Army basic training vs Marine Corps boot camp?

I had the unique experience of having gone through both. I was in the Texas National Guard when I was in college, and had to go through their basic training camp. I then decided after I left Baylor to go on active duty and wanted to follow family tradition and become a Marine, so I joined the Corps and then had to go through the 13 week MCRD (Marine Corps Recruit Depot). I was 20 when I did this. No question, the MCRD was much more demanding in every way. The physical conditioning was longer and harder, the mental demands as far as intensity were tougher. Even qualifying with a rifle was harder (500 meters vs. 300 with the Army) The drill instructors are hard, demanding, and in your face every second. During the term of your training, you will get very little sleep and just enough chow to keep you going. You will have to learn to speak a new language. It gets better as time goes along, but it all serves a purpose. But hell, they gotta take civilians and turn them into Marines. It’s got to be that way. However, when I made it through, I was a Marine, and it is without a doubt one of the proudest accomplishments of my lifetime. I’m not saying that basic training at Ft. Knox was easy, but it was much less difficult than USMC basic training at MCRD San Diego. The Corps has set a higher standard if you want to become a Marine. It all depends on the commitment you have to serve, and the expectations and discipline you are willing to impose on yourself. Good luck, and Semper Fi !

If you make up your mind that you’ll succeed then you will, no matter which one you choose. If you go in with any doubts, you’ll fail. I was in the Army, and the guys who didn’t make out too well were the ones who had a poor attitude or were just plain stupid.

i did the army in 1977 and also reserves after and the basic was hard because the di-s were fromthe war in nam and a little stressed but the marines will be a sorce of pride and an identity for you forever we are at war in many places and you will have a time getting ready for war anywaywhich ever one you choose the instructors are from war zones now and will be more intense so run and walk and stop smoking and get a regular haircut not extreme and not to long and keep your mouth shut unless they ask and then its yes drill instructor and no

i was in both, the Marines don’t brainwash you first of all. they break you and reform you so you have discipline. they encourage you to think. just not in boot camp. they will tell you when you can and can’t do anything. that includes wiping your face, going to the bathroom, even farting. that kind of stuff is vital. and once you’re in the fleet you will soon realize why you had to do all that. its very tough mentally, so if you’re not up to playing serious minds games, don’t go marines. but if you want to receive mediocre training, lack discipline and go to your unit after basic with little if any knowledge then go army. every soldier that came to me from army basic training didn’t know there ass from a hole in the ground. i couldn’t believe it. they are undisciplined and lazy. you have few hard workers that don’t question authority in the army. the military is not a place to question your leaders. it is what gets you killed in combat. army NCO’s are below standard also. its a poor display of our military. i wasted 7 years of my life in the army hoping and trying to make a difference. it never happened and it only gets worse. but i played with both of them and the marines is a much better branch to serve with.

My husband says:

Here is the drawn out answer.

I’m currently 28 and in the Army. Before I go into the two boot camps you need to understand some of the core differenced between the Army and the Marines. The Army is a force that has many different branches within it. In the army you can serve anywhere from a regular infantry man (grunt), to Field artillery, to a truck driver, to an accountant to a dental technician, to a supply specialist.

So in a nutshell what I am saying is that the Army needs to fullfill much more than just regular old grunts.

The Marine Corps by comparison technically falls under the Navy. Therefore they do not need to worry about staffing the marines with accountants, dental technicians and the like, they can worry strictly about staffing infantry men, Field Artillerymen and other "combat Arms" professions. (combat arms means the people who directly combat the enemy, rather than those who support those who combat the enemy)

So due to this difference the Marine boot camp is definately harder than the Army boot camp, however,

Following the Army boot camp you will go to AIT or advanced individual training (remember how you said that the Army’s boot camp is 4 weeks shorther this is why). AIT’s course length will vary dependant on your MOS (Military Occupational Specialty or your job) but expect to be there a month or more.

If you are an Infantryman expect to spend your AIT out doing roadmarches and a host of physical activities, however if you are an X-Ray technician expect to spend your entire time in the hospital etc.

I’ll spend the rest of the time talking about the army because that’s what I know.

Overall what job you choose is up to you, and your recruiter, but if you have graduated from college I would reccomend asking the recruiter about enlisting with an OCS or (officer candidate school) option, the responsibilites are greater as an officer, but the pay is MUCH better.

Finally when dealing with an army recruiter remember that the army is short on recruits now so you will have a lot of leverage. DONT get bullied into accepting anything you don’t want (like a 6 year contract). And remember until you sign your name on the dotted line you can get up and leave at any time (infact leaving might just get you a call back from the recruiter with a better MOS).

Good luck!!!

You have a lot of good answers here and there is really nothing that I can add. I would only be able to tell you about the Army, since that is what I did, but I have to agree with flaca22583. The major difference between the two is that the USMC is "combat arms", period. For medical, dental, legal advise, they have to use the USN. The Army supplies all these personnel from their own ranks. This makes a HUGE difference in the amount of time spent in BIT (Basic Infantry Training = boot camp = basic training)

What matters in either one, tho, are perseverance, mental "can-do" attitude, mission first orientation, and do what you are told. The DIs are there to teach you the basics that will keep you alive in your job.

You will be the one to make the final decision, and you have to base that decision on what YOU feel in your gut. The recruiters will try and get you to join their branch, but the ultimate choice is yours.

Thank you for your decision, and I wish you all the best.

Former Marine, 10 years of honorable service.

I believe that if you serious about joining, the Marine Corps is the way to go for you. For one thing, DIs tend to leave the older recruits alone as long as they do their job. Believe me, being a former Marine going to boot camp right out of high school, I know.

It is a mental and physical job. I weighed 122 lbs. and gained 20 lbs in three months. It was tough, but you’ll be built up to a level and then built up to maintain that level. You’ll appreciate the feel of a nice bed 6:00 in the afternoon when the sun’s still up. Once you experience the reward of graduating, you’ll realize it was all worth it. I realized that when I graduated.

Another thing is that once you’re done with boot camp, and infantry training at MCT, the babysitting is done. You’ll go to your MOS school free to go to the mall or wherever, whereas if you went to the Army, you’ll have to march to school, be in the barracks within a certain time, and whatnot. I was in journalism school in Maryland with the other branches and the Marines and Navy were the only ones with any type of freedom, but it was always the Army and the Air Force who were getting into trouble. Senior Marines like myself (I was a sergeant), we didn’t micromanage our lower-ranking Marines. There was only one incident I can remember from the entire three months I went to that school, and it was more funny than anything.

I have no problems with the Army or any branch because I’m a second-generation military servicemember, following my grandfathers and uncles. We’ve represented every branch except the Navy. Call me bias because I’m a former Marine, but I think it’ll be a decision you’ll be glad you’ve made if you went with the Corps.

If you really wanted to earn the Title of Marine, then I’d say go for it. but if you are doubting yourself before you even start and still debating if you want to join the Marines or the Army, then I would recommend joining the Army instead. I am not being rude or being an asshole on this. I said that because the first thing you need to have with you in order to survive USMC bootcamp is the drive, confidence, and motivation of REALLY and ONLY wanting to BE a Marine!! and NOTHING ELSE. I say this from experience because I enlisted in the Marine Corps and started bootcamp when I was 28 years old. I knew it was going to be tough for my age, and when I got to bootcamp, every recruit was treated the same, my platoon was physically and mentally killed by the Drill Instructors almost everyday during the first 2 months and your age didn’t have anything to do with it. the only thing that got me through the 13 weeks was my SOLID determination of wanting to earn the Title of Marine, and that’s it. that’s all you really need because 13 weeks of USMC bootcamp is not a walk in the park especially if you continue to draw the drill instructor’s attention to yourself by not “Putting out” 100% of yourself during training and PT. if you go into bootcamp without a solid mental attitude that you want to be a Marine, then you will find yourself not being able to adjust to the physical and mental rigors of USMC bootcamp. from my experience, you will be physically drained and slaughtered during the first month in order to break that civilian mentality; by the 2nd month you’re mental toughness kicks in, and that will get you through the training evolutions. if you really want to be a Marine then your mental toughness will kick in. you will discover that your body can actually do more than you think it could when your mind is in charge. when you’re physically drained, you’ll learn how to use your mental toughness to command your body to do things beyond your percieved physical capabilities. it is ALL in your mind. if you mentally quit, then your done. the whole point of USMC bootcamp is to develop mental toughness, physical toughness will then follow. this is why mentally knowing and being sure and true to yourself that you want to be a Marine is very important. if you know what you want, without any second thoughts about it, then you WILL survive 13 weeks of USMC bootcamp just like I did at the age of 28. it could even be fun. I had fun because I earned the respect of the young recruits in my platoon when I refused to quit when 18 and 20 year olds were already bitching and groaning about the physical and mental pain we were subjected to. it’s funny because my platoon gave me the callsign “grandpa” as a symbol of respect. as for the intensity of training, the only thing I can say about that is the fact that you will constantly be moving from the time you wake up until the time you hit the racks, which is from 04:30 until 21:00. So, it is not impossible even at your age of 28. just develop a positive mental attitude and toughness and physical strength to complete the Initial Strength Test at bootcamp (usually the minimum IST requirements of 60 situps in 2 minutes, 3 pullups, and 1.5 mile run in under 14 minutes) this will guarantee that you won’t get dropped into PCP before you even start the real bootcamp training. Once in training, Never let your mind say that you can’t do it, because if you do, then your body will follow and it will make your life harder and possibly get you dropped from your platoon and be picked up by another platoon to be recycled back into training. being dropped from your original platoon is the worst you could do to yourself in bootcamp because you’ll extend your stay in bootcamp beyond the normal 13 weeks since you will have to wait to be picked up by another platoon that is behind your original platoon in training. if this happen, you will be redoing the portion of training that you had already completed with your original platoon. Just make up your mind and set your sights on becoming a Marine BEFORE you even enlist in the Marine Corps. this will make all the difference in the world when it comes to surviving 13 weeks of intense USMC bootcamp

Here is why the corps makes a better warrior. the disciplin THE DRILL INSTRUCTORS INSTIL. imagine if your standing at attention and flesh eating sand flea or misquito lands on your face and is chewing or sucking away. you dont budge, flinch, twitch or squirm. like a statue you remain still.

the constant and repitattive drill to make a platoon of 50 or more men move as one, this same type of disciplin and oneness carries on with the marine when HE goes to infantry training school another 7 1/2 weeks of repetative tough training. In all if your MOS is 0311 you can expect to finally get to sleep in late after your 1st 20 weeks in the CORPS.
then hopefully you get sent to your first unit stateside and not afganistan The corps will not let sit back and coast it is go go go all time even in peacetime. Garrison duty might last at the longest 1 month before you either going to the desert, the mountains, or to sea. yep it was tough but it gave me direction and made me better than if i had not been A MARINE. THE US ARMY IS ONE THE GREATEST IN WORLD great traditions and military espirit de corps. Im am glad we are on the same side. Many of the Army troops I have met and trained with are great, lets not compare them to us Marines they have a different mission and execute it exceptionally well. I love my Marine Corps and respect and admire my other service members. God bless you all SemperFI