Boot Camp Speculations

I've been spending hours (if not days) reading about Marine Corps Recruit Training. I've been reading lists of things for recruits to take, lists of things for recruits not to take. I've been reading testimonials of people who believed it was not as bad as it had been made out to be and testimonials of those who've declared it to be multiple times harder than it was made out to be.

I've watched videos that have made me laugh, cringe, shrug and laugh some more. I've asked for advice from Marines and even have a former female Drill Instructor in my address book who has been an invaluable source of information. I've read thousands of pages of advice on how to "survive" Boot Camp and frankly speaking, I'm tired of it.

I'm beginning to see what I have known all along. Boot Camp will be like childbirth. No matter how much you read about it, talk about, listen to stories about it, take classes to prepare for it, in the end, you'll never know exactly what it's like and what you are in for until you are doing it yourself.

As a mother, I know that like each delivery is unique, I can speculate that each recruit's experiences and challenges will be unique to them. One person may find the swimming portion to be a breeze while someone else nearly drowns. Another recruit may score Expert on the rifle range the first day while another UNQs (UN-Qualified) and needs more instruction.

There have been so many questions: What do I bring? What did you forget that you wish you'd have brought? Should I cut my hair or is it better to have long hair? What was the hardest part? What was the easiest part? What kind of mind games do the Drill Instructor's play? Can I bring my dog? (Okay, I haven't really heard that one, but close enough.)

I believe what it boils down to is the essentials of survival. Those essentials can be buried under too much emphasis being placed on the trivial tid bids of comfort or preference. I imagine that once you are there, staring at a seemingly insane woman (or in the male's case, man) who has the uncanny ability to intimidate grass, whether or not you remember to bring an extra sports bra will be the least of your worries.

So, what are the essentials of Marine Corps Recruit Training?

How the heck should I know!? I haven't been there yet. But I have my theories.

Being the survival geek that I am, while going through a self-defense class we talked about the basic needs of a human being (the essentials, if you will).

Ask someone what they need in their life and you will get things like, "My husband," "My children," "My wife," or "My mother." Their ideas of needs have been skewed by their preferences. Certainly, if you are in love with your spouse you would prefer to have your spouse around but you will not drop dead the moment they vanish from your sight.

We are also so often glib about our own survival. We say things like, "If I ever peed my pants in public I would just die." The truth, of course, is that death would not occur. One would be severely embarrassed but he or she would survive. Having a true perspective on "need" vs "want" and grasping an accurate sense of what is ultimately needed for survival can go a long way to show you what you can and cannot endure.

So what is it that we, as humans, need to survive?

We need air. We need water. We need food. We need sleep. We need to maintain an average body temperature of 98 degrees. And (arguably) we need hope.

That's it.

What does that mean for getting through Boot Camp?

Will there be air to breathe? Yes.
Will there be water to drink? Yes.
Will there be food to eat? Yes.
Will I be allowed to sleep? Yes.
Will it be possible to maintain an average body temperature of 98 degrees? Yes.
Is there hope of completion? Always.

Therefore, survival is guaranteed.

All of the humiliation of the Drill Instructors, all of the loneliness and missing of families. They are all mental things that have little to do with physical survival. Even difficulties with the physical such as running or swimming are not essential to survival provided you are meeting the requirements for basic survival. Barring any medical problem that should have been addressed before leaving for recruit training the body will adapt to the new demands placed upon it and will be able to get over the challenges placed before it. Learning to separate and focus on those things that are needed at the time, I believe, will go a long way to ensure completion of any trial, be it Boot Camp or being lost in the woods.

When I'm getting yelled at or sent to the quarterdeck for the fifth time in a day, will I be tired? Yes. Will I be humiliated? Yes. Will I survive? Given the criteria for survival? Yes.

Boot Camp doesn't scare me. I certainly hope I don't screw anything up and I would like to hope it will be easier than I'm anticipating. But I refuse to sweat the small stuff.

I'll keep my mouth shut. Sound off loudly when required. Do what I'm told when I'm told and give everything I've got at everything I do.

If my hair gets in the way I'll cut it off. If I brought too much or too little I'll toss what I don't need and learn to do without. When I start missing my husband and my son I'll focus on my primary needs and remember the hope of seeing them again.

I'll survive.