Summary and Key Points: Former Marine Travis Pike offers practical advice for young recruits preparing for Marine Corps boot camp.
-He emphasizes mental and physical readiness, urging recruits to focus fully on training and temporarily forget relationships, as they often become distractions.
-Pike advises building discipline through rigorous physical exercise and studying Marine Corps history.
-He strongly recommends using free time at boot camp for additional workouts rather than leisure.
-Pike also discourages expensive prep programs, advocating instead simple, effective resources. Ultimately, he reminds recruits that boot camp, while challenging, is the easiest phase, and developing strong habits early is critical for a successful Marine career.
How to Excel at Marine Corps Boot Camp: Advice from a Veteran
I’m an old man far removed from the Marine Corps. It’s been almost two decades since I left for boot camp. With that in mind, I can look back at the experience with a bit more wisdom.
I recently had a friend whose son joined the Marines, and we talked about how he could excel at boot camp. I had five pieces of advice that need to be said.
Forget about your relationship
This sounds cruel, but I’ve seen too many good Marines getting dragged down by what amounts to high school relationships. It might be hard to hear it now, but that high school girlfriend or boyfriend likely won’t last your enlistment. When it comes time to head off to boot camp, they will either be there when you’re done or won’t be.
Worrying about a boyfriend or girlfriend in boot camp will be a detriment to your focus and your ability to become the best Marine you can be. Your girlfriend is now the Marine Corps, and she commands the entirety of your attention, and guess what, it’s a four-year relationship whether you like it or not.
Even when boot camp is over, you’ll have your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) school to attend, and then you can be stationed around the country or even the world. Add in deployments and Temporary Duty Assignments, and you’ll be constantly busy. It takes mature people to maintain a relationship in the military, and if you’re coming out of high school, you’re not mature enough to balance both.
Prepare mentally and physically
Every day you have between the time you enlist and when you ship for boot camp is a blessing as it gives you more time to prepare.
You’ll need to prepare your body by working out. Even if you’re in great shape, you can be better. You can run faster and further. You can do more pullups and push-ups and hold a plank longer. If possible, go swimming. Be careful not to injure yourself, but push your limits.
Mentally, you can start preparing by researching Marine Corps history. Study significant events, battles, figures, and dates. Learn your General Orders and everything you can about the Marine Corps.
If you need to know where to start, talk to your recruiter. My recruiter worked with me and provided me with a physical fitness guide from the Marine Corps to prepare for boot camp. He also gave me handouts of what to study prior to joining the Corps. Consume everything your recruiter gives you.
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Develop discipline
The other part of mental preparation is developing discipline, which can be tough, especially if you’re younger. I remember being a teenager. I had to lose 100 pounds to join the Marine Corps, and I’m glad I did. It taught me discipline and helped me prepare to do anything in boot camp and in the Marine Corps in general.
The best way to develop discipline is to find something hard to do and consistently do it. Work out consistently, wake up early, and avoid intoxicants and other harmful substances. Don’t lapse because it can be a domino that starts knocking over other pieces.
Never let the lazy win.
Don’t buy a boot camp prep program
Do not buy any of those expensive and stupid boot camp fitness prep programs.
If you don’t know how to work out and haven’t spoken to a recruiter, I will only endorse one program. It’s not boot camp specific, but it will help you get in shape for boot camp. It’s a $9.99 Kindle purchase called Tactical Barbell: Green Protocol. It’s a dynamic fitness program aimed at Soldiers and Marines and is perfect for starting to get in shape for boot camp.
Do not purchase a $199 course from a guy recently out of the Marine Corps. It’s not needed or necessary.
Free time should be workout time
I only have one tip for what to do when you get to boot camp.
The best part of boot camp is that you don’t have to make any decisions – those decisions are made for you. The only decision you will get to make is what you do with your free time.
There isn’t much to choose from, but if I were to go back in time and redo boot camp, I’d use my free time to work out.
Your camp’s squad bay will likely be equipped with dumbbells and pullup bars. We also had an elliptical. You don’t have to go hog wild, but a little can go a long way. Do pullups, squats, overhead presses, and other compound exercises, and between sets, write and read your letters.
Use your free time to make yourself better, stronger, faster.
The only easy day
I might break some brains here, but the truth is that boot camp is the easiest part of your Marine Corps career. Your only responsibility there is to become a Marine.
After boot camp, you have to be a Marine, which can be a lot harder. You might not be screamed at every day, and you get to play video games again, but now you have to make decisions that matter, and that can be tough.
If you can dedicate yourself to being the best recruit you can be, you can set habits for being the best Marine you can be.
U.S. Marines In Action Photo Essay
U.S. Marines fire an M777 Howitzer during Exercise Rolling Thunder 1-22 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S. October 19, 2021. Picture taken October 19, 2021. U.S. Marine Corps/Lance Cpl. Brian Bolin Jr./Handout
U.S. Marines with India Battery, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fire an M777A2 Lightweight Howitzer during MEU Exercise 14 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 17, 2014. The purpose of MEUEX is to train the different elements of the 15th MEU to work together to complete various missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Jamean R. Berry/Released). Such weapons are also used in Ukraine.
U.S. Marines with Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force attached to 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd MarDiv, III MEF, fire the M777A2 155mm howitzer in support of a combined arms live-fire exercise at Rodriguez Live-Fire Complex during Korean Marine Exchange Program 13-5, part of Ssang Yong 13 in the Republic of Korea April 17, 2013. The CALFEX illustrates how the annual exercise Ssang Yong supports ongoing efforts to strengthen combat readiness in both U.S. and ROK forces. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jose D. Lujano III MEF PAO/Released)
SYRIA – U.S. Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit fire an M777 Howitzer during a fire mission in northern Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, Mar. 24, 2017. The unit provided 24/7 support in all weather conditions to allow for troop movements, to include terrain denial and the subduing of enemy forces. More than 60 regional and international nations have joined together to enable partnered forces to defeat ISIS and restore stability and security. CJTF-OIR is the global Coalition to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria. (Note: these are similar weapons to the ones being sent to Ukraine).
About the Author: Travis Pike
Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine gunner who served with 2nd Bn 2nd Marines for 5 years. He deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan and again in 2011 with the 22nd MEU(SOC) during a record-setting 11 months at sea. He’s trained with the Romanian Army, the Spanish Marines, the Emirate Marines, and the Afghan National Army. He serves as an NRA certified pistol instructor and teaches concealed carry classes.
