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You are currently browsing comments. If you would like to return to the full story, you can read the full entry here: “How hard is USMC boot camp (Parris Island)?”.
You are not old. Males don’t reach the peak of their athletic endurance abilities until the age of 35.
I am not a Marine, but have worked with them extensively in the past. You need to be able to run at least 3 miles. That is the distance of their Physical Fitness Test. In order to do well at boot camp, you should aim for a time of 20:00 or better. Max points is 18 minutes. You also need to work on your situps and pullups, as those are both part of the fitness test.
Hard enought to make an EMO whiner into a man and a soldier.
and that’s saying a lot!
You are to old sweetie!! They like them young and dumb!! You will just need to paint a huge white TARGET on your chest!! That is what you will be… JUST A TARGET…
In all honesty, 3 miles is nothing. Work on that part.
Its all in your head. If you believe you will pass, then you will. Have you considered the Navy? Boot camp isnt as hard, 4 weeks shorter and the chow is better. Just a thought, dont limit yourself. I served and have never regretted it. Good luck
its very hard but worth it
it is the toughest of any basic training. they will make a marine out of you. i was air force and we had a lot of respect for the marines, and they deserve every bit of it. if you do not choose the marines you can still serve your country in one of the other branches of military. good luck and semper fi.
It is hard both physically and mentally. They are trying to teach you team work. I made it through boot camp just fine because i did what i was told to do and was never the guy who stood out as either a leader or the loser. The drill instructors always seem to single those out. So be prepared physically before you go and remember attention to detail and team work is what counts and you will be fine.
The Corps will tear you down to what they want, then rebuild you into a Marine. Thousands have done it before you. You can do it, too. Once you graduate, you will forever be part of a very elite group of men and women who took the challenge and succeeded. Marines get the most respect of any service from the public. To be a Marine is to be the best. I say "Go for it!!"
It’s tough but heed scubadog. I sure would not be a live if I hadn’t go through something like that.
You better get over to the nearest high school track every day and start running. I went to the Police academy at age 31, I had to run 3 miles every morning plus the other strength training. If I could do it then you can at age 28. In High School my boyfriend went to Marine Boot camp, he said it was hard because he was just an out of shape High schooler. And BYW 28 is not old, You big baby.
In general it’s not the physical that’s tough, you’ll get used to that. It’s the mental part that washes out most recruits. I was on the edge of being to heavy to enter boot camp and mediumly out of shape for a 20 year old recruit. I saw several washouts but I made it through. It’s all in the mind. If you saw the series Boot Camp (or whatever it was called, Survivor knock off) it was somewhat close to USMC boot camp except for the missions.
I’d do it again.
Good luck.
Really easy, you’ll like it there
U.S. Marine boot camps are at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, and Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California. All female enlisted Marines go to Parris Island. Men go to either, depending on whether they were recruited east or west of the Mississippi River.
Basic training for Marines is a 13-week long program, which is followed by infantry training which is mandatory for Marines of all military occupational specialties (MOS). The Marine Corps’ 13-week long recruit training is the longest in United States Armed Services. All Marines receive follow-on schooling conducted at the Schools Of Infantry located at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (for Parris Island graduates) and Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California (for San Diego graduates). Marines with an Infantry MOS (03XX) are assigned to Infantry Training Battalion (ITB) companies A-D. Marines with non-infantry MOS designations go to Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT) companies E-H. ITB and MCT are both run by the School Of Infantry, but MCT is a more generalized form of training whereas ITB is MOS specific. After graduation from the School of Infantry, Marines who have a non-infantry MOS will continue on to yet another school for training in their specific job field.
It will be a lot of fun! It will be like Disneyland. It will be your new home
My husband went to Parris Island 8 years ago. He states the following: in the beginning, you need to be able to run 1.5 miles under 12 mins, then you need to be able to do at least 4 pullups and at least 40 situps in 2 mins. If you do not meet these requirements, you will be dropped to the PCP platoon (physical conditioning platoon/pork chop platoon) this would extend your training to more than 13 weeks. During your stay, your physical fitness tests will consist of a 3 mile run under 28 mins, min of 5 pullups, and min of 40 situps (you will have to do more physically but these are the basic requirements) As far as dealing with drill instructors, don’t look at them and listen to what they say. Pay attention to details, they will tell you what they expect. If an instructor is coming down on you, always keep a good attitude because tomorrow it will be someone else. Everyone is going to have their moments with the DI’s and you won’t be the first or the last.
Boot camp is hard. If you don’t like being told what to do, when to do it and how to do it the Corps isn’t for you. They (Drill Instructors) will yell at you all day everyday until you leave the Island. 28 is not to old. Get in shape. You have to run 1.5 miles before you leave, the time depends on your age. You have to be able to do some pull-ups and some crunches. If you can’t meet these you spend more time trying to get in shape=stay longer.
28 compared to 18/19 year olds: You may have to work harder to do what they do, this all depends on what kind of shape you are and how hard you are willing to work. Being in shape very important to make your stay easier. You also have height/weight standards to adhere to, being a female I’m not sure what those are for you. You can look it up on line. At boot camp they ‘prepare’ you for what you must do to complete boot camp, the first day you are there you don’t have to climb the rope, run the obstacle course and swim qual. Everything comes in time. You should do great as long as you are willing to work hard and do your best. Good luck soon to be devil dog! Semper Fi
It can be too hard if you only believe in youself if this is your case then it will be impossible.
You must know you can, spend everyday knowing you can then it’s just real damn hard but it’s the one thing you can always fall back on the rest of your life.
I’m 17 years old as a polee in the delayed entry program ship to parris island san diego late june. Going into the intelligence field 02. I’m expecting the biggest challenge of my life and that’s why I’m joining the marines in the first place! Talk to a local recruiter they aren’t these evil lying deceiving hypnotist that society brings them out to be. Respect you’re recruiter, recruiters are some of the best marines in the business, top of the top. Talk to him and tell him/her what you want out of the experience and he will make it happen for you.
Hey, I am 17 i leave June 6 for Parris Island. I am going into recon OOhrah! My brother went through it and most of my friends have gone through it, talk to a recruiter.Everybody says the physical is ok, just 1.5 miles in under 13 mins 3 pullups and at least 44 crunches, not very hard. The mental is where people was out, my brother said to expect every day to be completly Sh**y, and you will not be let down and can make it through. Go for it man, i love it, and most recruiters do pt once a week to help get ya ready. Mine is thursday man good luck.
if you r over weight can you stil join the marines
I went to Parris Island November 2 1983. I was overweight and out of shape, but I managed to hang in there and stay out of PCP Platoon. (Physical Conditioning Platoon or affectionately known as “Pork Chop Platoon”)
To prepare for boot camp I would recommend doing the following. Start running! Work up to 1 mile, 2 miles then 3. Start doing pullups and situps. You also want to start preparing yourself for the “motivational PT” by doing pushups, bends and thrusts, mountain climbers and side straddle hops. If you don’t know what some of these exercises are “google” them! Oh, you will probably be doing some 8 count bodybuilders as well. Don’t over train, take your time and build yourself up.
Take Care,
Former Marine