The final challenge before earning the title of United States Marine is called the Crucible. It’s a 54-hour event that tests physical stamina, mental toughness, and the ability to think critically while under multiple levels of stress including hunger, sleep deprivation, and physical exhaustion.
The Marine Corps Crucible is a 54-hour event that validates the training a Marine recruit has undergone before they can be called “Marine.”
The recruits are broken down into squads to face the Crucible challenges. They will face many obstacles that require not just physical strength, but teamwork. Each event ties back to a moment in Marine Corps history — like John Basilone’s last stand on Iwo Jima, for example.
During the Crucible, Marine recruits will face:
- Sleep deprivation
- Limited food
- Physical exhaustion
- 48 miles of hiking
- 8 physically and mentally demanding events
- Simulated casualty evacuations throughout each event
What happens during the Crucible is no big secret, but it will take more than the knowledge of the events to make it through. It will take grit and determination — and a “never-quit” attitude.
Why do the Marines Call it the Crucible?
Introduced by General Charles Krulak in 1996, the Crucible was designed to orient recruit training around realistic combat training scenarios. The word “crucible” means a severe test, or, a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development.
The Crucible has evolved during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars to include immediate reaction drills, and simulated casualties — and to recite the recent heroism of modern Marines.
The Crucible Schedule
The exact schedule of The Crucible is a tightly held secret. But it begins with a 0200 wakeup (that’s 2 am) and an early morning 6-mile hike to your bivouac site. You’ll be wearing a flak jacket, and rifle — and on your back will be a 40-pound pack with everything you need for sustainment during the 54-hour event.
You’ll be issued 2.5 MREs (about 3,000 calories total) and have two canteens full of water. In your pack, you’ll have an extra pair of cammies, skivvies (underwear), two extra pairs of socks, your tent, tent poles, a sleeping bag, and a bivvy bag — a total of about 55 lbs.
What Happens During The Crucible?
The Crucible creates a condition of physical, mental, and moral adversity to truly test whether your training has been effective. It’s difficult, but if you just remember to not quit — you’ll make it.
Before starting an event — a recruit is given the task to read an award citation for a Marine from history. This inspires you to perform to your utmost, to uphold the traditions of Marines that have gone before you, as you earn your Eagle, Globe, and Anchor — the same emblem worn by every Marine.
The Crucible begins at 0200 hours, meaning you will only have 4-hours of sleep prior to the event. The Crucible begins with a 6-mile hike to your bivouac site — where you’ll set up your tents and rest area for the remainder of the event. At 0530, the Crucible events begin.
There are 6 day events and 2 night events, ending with a 9-mile hike and the “Warrior’s Breakfast” — featuring the traditional “pre-amphibious landing” breakfast of steak and eggs.
Note: if you ever get deployed to a combat zone and you get steak and eggs for breakfast — you’re probably headed somewhere dangerous!
Sleep Deprivation
During the Crucible, you will get only 4 hours of sleep at night, generally from 2200 to 0200 (10 pm to 2 am). In addition to the 4 hours of sleep — a team of recruits will have to be on fire watch during the night. So you may only get 1 hour of sleep, followed by 1 hour of fire watch, followed by 2 hours of sleep.
This can add up to create a level of exhaustion you may have never seen before — which is really the idea behind the Crucible. It’s going to test what you’re made out of — and you’ll learn something about yourself during the process.
On the final day, you face your longest, most difficult hike. Over the last 3 nights, you’ll have slept for a total of 12 hours — if you’re lucky!
Limited Food
Recruits are given 2.5 MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat) during the Crucible. Each MRE contains about 1,250 calories — about half of the nutrition you’ll need during the day.
There are no “chow times” during the Crucible. You are responsible for rationing out your MREs. Some recruits eat a lot the first day, some try to see how long they can make it without eating on day 1. It’s all up to you. If you’re lucky enough to get an MRE with a coffee packet — save it for a key moment when you need a pick-me-up!
As we Marines like to say, “chow is continuous!” (that means snacking regularly instead of getting a full meal 3x a day).
Your squad will also face a number of simulated casualty evacuations during hikes and Crucible events.
Casualty Evacuations During the Crucible
During the Crucible, your squad will take simulated casualties who then must be evacuated for a medevac. This simulates combat conditions, such as patrolling in Iraq and being struck by an IED, or improvised explosive device.
While they are unavoidable, it’s worth noting that if your squad performance during events is subpar — you will face more casualty evacuations than other squads!
You will have some recruits take up security positions while others carry the “wounded” — and trade out as the recruits carrying the wounded get tired. Teamwork is the name of the game.
The Crucible Events
Before starting an event — a recruit is given the task to read an award citation for a Marine from history. This inspires you to perform to your utmost, to uphold the traditions of Marines that have gone before you, as you earn your Eagle, Globe, and Anchor — the same emblem worn by every Marine.
From the bivouac site, recruits will face their first of the eight main events. The events are in random order, and you will have to hike from station to station as a unit, facing immediate action drills (as if being fired upon by enemy forces) and casualty evacuations.
Here’s a list of the Crucible Events.
Day Movement Resupply
This event simulates resupplying a Marine Corps unit with ammunition, water, and MREs. The course consists of trenches, wire fences, and walls which must be navigated as a team while carrying 5-gallon water jugs and ammo cans filled with concrete.
Combat Assault Course
This event simulates war conditions, complete with machine guns firing blanks, artillery simulators exploding around you, and smoke concealing and screening your movement. It begins inside an AAV, also known as an Amtrac, or Amphibious Tractor. This is an armored vehicle that can be launched off ships and also cruise around on land.
Then, recruits face a multitude of obstacles including barbed wire, dark tunnels filled with mud and water, and trenches to simulate trench warfare. You will be required to low crawl, high crawl, and belly crawl through dirt, trenches, tunnels with mud and water, and carry casualties with you on your way through the course.
Reaction Course
This event is a series of obstacles that will require teamwork and critical thinking while under stress to solve unique problems. There aren’t obvious solutions to these technical problems, which require recruits to move ammunition and water jugs while utilizing small pieces of rope or planks.
Unknown Distance Firing Course
In this course, you will have 2 rifle magazines with 5 rounds each. You will rush to a fighting position and then engage pop-up targets at unknown distances, utilizing the skills you learned at the rifle range to engage more realistic targets.
Night Infiltration
This course is a platoon movement to contact, simulating a night patrol into enemy positions. Your platoon will patrol through an obstacle course and eventually “take fire” where artillery simulators and machine guns fire blanks.
Pugil Sticks & Body Sparring
The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program includes fighting with pugil sticks (to simulate fighting with bayonets) and body sparring — so you’ll be familiar with this event. However, you’ll be more exhausted than ever and expected to perform. Squads of recruits will be pitted against each other and the losing squads will be punished with push-ups, mountain climbers, planks — and more!
This event simulates combat conditions fairly well. Remember, the enemy doesn’t want to fight well-rested and well-fed Marines — they will always try to catch you when you’re exhausted and hungry.
Night March
The final event of the Crucible is always the night march — 9 grueling miles with a full 40 lbs pack, rifle, and kevlar helmet. If you’re lucky enough to be on the West Coast, this culminates in a hike up “The Reaper” — a 700-ft elevation hill that is surprisingly steep!
At the top of The Reaper, recruits receive their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and are finally called “Marine.” At Parris Island, this event happens at the Iwo Jima Memorial.
Warrior Breakfast
After receiving your Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, you’ll march to the chow hall and eat your first warrior’s breakfast! You’ll be given the option to eat steak & eggs, and there will be french toast, cupcakes, ice cream — and any other food you want.
Our tip is to eat as much as you want of good food, then have a little bit of whatever you want. There will most likely be one recruit who gorges too much on ice cream and gets sick to their stomach. Remember, you haven’t been eating junk food for three months so your stomach might reject it!
After The Crucible
After your warrior’s breakfast, you’ll be allowed time to shower, take care of your feet, and relax for the day. You’ll get a good night’s rest — but as always, fire watch must be posted. Then, you’ll spend your first week as a United States Marine, and Drill Instructors will begin calling you by your rank and last name.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Crucible
Do all recruits make it through the Crucible?
Most recruits will make it through the Crucible, although you may get “dropped” if you’re injured or unable to continue for some reason. But at this point, you’ve developed the physical and mental conditioning required to make it through the Crucible so it shouldn’t be a problem.
Are Marines allowed to talk about the Crucible?
Yes, what happens during the Crucible is no big secret. You can easily search for the Marine Corps orders which outline every single event.
But there is a big difference between knowing what to do — and actually going through each event while you’re more tired and hungry than you’ve ever been before. Only a strong mindset and desire to become a United States Marine will get you through it.
How Do You Survive the Crucible?
There is no guarantee you will make it. The Crucible will test your grit and determination to become a United States Marine. Equipped with the proper knowledge and fundamental physical fitness — you will have all the tools you need to survive.
The rest is up to you! Do you have what it takes? Only by taking on the challenge will you truly know.
