Getting mentally prepared for USMC boot camp?

November 2nd, 2009 | by MakingMarines |
prepare for boot camp
Tad asked:


I ship out to San Diego on Dec. 15 and i keep hearing everyone say i need to get MENTALLY as well as physically prepared. Can someone please explain how i can prepare myself mentally?

Marine Boot Camp Info

  1. 5 Responses to “Getting mentally prepared for USMC boot camp?”

  2. By Peace Through Submission on Nov 5, 2009 | Reply

    I guess get someone that really hates you, put them in your face and make them tell you how much of a lowlife you are for a couple hours straight, along with following every little thing they say with complete discipline.

  3. By blase0311 on Nov 8, 2009 | Reply

    just go knowing that the next 3 months are really gonna suck. it is hard to actually fail, and they won’t let you quit. so just show up ready to hate life. remember that you get 3 meals a day, and 8 hours of sleep at night. good luck.

  4. By cerealkillerchicky on Nov 9, 2009 | Reply

    they are going to push every button u have on zero sleep dude ur gonna wanna snap and come undone. start sleep deprivation and pushing urself so hard it actually burns ur muscles to burnout. do running on no sleep, pushups on no sleep, long hard walks in rain and mud on no sleep. carry heavy loads while u do it. do obstacle coarses as fast as u can with zero sleep! and never ever say a word unless spoken to!!!!!!!!!!! EVER!!!!!!! keep your mouth closed, do exactly as ur told and don’t ask why!!!!!!! just do it! they are going to make u redo perfect beds and lockers after ripping them and throwing stuff everywhere over and over and over and yell at u over and over and over to make u break. they are trying to prepare u for war!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! remember that!!!!!!!! it’s not a personal thing for ur instructors it’s their job. And when u feel really low remember this one thing…..THEY ONLY GOT U SO LONG!!!!!!!!! good luck!
    since when do troops in training get 8 friggin hours of sleep? I know I was lucky if i got 4. most of the time it’s between 2-4. u have to do night dutys like fire guard etc… and they will wake u just to make u angry. don’t listen to the person ahead of me! he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about! don’t go in with a bad mind set that it’s going to suck or you will only just squeak through, go in with the ” I CAN CONQUER ANYTHING” mind set and u will actually have fun, I know that’s what got me thru and I’ve done 2 basics not 1!

  5. By Gotta have more explosions! on Nov 11, 2009 | Reply

    Can you picture a recruit who doesn’t know how to iron his clothes, much less his uniform? One who never made his bed at home, let alone in two minutes with hospital corners? One who’s never had a job, even though he’s due to work up to 24 strenuous hours a day for 13 weeks straight?

    That’s a good example of a recruit who isn’t mentally prepared for training. Sure, he can learn while he’s there, but training will be unnecessarily hard for him and he’ll be learning these basic skills at the detriment of everyone else.

    Besides cleaning around the house and practicing basic life skills, you can get a job while you’re waiting to ship out if you haven’t already - it’ll prepare you for full time work and make you more resilient to stress. Even something like KFC or McDonalds would be good, as their employees are used to working with a sense of urgency.

  6. By gracefull on Nov 14, 2009 | Reply

    Well…words like fortitude, perserverance, courage, all sum up some of the qualities and characterisitcs you will need to make it thru boot camp. Two books, I recommend are Boot and Into the Crucible…read them and you’ll get a general idea of boot camp….

    Mentally…being with people you have never met before, from every culture, all grouped together, where your whole being depends upon the slacker…and how you as a team can get the slacker on board, or the one who is not too bright…you are no longer an individual, you will be broken down in every way possible, as will the men you are with, and you will be made into a Marine.

    Forgot having any ego, there will not be any left, forgot having anything individual, you have nothing. you will learn you need nothing, and if you need something, the person besides you needs it more and give it to them.

    You’ll be physically, mentally, emotionally and spirituallly challenged, drained and all the while being sore, homesick, angry, frustrated and wondering what the h did I just do?

    and to that…you will see your brothers graduate…and you will know that to wear the Eagle , Globe and Anchor, is an honor above all.

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