| Author | Message | ||
     Trw |
Jun 16, 2008 by Marine Corps News Lance Cpl. Jon Holmes Coast Guard Teams Make Final Observations of Corps' Basic Training Marine Corps recruit training is known nationwide as the hardest basic training program in America, and the Coast Guard wants to emulate it in order to better prepare future Coast Guardsmen for the challenges they will face. “We are in a curriculum modernization of Coast Guard boot camp,” said Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Bruce Bradley, a command master chief (sergeant major equivilent) at Cape May, N.J., the Coast Guard’s recruit training facility. “We’re here to copy the things the Marine Corps is doing.” The Coast Guard’s goal is to make their program more physically demanding for their recruits. To reach that goal, they chose to imitate the grueling training standards of the Marine Corps. USMC Recruit Training Standards “The gold standard is here at Parris Island,” said Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Bowen, the master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard. “That’s why we came here. The Marines do it right.” One of the changes being made to the Coast Guards’ training program is the replacement of more than 65 hours of classroom instruction. Those hours of instruction will now be filled with more physically demanding challenges. For the ultimate challenge, they patterned their culminating event on the Corps’ very own Crucible. “We have made several changes to our curriculum,” said Bradley, from Astoria, Ore. “We have designed our own culminating event called the ‘Guardian Challenge.’ It’s only after they have completed the Guardian Challenge that we allow them to wear their Coast Guard shield on their ball caps.” The culminating event and added physical activities are a result of feedback from recently graduated Coast Guard recruits who commented on the service’s basic training program. “We wanted to make training more physically challenging,” Bradley said. “The biggest thing we heard from recruits is that they thought recruit training would be more challenging. Well, we are giving them what they asked for.” The Coast Guard is also adding several classes to their program to instill values essential to their service. These classes will be based off of Parris Island’s value classes. Bowen liked how the Marine Corps uses its Core Values classes, said Sgt. Maj. David Cadd, the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion sergeant major, and the Coast Guardsmen’s visit escort. “The most impressive part of recruit training I saw was the Core Values classes,” said Bowen, from Fortescue, N.J. “I have never seen recruits so intent on what the drill instructor was saying. In Marine recruit training, you have great two-way conversations about Core Values.” The Coast Guard is wasting no time in making these changes to their program. In fact, they even have drill instructors from Parris Island currently examining it. A new, revamped program based on suggestions by drill instructors will debut in July, Bowen said. “Within one month, we will do the beta test and run recruits through it,” Bradley added. “We are hoping to go into a full run of the program by the first of December.” | ||
| Krassh |
Glad to hear it. My son Just graduated Army boot camp last month and after going through Marine Corps Boot camp 24 years ago in Parris Island I could not believe how soft modern boot camps for the military has gotten. I was surprised that they actually trained the men and women together. At Parris Island I am not sure if it has changed but they trained the women at a different part of the base when I went through boot camp. Don't get me wrong my son came out of Army Boot camp in better shape but the physical standards seem to have softened. | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
It’s only after they have completed the Guardian Challenge that we allow them to wear their Coast Guard shield on their ball caps.” HA HA! We jarheads call that a cover..... SQUID! | ||
| Trw |
We are suppose to call them covers also. Don't know why he didn't. Also we are not SQUIDS. We are Puddle Pirates Or Shallow Water Sailors Their are plenty of names but not Squid. Wrong service.  | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Puddle Pirates  | ||
| Paint_shaker |
Oh rah or the Coasties!!! As late as 1990, the Marines still trained men and women separately. Every effort was made so no or minimal contact was had between men and women recruits. The only time I ever saw & heard them was when we were leaving the camp area on the old landing strip at PI and they were arriving. | ||
| Cityxslicker |
Went through the O course at Q-town after a two year evolution in joint services working with the Marines in Bosnia... The crucible got me. That M-F'r is hard Corps. Nothin but respect to the gang that got through it. they did offer me to opportunity to 'recycle' but the banged old ankle (29 at the time) would not take the abuse. (5 years later the Army took me in as a linguist  ) Fun but definitely different than working with the Marines. | ||
| Diablobrian |
When a Coast Guard Cutter sink at sea what does the crew do?.............Walk to shore! Sorry, couldn't help it being a former Snipe and a Squid. Uhhh Slicker, would that make you a cunning-linguist? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
I did joint service work with every service and been paid directly by all but the Air Force. Of the professionals that I met in the military, I was glad to serve with everyone of them. But there are some distinct differences between the services, even with in the same job. Kinda like the clip from Pulp Fiction about Amsterdam... just the little difference that made a big deal Mayo on french fries :P | ||
| Xb9er |
"Marine Corps recruit training is known nationwide as the hardest basic training program in America." I guess they've never been to Ft. Benning. I am the queen of battle. FOLLOW ME! | ||
| Sgthigg |
"queen"" of battle???  | ||
| Hammer71 |
LOL | ||
| Smokescreen |
"queen"" of battle??? So does that make the Marine Corp. "Kings" of battle? First in, Last out. Semper Fi. Smokescreen | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
U.S. Marine Corps Department of the Navy..... The mens Department! | ||
| Xb9er |
"Last out." yeah someone has to stick around after we fixed your screw ups from you being "First in." | ||
| Xb9er |
Smokescreen, we can play these games all day. I've got nothing but time.  | ||
| Rick_a |
I was in one of the last rotations before that Crucible business. | ||
| Cochise |
I am the queen of battle. FOLLOW ME! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25Qhbdijv5Y&NR=1 | ||
| Nevrenuf |
we just called the coast guard the yacht club. of course navy training was mostly class work also so who am i to say anything. | ||
| Rainman |
A buddy of mine in Navy intelligence told me MARINE stood for "must accept rides in Navy Equipment." Of course, HE'S in intelligence, which says a lot. | ||
| P_squared |
A ren't R eady for M arines Y et I can play these games all day long too!  | ||
| Smokescreen |
Name games are fun. I can dig 'em.  "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the Marines don't have that problem." Ronald Reagan, President of the United States; 1985 Smokescreen | ||
| P_squared |
Bashing other branches can be fun: Air Force - "Aim high. You're going to miss anyways." Army - "Be all you can be. If that's all you can be." Don't bag on the Navy much since they hauled my sorry butt around a LOT. I just don't trust 'em when they let me be first in the chow line & their serving steak & lobster. However, to be completely fair, and in the interests of 100% disclosure, I have friends in all branches & have had the pleasure of working with true professionals in every branch as well. As for Ft. Benning, the funniest thing I remember from there is the Black Hats yelling at us Jarheads 2 stop messing up the count on the situps during morning PT. Everyone had to do 10 pushups everytime we did it. It was a FUN game for us.  | ||
| Smokescreen |
Don't bag on the Navy much since they hauled my sorry butt around a LOT. Yeah, I got the pleasure of riding in one of the Navy's oldest boats still in service. LPD-13 USS Nashville (26th MEU SOC) Still have nightmares about the fried chicken.   Smokescreen | ||
| Bill0351 |
I remember on the USS Tarawa when we found out the crew chow line had donuts and the combat cargo line didn't. They went ballistic when we went over to the other side to get some. I didn't even really want one, but I sure as hell wasn't going to be told I couldn't have one! I have major respect for guys who can live on a ship though. I remember seeing some squid come out of a hole in the bulkhead with a HUGE wrench in his hand. The guy was nearly covered with black grease. Then when the heads kept backing up, there was another group that was sent down to fix that stuff too. Ankle deep in feces, being laughed at by a bunch of bored Marines, they just went in there and did their job. Not to mention, any of us would give our lives to save anybody from any service. I served in the Army and in the Marines, and as individual men, I didn't see much difference. There were great guys and s**tbags in each branch. I don't see a single downside to raising the bar in any of the services. | ||
| P_squared |
That's funny. Usually, the "good" food was on the LPD's. The LHD's and LHA's had what seemed like gruel. In no particular order, some of the "fine" vessels I found myself on at various points in time: LPD 5 - Ogden LPD 9 - Denver LHA 3 - Belleau Wood LHD 2 - Essex AS 33 - Simon Lake SSN 642 - Kamehameha | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
LPD.... LHA... Floating Palace's... do some time on a LST and we can talk. LST = flat bottom cork | ||
| Smokescreen |
LPD.... LHA... Floating Palace's... Have you tried crossing the Atlantic in one? The USS Iwo Jima And USS Cater Hall didn't see much movement through some hellacious storms. Our ship was pitching so much you couldn't walk for more than a few steps at a time before gravity forced you against the wall. It really helped to clear the chow lines though! Not many seemed hungry after a few hours being tossed around at sea.  Smokescreen | ||
| P_squared |
LST = Large Slow Target. I gotta have me some COMFORT dadgummit! The LHD's are PLUSH in comparison to the older amphibs. | ||
| Diablobrian |
That's funny Smokescreen, I spent a couple of years on the LPD-10, the Juneau, hauling the marines and seals to fun places like Panama. LPD= Large Plastic Decoy. |
