by:darlene r.