SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For America’s 250th birthday, I took an exclusive tour of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego to see where civilians take their first steps toward becoming part of the military.
All men and women enlisted west of the Mississippi train at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The 13-week boot camp is the longest training out of all military branches.
A recruit's journey starts on their first night at the depot on the yellow footprints.
"So the buses will come around when they come aboard the depot. They'll drive through here, and they'll stop at this curb," Staff Sgt. David Plummer said.
"All the recruits are instructed to set on one set of yellow footprints at a time, and they'll run. It gets chaotic, but when they do, the heels are together, feet at a Y 45. That is one of the first things for the center position of attention," Plummer said.
Plummer says during a recruit's first night, they learn the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is the law for the military.
"They're gonna get told to go out one column at a time, through here, take a left, and then they're gonna be on their way to the contraband room," Plummer said.
In the contraband room, recruits leave behind personal items and pick up pieces of their new life.
"This is where all the recruits will get their hair chopped off, with the exception of females," Plummer said.
Plummer walked me through the barracks where the Marines sleep at night and learn to be tidy and organized. Recruits learn to march and respond to commands like, "Stand up straight and look at me."
Learning to respond under stress happens on the obstacle course, also known as the Thunder Dome, where recruits test their courage.
"We demand the best product because we're the front line for America's safety, so having the ability to respond under orders in a very stressful environment is key to life or death," Plummer said.
"We make them break that fear because it all starts with themselves. If they believe they can do it, then they can do it. And this is one of the key places it happens," Plummer said.
The last stop on a recruit's journey is the museum. Retired Lt. Col. Leonard M. Howard served 31 years in the Marine Corps and is now a docent teaching the next generation.
"This is San Diego on V-E Day, and this is what the base looked like during World War II and some of the training that went through in that time frame," Howard said.
"We bring them here to infuse in them and show them the history of the corps that is so very important," Howard said.
Howard said the museum is a reminder of what recruits are expected to live up to. He said they take pride in knowing their contribution is why America is able to celebrate 250 years.
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