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.
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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.
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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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The Marine Corps Boot Camp Crucible
The Crucible is a rite of passage for all Marines and occurs during the very end of Marine Corps Boot Camp. The Crucible is the 54-hour culmination to the transformation of recruit training. It is a physically and mentally challenging event that involves food and sleep deprivation and the completion of various obstacles for the potential Marine to negotiate. This is a relatively new training evolution in the Marine Corps as it did not exist a couple of decades ago. When the evolution of training is completed, the recruits are considered Marines, whereas in years gone by the recruits were not considered Marines until the actual graduation ceremony. All in all, the Crucible has evolved into the culmination of Marine Corps Boot Camp. Below is a brief summary of the events that take place during the scheduled Crucible. 
Basic Facts
Recruits will travel 48 miles on foot during the event.
There are 29 problem-solving exercises during the Crucible.
It consists of 36 different stations.
The recruits will have three meals, ready-to-eat (MREs) during the 54 hours.
The recruits will be required to carry 45 pounds during the Crucible, in addition to 782 gear, uniform and M16 A2 service rifle weight.
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Day 1
Reveille (2 am)
Night movement (3 am)
Recruits conduct a 6-mile hike to the Crucible site.
Events 1-3 (5: 30 am – 6:30 pm)
Event 1 – Battle of Hue City
A one-hour event in which the teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through a course which consists of trenches, wire fences and walls.
After the resupply course, teams negotiate the warrior stations below:
Pfc Jenkins Pinnacle
Teams cross two horizontal cable-supported logs.
Pfc Garcia’s Engagement
Individuals demonstrate their knowledge of hand-to-hand combat skills, and then participate in a warrior case study of Pfc. Garcia.
Lehew’s Challenge
Teams of two climb over an eight-foot high horizontal log.
Corbin’s Convoy
Teams react to a simulated IED while on patrol.
Event 2– Battle of Belleau Wood: Pugil Sticks/Body Sparring
Leadership Reaction Course
A three-hour event in which the teams perform six reaction course problems which test their ability to work as a team to solve problems.
Some of the problems include:
Using three wooden boards to cross a number of stumps without touching the ground.
Negotiating a water hole using the same wooden board concept to get from point A to point B.
Transporting a large container over a wall using the limited resources available.
Once completing the events, the teams of two face off in a pugil stick bout.
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Event 3 – Core Event and Warrior Stations
A one-hour event which can hold a maximum of six teams working concurrently.
Noonan’s Casualty Evacuation
The team will recover a downed pilot and another recruit “shot” by a sniper and transport them over a mile of wooded terrain.
Enhanced Obstacle Course
the recruits carry a dummy casualty on a stretcher and ammunition cans from one end of a standard Marine Corps obstacle course to the other, going over all obstacles.
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) Strikes Station -
Recruits are required to demonstrate and conduct five-minute MCMAP strikes.
Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor.
Night Event (8 pm – 11 pm) – Five-mile night hike with a time limit of three hours.
Sleep (midnight – 4 am)
Day 2
Reveille (4 am)
Events 4-6 (5:30 am – 6:30 pm)
Event 4 –Battle of Fallujah
A one-hour event in which teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through the Combat Assault Course.
Following the completion of the Battle of Fallujah, recruits negotiate a bayonet assault course and the warrior stations below:
Perez’s Passage
Teams cross a “contaminated area” by swinging on ropes from “safe spot” to “safe spot.”
Kraft’s Struggle
Teams climb a 10-foot wall and climb down the opposite side by a knotted rope.
John Quick Trail (Navigation Station)
Basic map reading and grid coordinate plotting will be reviewed and evaluated.
Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor.
Event 5 – Battle of Mariana Islands
Combat Endurance Course
Teams have two hours to complete five events of a modified Confidence Course.
The Sky Scraper
The team retrieves a “wounded” dummy from the top of an 18-foot tower.
Stairway to Heaven
Team members move two ammunition cans over the top of a 36-foot ladder obstacle.
Two-Line Bridge
Team members cross two 52-foot long ropes with their hands and feet suspended two feet and 10 feet off the ground as they carry ammunition cans and water re-supply cans.
The Weaver
Team members climb over and under 24 logs, 42 feet in length ascending to 14 feet as they carry ammunition and water re-supply cans.
In addition to the Enhanced Confidence Course, teams go through a Combat Endurance Course.
Combat Endurance Course- Teams conduct a simulated patrol, negotiate the obstacles and report the number and types of obstacles to intelligence sources.
Event 6– Battle of Khe Sanh (Unknown Distance Firing)
Teams of four fire two magazines of five rounds each from simulated building structures at unknown distance targets in a time limit of 70 seconds. The number of targets hit and number of unused ammunition is then recorded.
Following Day’s Defense, team members participate in a 250-meter casualty evacuation where members remove simulated casualties from a simulated danger area consisting of artillery simulators.
Night Event (8 pm – 11 pm)- Night Infiltration Course
Teams re-supply water, ammunition and MREs at night in a simulated combat environment. The teams take their ammunition cans, water cans and simulated MREs through the Combat Assault Course with the added obstacle of darkness.
Sleep (midnight – 4 am)
Day 3
Reveille (3 am)
Nine-mile hike (4 am – 7 am)
Recruits conduct a nine-mile hike from the Crucible site back to the battalion.
Eagle Globe and Anchor Ceremony (7:30-8:00)
New Marines will receive an Eagle Globe and Anchor from their Drill Instructor marking their transition from a recruit to a Marine.
Warrior’s Breakfast
The new Marines are treated to a breakfast fit for only true warriors. It consists of all-you-can-eat steak, eggs and potatoes.
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Prepare For Bootcamp Ebook
If you are getting ready to go off to boot camp, you are in for a chapter in your life that is one you will remember. If you are getting ready to go to bootcamp you need to realize that the memory that you will create will have one over-riding theme…and that theme is whether you pass or fail. A large portion of that equation is directly related to the amount of preparation you do to prepare for the boot camp experience. There is no doubt that getting ready for bootcamp should be directly related to getting something to help, such as a prepare for bootcamp ebook.
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When you prepare for boot camp, it is not enough to just be able to run and jump and climb ropes. A monkey can be trained to do those sort of things, and you are expected to be able to do so much more. The crushing factor of boot camp is the stress that is inflicted while undergoing training. The academic portion of boot camp is really not that tough, in fact it is really quite simple. The problem and the reason why you need a prepare for bootcamp ebook is because the unknownis what causes the stress and that stress is what causes a person to fail. A bootcamp ebook can shed some light on the events that take place in bootcamp. By knowing what is coming, the stress is reduced and that factor alone helps a person thrive to become a success.
A prepare for bootcamp ebook should contain specific and vital information that will shed light on not only the physical portion of boot camp, but also the academic portion of bootcamp. By learning the facts of such subjects like the M16A4 rifle or the rank structure, the knowledge that is already in your head, reduces the stress because the stress of having to learn the facts has been reduced. The entire environment of bootcamp is alien to all and not having to spend stress on the mundane memorization, reduces stress. The mere fact of living with less stress make s the entire spectacle of bootcamp much more manageable.
The over-riding concept of boot camp is to inflict as much stress as possible to see who will be able to deal with the inflicted stress. The whole point of boot camp is to weed out the recruits that are not able to function under stress and those are the ones that fail. A great way to prepare for boot camp is with an ebook because they are the ones that are the most up to date and current. One must further realize that the military is all about regimented training programs and the same holds true with the training that Drill Instructors must endure prior to being able to train any recruits. A ebook that has insight to the tactics that Drill instructors use will prove priceless because if you know what to expect, the stress is reduced. Stress reduction is what will increase a recruits chances of being able to graduate.
An overall good ebook that will help a person prepare for bootcamp will be one that provided insight to not only the physical training requirements, but also the academic requirements. By memorizing what must be memorized prior to starting boot camp, the simple stress of learning the stuff is minimized. While everyone else is trying to memorize the General Orders, a well prepared recruit will be able to excel in the leadership role of helping others just get by and pass. A good solid foundation that will propel a recruit to be able to graduate is not only a good thing to have, it is essential to solidifying a recruits chance of making their bootcamp memories those of a time that they excelled and not a time of failed excuses.
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