Why People Flunk Marine Corps Boot Camp: Top 7 Reasons
We have been asked the question of why people flunk Marine Corps Boot Camp over and over again, so we decided to create this page in an effort to provide a concise answer. The reason why people flunk Marine Corps Boot Camp is not always the same and yet many of them are closely related. We have compiled a list of the top 7 reasons why we think people flunk out, or wash out, of Marine Corps Boot Camp. The list is not in a rank order, as each reason is personal to the recruit that flunks out. Flunking out is what is important, and not the reason why the recruit flunked out. Flunking out of Marine Corps Boot Camp just means you failed.
Click Here: If You Don’t Want To Flunk Marine Boot Camp.
Injury: There are times when a recruit falls off a rope or twists a knee and becomes hurt to such a degree that they cannot continue on with Marine Corps Boot Camp. When this happens the recruit is stashed away in some platoon waiting to heal. This is a very frustrating time because the recruit has realized the dream to become a Marine is dead and yet they cannot return home. The reason the recruit cannot return home is two-fold. First off, the recruit needs to heal, but more important to the Corps is they do not want to send home recruits that look beat up and /or abused. It does not make good public relations. This is a reason why people flunk Marine Corps Boot Camp.
Criminal: There are times whena civilian slips into boot camp and starts training like everyone else. Then one-day while the platoon is sitting quietly in the squadbay, two men in suits walk in and take a recruit with them, and that recruit is never heard from again by the their fellow recruits. The reason for this is because they had some outstanding warrant on them or some such criminal charge that did not get caught on the initial processing. Once a recruit actually enters active military duty, their is another, deeper background check performed. This follow on background check sometimes turns up a recruit that has not been so honest. This is yet another reason why some people flunk Marine Corps Boot Camp.
Drugs:This reason has been given its own section because it is very common. A very popular reason why recruits get sent home is because they smoked pot or did some other drug right before they reported into boot camp. One of the first things a new recruit does when they get off the bus at a Marine Corps Recruit Depot is they take a “piss test“, which the rest of the world refers to as a urine analysis drug test. A new recruit will pee in the bottle and off goes the sample for testing. It takes a few days/weeks to get the results, so somewhere along the line the recruit gets pulled away from the rest of the platoon.
Too Fat: Yes, we said it Too FAT. This reason actually falls under an umbrella of reasons why people flunk out of Marine Corps Boot Camp. The actual reason may because the recruit cannot keep up with the physical training. Maybe the fat brought on some other health issues that warranted the expulsion from Marine Corps Boot Camp. The end result of being obese will start with the Drill Instructors giving the recruit more attention than they will want. This negative attention will bleed over to the fellow recruits getting angry with the fat one because the platoon will be punished since the fat one cannot keep up. If a recruit is too fat they will become the focal point of everything the Drill Instructors can throw at the recruit. If you think that this is rude or not “politically correct” you would be right if your were in the civilian world. In the glow of Marine Corps Boot Camp, your feelings mean nothing. If you are fat and can’t get over the wall, you are a liability. if you are fat and can’t keep up with the platoon, you will need to go to the “pork chop platoon” for further and additional training, or go home. It is that simple If you are too fat in Marine Corps Boot Camp the deciding factor will be if the individual has the internal drive and motivation to keep up with the rest of the unit. Being fat is not a automatic get sent home, it is just an issue that will require additional intestinal fortitude to overcome.
Click Here if you are worried about your weight
Lack of Personal Drive: If a civilian shows up and is really not committed to becoming a Marine, there is a very good chance they will fail. The commitment to becoming a Marine will need to transcend personal discomfort and personal needs. A recruit that does not have the internal drive to continue and carry on will falter along the way and fall behind in training. This is when the gray area becomes apparent because the lack of personal drive will allow, for example, a minor medical injury to become a chance to be sent home. When a recruit has a lack of will to carry on through the most difficult time in their life, it becomes easy to roll “the reason” into another reason that will offer them the opportunity to quit. A recruit that does not have the internal and ongoing will to graduate Marine Corps Boot Camp, will allow a non-essential cause for failure to blossom and grow into a reason that can become tangible enough for dismissal. The possible list of reasons in this category are virtually limitless, but they are there for the weak recruit to take a hold of, and then use that excuse for the rest of their life. The excuse that manifests itself for dismissal from Marine Corps Boot Camp will be retold to family and friends over and over so many times, that after a while the failed recruit starts to believe the reason really was substantial enough to warrant leaving boot camp a failure. Lack of personal drive is one reason that people flunk out of Marine Corps Boot Camp that starts while still at home waiting as a “poolee” to start boot camp.
Lack of Preparation Academically: Preparation for Marine Corps Boot Camp is one thing that an individual can never get enough of,…and whatever they do to prepare,… will leave them ill-prepared for Marine Corps Boot Camp. To flunk out of Marine Corps Boot Camp a recruit really has to flunk out because the individual recruit is offered time and time again an opportunity to succeed. If a test subject is causing trouble the recruit would have to be a rock to not be able to pass it eventually. The academic portion of Marine Corps Boot Camp is not the reason for many recruits being sent home from boot camp. What causes the trouble is that the academic portion of boot camp is really just another faucet of stress that must be overcome to graduate. If a civilian does not study before they arrive at the recruit depot to start basic recruit training, then the amount of stress will increase overall, compared to the civilian that studied before arriving at boot camp. The point you need to understand is that the academic studies, in them-self, are not difficult. It is only when the academics are thrown at you with the rest that is going on, that makes it difficult. If a civilian studied all of the subject matter prior to becoming a recruit, the level of stress would be reduced exponentially. The lack of preparation academically only leads to increased stress, that some individuals just cannot handle, and that is just another reason why they flunk out of Marine Corps Boot Camp.
Easily Intimidated:The Marine Corps really does not want some mindless drone running around looking to start a fight, but they do not want a person that can be intimidated too easily. If a civilian shows up to recruit training and takes the training and the treatment they receive too harshly, they will end up being intimidated and they will flunk out and fail Marine Corps Boot Camp. A recruit needs to be able to stand up and stand tall to the constant barrage of verbal abuse they receive while at boot camp. Anything less will cause the recruit to fail boot camp and be sent home as a civilian. The recruit cannot take the treatment at boot camp as a personal issue. If the Drill Instructor sense a weakness, they will work at using it to intimidate you right back to the civilian world.
If you want to become a Marine, you have to make it through Marine Corps Boot Camp. If you are not prepared for what that means, you will have a tougher time than you need to have. Marine Corps Boot Camp is not some unbeatable experience, as demonstrated by the graduation ceremonies that take place weekly. If you are going off to boot camp, then you have made the commitment and that commitment will only have one of two outcomes. You will either become a Marine or you will fail. PERIOD!!!! You will spend every minute of everyday in Marine Corps Boot Camp dealing with the issue of becoming a basically trained Marine. Either you prepare now or you don’t. If you choose to not prepare now you may still graduate, but your time in Marine Corps Boot Camp will suck much more than it has to.
Lack of Preparation Physically: It is not by accident that the reason for not being physically prepared for boot camp was listed last. Most outsiders will disagree with this, but the truth is that The Marine Corps Boot Camp process is not designed to kick out and fail the weak from becoming a Marine. One of the first things a recruit has to do when they arrive at Marine Corps Basic Training is what is called the Initial Physical Fitness Test (PFT). If you arrived at boot camp, chances are you will be able to make the minimum requirements to start and continue boot camp with your platoon. If you have the ability to qualify at the initial PFT, you have the physical ability to graduate. The entire Marine Corps Boot Camp system is designed to take ANY civilian and work them hard and push them physically so they will be able to march on the grinder (parade deck) and graduate as basically trained Marines. It would be silly to think that the entire system would be set up to “hire” civilians and then not have a system in place to promote being physically fit. Once again, preparation is key, because if an individual shows up for Marine Corps Boot Camp and has a good physical condition, their stress level will be lower, and they will be able to not “freak out” when the entire world around them seems to be crashing down around their ears. The point of being fit beforehand will only lower the overall level of stress that the recruit will have to endure. Before you get done reading this…LISTEN UP!!!!!! Being out of shape does not mean you will fail Marine Corps Boot Camp just as much as being in shape DOES NOT guarantee you will graduate a Marine. It all comes back down to personal drive, will power and overall commitment.
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Prepare For Marine Corps Boot Camp
If you are looking to become a United States Marine there is a little event ahead of you called Boot Camp. There is no doubt about the fact that the Marines run the most difficult boot camp in America, bar none. What you must realize is that we are not talking about follow on training such as the Navy Seals or the Army Green Beret Training, we are talking about Basic Training. The emphasis is “basic” training because this is where a Marine learns the basic elements of what it takes to become a United States Marine. Is Marine Corps Boot Camp the hardest military training in America?… no, not by any suggestion is that what we are saying. The point we hope to get across to you is that The Marines have the most difficult training program there is, when talking about basic training. What we would like to be able to do is help you prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp.
There really are many things that a person needs to get ready for when the decision has been made to join The United States Marines. More often than not the average uninformed individual thinks that in order to prepare to join The Marines they just need to be in good physical condition. That could be no further from the truth and here is why.
When preparing for Marine Corps Boot Camp the following aspects are what will make or break your ability to graduate:
- The Mental Aspect
- The Emotional Aspect
- The Physical Aspect
- The Intelligence Aspect
The Mental Aspect
We list this first because it is all too often overlooked when a person starts to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp. The mental aspect is the most important factor when discussing survival in Marine Corps Boot Camp. What we are talking about is the mental state, and not the intellect. Although the level of intelligence is one of the aspects we discuss, the mental aspect is more closely related to the emotional aspect, but yet it is different. When we discuss how to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp and talk about the mental aspect, there is a direct relationship to how well a person can perform under stress and how well they perform in boot camp.
Stress is created in boot camp and the best way to stop yourself from cracking up is to prepare for what is going to happen while you are in Marine Corps Boot Camp. The reason stress is created in boot camp is because that is what will be experienced in combat and combat is what is what you are really being trained for while in any boot camp. One should NEVER forget that the military has one mission and that is to prepare to advance the needs of America on the modern day battlefield, and there is a great deal of stress on the battlefield. Actually the amount of stress on the battle field is much more than what is experienced in boot camp. When trying to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp a person must understand that the most important preparation that can be done is to learn how to deal with stress.
The stress that is inflicted in boot camp is designed to create a pressure that will crack the individual that is not well prepared. The best way to prepare for the emotional aspect of Marine Corps Boot Camp is to educate yourself to what is coming. If the mind is trained to expect what is happening, the event will not be as stressful. Keeping the stress level down is how a person needs to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp. By gaining the knowledge of events that are going to happen ahead of time, the stress level of the event is minimized, which in effect promotes mental wellness. This is what most people will refer to as “mind games”. By understanding what is going on around them, a recruit is able to understand the mind game that are taking place, which in itself…makes the mind game that much more bearable.
Click Here for over 125 pages of information about Marine Corps Boot Camp
The Emotional Aspect
The emotional aspect of boot camp is also stress related but the difference is that this type of stress is born from within. Do you miss your lover? Are you homesick? Do you just hate to exercise? The emotional aspect of preparing for Marine Corps Boot Camp can really be traced back to the mind frame a recruit is experiencing because of the emotions that are internal. What happens here is that a recruit will show some sign of weakness and the Drill Instructors will be on it like a fly on….you know what. Then the instructor will expose that weakness to the platoon and then punish the unit for the problem of the individual. When this happens the recruit is getting it from all ends and that compounds the stress level, which could result in the ultimate failure of the recruit.
The best way for an individual to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp is to learn to expect what is ahead on the training calendar. The future recruit should know how long training will last, what events will take place, where will they take place. What are the scores needed? What are the lessons that must be learned and most important is the individual must be prepared to deal with any personal issues that may arise in their life. Will they receive a break up letter? Will “Mommy” try to send cookies? Will the girlfriend send some “porno” style photograph?
If the individual knows in advance what to expect and prepares in advance, they will have a much better chance of keeping their emotions in check, which will keep the stress level manageable. Once again it all boils down to the stress factor. Being able to prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp is the single most important thing a person can do in advance before reporting in for recruit training. The preparation that informs the individual of the upcoming events is the key to being able to achieve high scores as a Marine Recruit. Stress management through advance knowledge keeps the emotions in balance. A person that has balanced emotions is hard to get off balance by the Drill Instructor.
The Physical Aspect
The physical aspect of Marine Corps Boot Camp is NOT what everyone expects it to be. The average person on the street thinks that the typical Marine recruit needs to be some muscle stud that can run as fast as a tiger. While those assumptions do wonders for the Marine Corps recruitment quotas, they really have very little basis in fact for what it takes to prepare for the physical aspect of Marine Corps Boot Camp.
We will not lie to you and tell you that you do not need to be in shape when you arrive at boot camp. What we will tell you is that the entire training program of Marine Corps Boot Camp is designed to take the weakest person and then give them the needed training to put them in top physical condition. The condition required to become a Marine really should be summed up as being able to have a large amount of stamina or endurance. The ability to be the fastest or the strongest is not required and nor is it expected. What is expected of a recruit is the physical ability to be able to endure what the Drill Instructor inflicts upon the recruit. It really does not matter how much weight you can lift…the instructor can give you so much you can’t lift it again. It does not matter how fast you can run if the instructor tells you it is not fast enough. The physical aspect of preparing for Marine Corps Boot Camp is closely related to the mental and the emotional aspect….much closer than you may realize.
If you are the strongest recruit in history and yet you cannot obey and do what the Drill Instructor tells you to do, you will fail. If a recruit cannot bear the stress of boot camp their strength is not relevant. Granted it is best to be in decent physical shape when you arrive, but the end fact is that only the strong willed can push themselves past the point where THEIR body fails. The training that is experienced in Marine Corps Boot Camp is such that the mind is sharpened to such a point that the emotions are under control and the body just does what the mind tells it to do. The mind is really the boss of the body and the entire program at Parris Island or San Diego is set up to bend the weak emotion-ed and to bend the thought process through mental stress. Those that arrive at boot camp knowing what to expect are the ones that experience the least amount of stress. If the stress can be minimized while at boot camp….the entire process becomes so much easier and so much more achievable.
Learn How To Stay Emotionally Balanced In Boot Camp
The Intelligence Aspect
The intelligence aspect of Marine Corps Boot Camp is often underestimated by the every person that shows up at a Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The facts and stuff that needs to be memorized while in boot camp is not difficult, by any standard. (Internal Link: Click Here For Some of those Facts) The problem with the mild academics that need to be memorized is not the simple facts, but what is swirling all around you, while you are in training. The simple facts that need to be memorized are easy, as long as the pressure of boot camp is not happening to you.
What a person can best do prior to reporting into Marine Boot Camp is to memorize all of the facts that need to be learned. How far does the M16A4 shoot? Where was the Marine Corps birthplace? What is the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion? How do you board a ship…where do you salute? The list goes on and on and on…. What a future recruit needs to do is gather as much of the syllabus of boot camp ahead of time and memorize it, before reporting into boot camp. The simple truth is that if you learn all of the memory points prior to showing up, the stress level will be minimal. By learning all of the mundane facts, your chances of doing better greatly increase because your stress will be very manageable, and that is the best way to graduate from boot camp.
In Conclusion we want you to realize that if you want to do well in boot camp, then you better prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp like nothing y0u have ever done before in your life. The experience that will soon take place will be so alien to you that the only way to prepare is to gain as much knowledge as you can ahead of time. Sure you will have to run and jump and all of that, and that is expected. What you must prepare for is the total package and that includes all of the factors we discussed in this longer than normal article.
To prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp you should gather from your recruiter all of the information about boot camp he/she has to offer. Get it and study it till you know it all and can repeat it without hesitation. If your recruiter cannot provide what you need or you want even more knowledge, then download the ebook that is available below. The cost is minimal and if that is the deciding factor of whether you pass or fail Marine Corps Boot Camp, you would be a fool for passing it up.
Prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp now, or suffer the consequences when you get there. As always, the choice is yours!
Semper Fi!
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How easy is it to fail Marine Recruit Training?
I’ve heard about 15% drop out from Recruit Training. Is this true? What are the criteria for being failed by a Drill Instructor (ex: poor atheltic ability, etc.)? As long as I don’t give up and try to do my best, shouldn’t I be able to pass with no problem?
MCBCS RESPONSE:
I could write an entire, all ecompassing answer, but all of it has already been published in an awesome EBook, that is can be available for FREE for Amazon.com Prime members. I could try to answer your question but that answer is really 125 pages long and is too long for a simple reply. Check out the link below to see the book for yourself.
Take the doubt out and just prepare for Marine Corps boot camp!
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