This is it!!

AS you can see by the schedule this week, this is it! So get those letters in the mail. Monday tomorrow is the last day for her to receive the letters just before The Crucible! Make sure its all positive, she has to know how we are pulling for her and we know she can Bring It!

Again I thank you and Erica thanks you for all your prayers and support! ~Darlene

Week 11 - Final PFT & Testing, Crucible -

This schedule is of course

subject to change based on weather,

holidays and the needs of the company.

TD60 Monday
Today is a BIG day!

There are two of the

graduation requirements today!!!

- Final PFT is first thing in the morning.
- 171 question written test
- test is combined with the

practical application part (which is Tuesday)

to make one score -- a recruit must pass both

parts as a graduation requirement.

They get 2 hours to complete it,

but it is multiple choice

and they have been going over the

information since they got to Parris Island.

It will include questions on

general military knowledge

(like what time is morning colors on base

and What color DOD sticker do you salute),

first aid (like how to treat a wound

or how to cover a chest wound),

and also basic Marine Corps History

(like who are the only two Marines to win

two Marine Corps Medal of Honors and

where did the battle of Belleau Wood take place)

TD61 Tuesday
- PRACAP

(which is the practical application of what

they have learned in First Aid & customs

and courtesies such as how to board a ship

and how to report to an officer.

They will demonstrate these techniques

to the instructors of the course to show

that they are efficient in them.)
- a haircut
- platoon photo

TD62 Wednesday
Today is:
FINAL DRILL
Then the rest of the day will be fairly easy

to help them for the crucible...

they will have several classes on mentoring,

leave and liberty as well as

some Corps Values classes.

TD63 Thursday
1 week from Family Day!
You certainly don't need me to tell you

what the recruits are doing today.

It is finally time for the big challenge

that we have all been waiting for while biting

our nails for the last 11 weeks....

starts at 0200 (2 AM)

This is the official

USMC headquarters definition:

The culmination of

recruit training is the Crucible,

an intense field training exercise designed

to build unit cohesion, reinforce core values,

and complete the transformation

from recruit to Marine.

The Crucible is the defining moment

of the recruit training experience.

As a right of passage,

the 45 Concepts and Issues

Crucible is a 54-hour ordeal that tests

the mental of every recruit (and DI).

The physical and mental challenges

are intensified by

sleep and food deprivation.

The Crucible focuses on six major

field events and is augmented by

eleven challenging Warrior Stations.

Throughout this rapid paced exercise,

emphasis is placed on the importance

of teamwork in overcoming adversity
and adaptive problem solving.

The teams of recruits,

under the leadership

of their drill instructor,

succeed as a team.

The experience pushes

recruits to their limits

and is a poignant culmination

to the transformation process.

An overview:

during this time they will be given

4 MRE's (meals ready to eat) and

about 8 hours of sleep total

(about 4 each night).

They will march about 40 miles total

in humps and between different stations

carrying their packs and rifles.

They began this "test" at 2AM (EST)

Thursday morning

after getting up at 1AM to get ready.

TD57 Friday
Crucible Continues!

By the time most of you wake up

(if you slept at all that is)...

they will be on the DOWNHILL SLIDE!!!!

Yippeee!

TD58 Saturday

The company of recruits, DIs,

corpsman, and officers should complete

the last of their march back to Battalion.

This is an incredibly

emotional time for them

(yes even for the guys! )

They realize that really

the rest of boot camp

is just a walk in the park.

They will be issued their emblems

(EGA)- Eagle Globe & Anchor-

by their drill instructors in a private

and memorable ceremony and

are now officially recognized as

trained Marines for the first time.

Then it is time for them to take part

in the Warrior's Breakfast!

Yummy, bacon, eggs, sausage, ham, grits,

oatmeal, pancakes, steak, french toast,

hashbrowns, fruit, milk, juice and

even soda for the first time since arrival on island.

In the afternoon they will begin cleaning up

their equipment from the crucible and

preparing it to get turned in.

They will then finally get to go to bed

after their regular square away time

later in the evening.

I am sure basic Marines and DI's,

corpsman, and officers alike will have

no problem falling asleep tonight.

They are MARINES!