Marine Boot Camp HQ
This website is a free resource to help you train for United States Marine Corps Recruit Training. It is developed and maintained by former infantry Marines and ensured to have the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding Marine Corps training.
We offer tips on physical fitness, mental preparedness, Marine Corps knowledge, rank structure, and what to expect during Marine Boot Camp including the entire recruit training matrix broken down week by week.
Our Mission
Well prepared recruits make better Marines.
And while you can never be 100% prepared for Marine Corps Recruit Training — the Marines are exceedingly good at culture shock and stress inoculation — we hope that everything you learn here will help you prepare physically and mentally to take on the challenge.
This site is a free resource that is maintained by Marine Corps veterans. You can learn everything you need to know to succeed. But if you want more, please consider checking out our eBook (soon to be in paperback), which has a complete breakdown of the boot camp schedule, as well as physical training tips, mental fitness tactics, and a basic nutrition guide.
What are you waiting for? It’s time to earn the title.
Fitness is a way of life for United States Marines. And it begins in recruit training. From your Initial Strength Test to the full Combat Fitness Test, you’ll be constantly evaluated based on your physical performance. Here’s everything you’ll need to know about Marine Corps Fitness.
Marine Corps Recruit Training is the longest of all the armed services. It consists of close order drill, physical fitness, rifle marksmanship, classroom education on history, customs and courtesies, and rank structure — and culminates in a 54-hour event called “The Crucible.”
Recruits are expected to learn and memorize Marine Corps rank structure, history, and terminology. Marine Corps Recruit Training also delivers a complete history of the United States Marine Corps from Tun Tavern to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Recent Articles
What Does Semper Fi Mean to the Marine Corps?
Semper Fi means “Always Faithful.” The phrase originated with the Roman Legionnaires who were always faithful to Rome. To them, Semper Fidelis meant “Always Faithful” even if it cost their
How the Coronavirus has Changed Marine Boot Camp
In recent months, the novel Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, began spreading rapidly throughout the United States and the rest of the world. For a time, it seemed like it
4 Weapons Safety Rules | Marine Corps Firearm Safety
Firearm safety is paramount to a United States Marine during the entire length of their enlistment or career, regardless of their MOS, or military occupation specialty. And it begins in
Making Marine Security Guards
Get an inside look at how the Marine Corps trains its security guards to guard more than 175 embassies around the world. As a forward-deployed force, the United States Marine
Marine Corps Terminology and Acronyms for Recruits
The United States Marine Corps has a rich history. Born on November 10, 1775, the Continental Marines were founded to serve aboard naval ships as marksmen and security forces. They
What Can You Bring to Marine Boot Camp? A Complete Guide
Many future recruits ask: what can you bring to Marine Boot Camp? The short answer is that the Marine Corps will issue you everything you need, including underwear and running shoes (which will now be referred to as “go-fasters”). But there are certain things you will want to include.
Marine Corps Ranks | Enlisted and Officer Ranks
Marine Corps recruits must learn all Marine Corps Ranks from Private to General, including enlisted, officers, and warrant officers. Marine Corps customs and courtesies require junior Marines to address all
How to Do More Pull Ups: The Ultimate Guide
One of the subjects that frequently comes up when speaking to future Marines is, “how to do more pull ups?” Well, the answer is simple. Do more pull ups. But
Marine Corps Enlistment Requirements | The Hard Truth
There are multiple factors taken into consideration, and some of them can be ‘waivered’ meaning your recruiter can ask the Marine Corps to accept you anyway. Becoming a United States
Marine Boot Camp Pay
A question we are often asked is, how much is Marine Boot Camp Pay? The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) pays Marine recruits as an E-1 with less than
Marine Obstacle Course Crushed by OCS Instructor
Watch this Marine Instructor from Officer Candidate’s School in Quantico, Virgina, crush the Marine Corps Obstacle Course.
Marine Corps Obstacle Course | Conquer the Challenge
One of the first challenging events that recruits face in boot camp is the Marine Corps Obstacle Course, also called the O-Course, or the Tarzan Course. It looks difficult, at
Letter Seven: Letters from United States Marine Corps Recruit Training
Letter Eight finds us nearly a month into recruit training, and I was starting to get used to the routine, getting a lot stronger, and displaying some aggression that the
Letter Six: Letters From Marine Corps Recruit Training
Okay ladies and gentleman, we are fully indoctrinated into the Marine Corps at this point and the stress inoculations are working. San Diego in summertime rivals Kuwait. Yeah, the heat ain’t
Letter Five: Letters From Boot Camp
These boot camp letters sent home from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, reflect a rapidly changing mindset. Chubby recruits become fatbodies. Food is chow. The bathroom is the
