Marine Corps mind games & boot camp?

Question

Everytime I ask someone about USMC boot camp they always mention the mind games. What kind of mind games do they play? What about it makes it so tough? Examples would be good.
Thanks.

Answer 1

The Job of a Marine Corps Drill Instructor is to: " Weed Out All Non-Hacker Not Fit to Serve in My Beloved Corps!!!" What that means is, not only are they their to train you, but it is their job to search for the weak links in a platoon...the ones who need a little more motivation than others, and to turn them around.

Your experience in Boot Camp will go basically like this:
1) Arrival: The Famous Get off the Bus and onto the "Yellow FootPrints" in whcih you will read aloud your oath to God Country and Corps. From there, it is all about Processing. Uniform issue, Medical and Shots, paperwork, etc. You will be doing this fo almost 48 hours with no sleep. Basically your first test. The Drill Instructors in charge of you at his point are mild. Reason for that is that they are not your Platoon Drill Instructors. The real fun does not begin until you get "dropped" meaning they deliver you to your training company and assigned platoon. This begins your true experience.

2) First Phase- Basically the First Month. Includes Basic Drill and Marching. Rifle Issue and familiarity, Corps Traditions and History Classes, Physical Training and IST ( Initial Strength Test )
Most of the Mond Games occur here. This is where they try and break you. Push you to your mental limits.

3) Second Phase- Field Training and Rifle Qualifications. The hands-on field stuff occurs here. Includes weapon familiarity ( ie: Grenades, Claymore, Etc ) also your Force Marches. End of this phase incorporates the CRUCIBLE. Basically a 3 day war that tests your abilities as a cohesive unit.

4) Third Phase- Last Month. You will find that this phase, the DI's start treating you with a little more respect. You are about to graduate unless you really screw up. This phase finalizes your PT scores, final drill, and final processing. It is basically the refining phase.

Things to remember:
1) DI's look for those who" stand-out". My suggestion...Be a Ghost. Do not draw attention to yourself.
2) Some games they wage are Recruit vs. Recruit to see how you react.
3) Always answer in SIR!!!.... Speak LOUD and CLEAR!!! Be Sure of yourself...even though you might not be. This is teaching you to be assertive.
4) Remember these terms: Integrity, Tact, and Overcome and Adapt.
5) Take responsibility: If something gets screwed up, it is EVERYBODY's Fault. Reason: Your are a team. Not Individuals
DI's hate He Said She Said
6) Do not try and get ahead of instruction. Everthing you do, will be taught and re taught. Everything is done by the numbers. I mean everything.
7) When you complete Boot Camp...although tough when you go through it, it will be your best time in the service. Reasons: You have guaranteed Meals, A place to Sleep, Clothes to wear, and you have no bills to worry about.

Now, you asked about mind games: Here are some I remember from when I was in 14 years ago:
1) Holding your Rifle in front of you with your thumb and forefinger. First one to drop their arm, cost the rest of the platoon push-ups while that perosn wathced. Made the platoon hate that recruit.
2) Unlocked Footlockers- DI"S HATE THIS!!!!. Our DI's would take all the labels off the locks and lock them together. Then chuck the locks into the swamp area below the slide for life. Had to dive in and fish it out, then find your lock.
3) Punishing the recruit to the left and right of you for your screw up. Really sucked if the guy next to you is a lot bigger.

Every DI is creative. You will find that out as you go.

Answer 2

The DI's will do everything in their power to break you down mentally and then teach you how to think as a part of a fighting unit. Trust me, you don't know how to do that right now. At first you will be short on enough food and sleep, as well as every minute detail of your existence will be scrutinized. You will be screamed at and they will smoke you (PT you until you think you can't go on), to build up your endurance and mental toughness. It is a very harsh and unforgiving environment. You have to learn to think as part of a unit, obey orders instantly and without question, basically, they have to build you into a Marine. You will drill and practice tasks until you are sick of it. It sucks, but when it's over, you'll have them down cold. I can still field strip and reassemble an M-16 blindfolded, and I have been out 20 yrs.The DI's will try to trip you up (RE: They will ask you what so and so general order is, then even if you are right they will say you are incorrect, to see if you REALLY know your general orders or will fold if confronted). Tough it out, it all has a purpose. It will make more sense as you progress through training. Good luck. Semper Fi, Carry on !!!

Dogzilla has some good advice for you. Follow it and your term at MCRD will be a little easier.

Answer 3

I worked with a marine corp drill instructor, and I can tell you what they are looking for.
They want you to stay still when they are yelling at you. Its harder then you think. you really want to turn away. Thats a natural reaction, but it can get you killed. do not look them in the eyes, just dont look away. I recall how he used to test people by yelling in their faces and seeing if they turned away.
Dont ever whine. at all. dont ever say anything negative. whenever they order you to do something unpleasant, get right on it without questions. they want someone who has a strong mind.

They are there to make you learn. Listen really good and do the previous two things and you will earn their respect.

Remember that after you graduate, you will be treated like a marine, not a recruit. they will talk to you like a person.

Do not ever express opinions at all. Anything you say, they will come up with the most creative **** you have ever heard, and then youll get stuck with some terrible job. The first time I voiced an opinion, I got stuck unclogging a 2ft diameter sewage line.

Remember that hundreds of thousands have done it before you. dont get down.

Answer 4

A couple of great movies to watch. The DI (1952 B&W, Jack Webb) and Full Metal Jacket. Both of these movies are pretty accurate. One of the drill instructors games is to try and make you laugh. They will say and do things that are intentionally funny, but you have to have the discipline to not crack a smile.

They are also that bully that use to torment everyone in school. They will learn really quick what your 'buttons' are, and they will wear out their little fingers mashing said buttons as often as they can.

After the first couple of weeks, you will figure out the games, and then things get enjoyable, because you actually have no resposibility. All you have to do is exactly what you are told to do, no more, no less.

Answer 5

There are different phases of bootcamp where certain things are accomplished. The Marine Corps wants to make sure that you can function under pressure and the stresses of combat. The initial phase is quite confusing. They will make you feel like you have screwed up then through a series of ordeals which is punishment they will try to push you to the breaking point mentally, physically, spiritually. The drill instructors will intentionally disorient you at times.
In addition to teaching you things directly, they use what seems like insane screaming, pt. harrassment, and humiliation, while you figure out for yourself what it is exactly that they want. You develop an instinct for what is expected. All the while you are given instruction in military customs and courtesy, history of the corps, close order drill, first aid, hygiene, weapons (you will learn your rifle inside and out, along with it's nomenclature and specs and how to field strip and reassemble it blindfolded, the same goes for pistol, general orders, code of conduct, UCMJ, care of equipment, pack making, hand to hand combat, bayonet drill, obstacle course, NBC warfare including the gas chamber, and the list goes on. You will run your *** off constantly and PT.
Specific examples of some types of mind games (harrassment) might include things like in close order drill if the drill instructor hasn't been happy with your performance, after chewing everyone out he may march you back to the barracks acting totally disgusted but tell you you can't march like marines because you'll never be marines..you will walk "like a herd" out of step and make the guide drag your platoons guidon on the ground in disgrace. When back in the barracks he might tell you you are all a bunch of babies and need a nap and make everyone get into there racks under the covers with their clothes on..including boots. Recruits are humiliated almost to tears and want to do things right...so it makes them go nuts mentally to be in the rack...you see..the mind game is they have made you want more than anything to do it the Marine Corps way. It makes recruits on their own WANT to go out and drill some more til they get it right. It is after sessions like this that recruits become really motivated and performance starts to improve. Sea locker drill was another one. The sea locker is a small trunk that has all your things in it. They will make you hold your sea locker out in front of you at arms length until your arms feel like they'll drop off...then give you the order to empty it...you have to dump everything on the deck and all your stuff goes rolling around with everyone elses, then they'll give you 30 sec to pick everything up. Another thing they'll do is if some incident occurs involving another recruit. The D.I. will do an "investigation" and then conclude that you are a witness. Then he will badger you to get you to blame another recruit. He'll act like he really wants you to make an accusation and will interrogate you for hours trying to make you make a statement against your fellow recruit. He may then begin to "punish" the rest of the platoon with PT until you give in. I could go on and on but I think you get the idea. I can't fully represent in writing what the experience is like. All I'll say is when it's over it was worth it. If you are considering the Marine Corps just keep in mind that while your D.I. will seem like a lunatic at times, they truly care about their recruits. They have a motto.."Let no mans ghost ever say, if only your training had done it's job". Hope I gave you the info you were looking for. Good luck.

P.S. I have to strongly disagree with Doggzilla. The last thing you want to do is look a drill instructor in the eyes. You keep your eyes straight ahead and don't move them from side to side whenever a drill instructor addresses you.

Answer 6

the USMC Crucible. Now pass that and your a Marine. it is the one test that combines all a marine recruits training to GOOD use. very harsh and difficult. you should read about it. after passing it not only will a recruit earn the title Marine and earn their eagle, globe and anchor but also treated to a Warrior's Breakfast complete with all the breakfast food items available in IHOP/Denny's/Coco's. etc

Answer 7

mind games such as making the platoon do simple tasks over and over again - thrashing privates on the quarter deck for even the smallest infraction - enlisting the help of weak minded recruits into ratting out other privates for those same small infractions - recruits are treated like POW's for the most part-
during infantry training my drill instructor would not let our platoon drop our packs after a horrendous hump over rough terrain and a long day of rifle training - we got to stand at attention for a long time while the other platoons who were training with us set up camp , ate and were fast asleep , before we were allowed to drop our packs , all the while he mocked us - he really was a ******* asshole - i was tempted to drop my pack and beat him to death with my rife but decided it would not have ended well for me so i declined. we finally were given a chance to set up camp and he secured our chow time after 2 minutes of eating - when you are eating c rats out of a can that doesn't add up to very much eating

Answer 8

Screw up? Do a push up. Bed not made? Do a push up. Look like Pvt. Pyle from "Full metal Jacket?" Do alot of push ups. At some point you will wise up and make your bed or you will be a very fit screw up.

Get it?

Answer 9

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Answer 10

you need to be able to take alot of pressure. if you cant , then dont even try. better to break you there, then on the battle field, where it could cost you your life and someone elses. ssgt usmc.