OFFLINE

~As of 12 A.M. our young men are embarking on one of their toughest missions to date while at Boot Camp!!!~ I don't believe that this description even begins to do it justice........54 hours with little to no sleep and only 3 MRE's, the art of patience, tolerance, teamwork, and will and determination is hard for those that can get a normal nights sleep and 3 meals a day.....so imagine the stress that is put upon our guys for 54 hours!!!!!! Absolutely insane, but somehting that they have trained for over the last 3 months!!!!!! I have the utmost faith and confidence in every single one of them that they CAN and WILL do this!!!!!! 46.5 more hours to go until we can all relax and take a deep breath knowing that they have SURVIVED and are now a MARINE!!~



The Crucible is the defining moment of recruit training. It is a 54-hour non-stop ordeal that stretches recruits almost to their breaking point. It is a trial by fire~ a test that demands every ounce of physical and mental strength a recruit can muster. It is a test that every recruit MUST PASS to be called a "MARINE"....~ The Crucible emphasizes teamwork, self-confidence, and the core values of the Marines~ HONOR~COURAGE~COMMITMENT~ After the recruits have conquered this mission they are awarded their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and treated to a Warriors Breakfast......One that they will have earned for sure!!!!!!~


Until we meet again~ Oorraahh Plt. 2166 and Plt. 2161!!!!~

OFFLINE

Apryl,
If your son has even a part of your positive attitude, you know he will be able to conquer the crucible!
You are always so upbeat and positive in each of your posts. They are a joy to read.
I am saying my "Marine Corp" prayers and have included Plt. 2166 and Plt.2161 in each and every one of them.

OFFLINE

Thats motivation enough to get through the Crucible, to have the Warriors Breakfast...all you can eat!!! I know Aaron loves his breakfast!!!   Almost there son, hang in there!!!

OFFLINE

Haha Brenda that's exactly what I told Steven in one of my letters! I was like "if the Warriors Breakfast isn't motivation enough then I don't know what is!" In some of the pictures of India Co.'s WB there were Marines with CUPS of soft serve ice cream haha for breakfast! I laughed so hard lol
We're in the SINGLE DIGITS ladies!! 9 more days until we get to see our guys!! Let's goooooooo!!

OFFLINE

"West Coast recruits are returned to Edson Range for the Crucible, which is a rigorous 54-hour field training exercise demanding the application of everything a recruit has learned until that point in recruit training, and includes a total of 48 miles of marching.Some of the challenges encountered during the Crucible are various team and individual obstacle courses, day and night assault courses, land navigation courses, individual rushes up steep hills, large-scale martial arts challenges, and countless patrols to and from each of these. On the final day of the Crucible, recruits are awoken and begin their final march (known as the "Reaper" march on the west coast). Immediately following this, recruits are offered the "Warrior's Breakfast", where they are permitted to eat as much as they like, even of previously forbidden foods, such as ice cream. Following this is the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor ceremony, where the recruits receive the eponymous emblem, and thereby cease to be recruits, finally becoming MARINES.

The final week of Recruit Training is referred to as "Marine Week" and includes the Battalion Commander's Inspection, Family Day, and Graduation. During this week, Marines are instructed in some of the recruit behaviors that are no longer appropriate as Marines, such as referring to self in the third person. Final photos are taken, a representative from the School of Infantry will conduct a brief, and travel arrangements are made for their ten day leave."

WERE ALMOST DONE! YAYYYYYYY

OFFLINE

Thank you for all of this insight and info!  My son begins Phase III next week!

OFFLINE

Originally Posted by Kristine Pruitt Slizewski:
Apryl,
If your son has even a part of your positive attitude, you know he will be able to conquer the crucible!
You are always so upbeat and positive in each of your posts. They are a joy to read.
I am saying my "Marine Corp" prayers and have included Plt. 2166 and Plt.2161 in each and every one of them.

Kristine, THANK YOU for those very kind words!!!! I can only hope that Marquis has gained some of my positive attitude throughout his 18 years!!!!! ::.......He is determined and he is strong and he is a teamplayer so I know he will do his best and fight until the end!!!!!! He has to!!!!!!! There is no room for failure here!!!!! I'm glad that you have enjoyed my posts and hope that in some way they also help you get through one of the hardest times......This HAS NOT BEEN EASY by any means!!!!!!! Even these last 2 weeks have been crazy!!!!! Knowing that we are so close and knowing all that they are going through seems to make the time go even slower!!!!!!! THANK YOU for the prayers and may you have the strength to get through all of this as best as you can!!!!!!~


Ladies as of right now our boys have just about completed 30 hours of The Crucible with 24 hours left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By this time tomorrow morning they should be coming down that mountain, tired as hell, but with so much adrenaline they dont even notice!!!!!~ Ready to eat like THE MARINES that they are, and filled with so much pride in themselves and one another for a JOB WELL DONE!!!!!!!~ We KNOW THEY CAN DO THIS.......now it is up to us to get through the last 24 hours and hopefully keep some of our sanity and hair!!!!!~ ::......SO CLOSE PLT. 2166 & Plt. 2161!!!!!!!~ Ooorraahhhh!!!~

OFFLINE

Samantha, GOOD LUCK!!!!!!~ PHASE III is one of the hardest to get through as a parent....as the letters slow down so much and you really have no idea how they are doing!!!!! HANG IN THERE and just know that your son is about a month away from The Crucible and earning everything that he has worked so hard for over the course of 13 weeks!!!!!!

OFFLINE

Hi Apryl
I have been following your post on Plt 2166 my son Brett is also in it.Do you know if the boys are done with the crucible and now are United States Marines ? Thanks for all the info.
Cant wait to see them July 7th and 8th.

OFFLINE

Hello Everyone!  I believe the crucible should be ending soon. This has by far been the most difficult week in this entire journey. I praying that they all finish strong, and that their adrenaline kicks as they come to the end of this final test. I cannot tell you all how much pride we have for our son, and all the recruits in Hotel Company.

OFFLINE

Brian.....as of 6 am this morning Hotel Co. should have been coming down that mountain..........coming down that mountain tired, hungry, but with so much adrenaline that they dont even realize how tired and hungry they are!!!!!!!!!! They are no longer known as RECRUITS but now known as a UNITED STATES MARINE!!!!!!!!!~ CONGRATULATIONS TO HOTEL CO. PLT. 2166 & Plt. 2161!!!!!!!~ And all other Plt.'s...........YOU DID IT!!!!!~ OORRAAHH!!!!~ I am one proud mama and can't wait to see my son in 7 days!!!!!!!!!! These two weeks were the worst!!!!!!!! Talk about crawling at a snails pace!!!!!!!!!!!

OFFLINE

Thanks Apryl!  I cant wait to see them all, I am flying out the 5th want to take it all in. Proud Dad of a United States Marine!

OFFLINE

Brian, YOUR VERY WELCOME!!!!!!!!! We are headed down on the 6th....... Also to take it all in and enjoy the Meet and Greet......and to be there to rise up early and hopefully catch a glimpse of our Marines!!!!!! I hear you on the PROUD PARENT!!!!!!! I AM ONE VERY PROUD, ELATED MAMA right now!!!!!!!! OORRAAHH PLT. 2166!!!!~

OFFLINE

You have every reason to be proud Brian!!  YOU raised a MARINE!!

I haven't posted on this thread yet. I have been too anxious and I didn't want to cry! Big sign of relief that it is OVER! I was in tears last night, I tell ya! It didn't help that I got one final letter from my son.  I can't wait for Wednesday!  

OFFLINE

Lynette! That's fantastic you got mail! I still have to wait almost 3 hours until the mail comes but I'm crossing my fingers and toes I get something seeing as how Steven said he'd be sending something for my birthday and would 'try and time it out right' :] Have a great rest of the day!! 1 week til we see our guys! :]]]