Posted on

Joined on the 4th of July

  • Lucas Parcher's platoon runs a motivation run through MCRD San Diego during his last days of boot camp. Contributed photo.

  • Lucas Parcher's platoon runs a motivation run through MCRD San Diego during his last days of boot camp. Contributed photo.

  • Lucas Parcher on the day of boot camp graduation with his mother, proudly wearing his uniform. Contributed photo.

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Very few people make the decision to the join the military, and fewer make it through bootcamp, but those that do have earned a title no one can take away.

Lucas Parcher, from Marble Rock, is one of those few, and has earned the title of Marine.

He started boot camp at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego, or MCRD, on July 4. He graduated on Oct. 20 in the honor platoon 1061.

“When we got there it was kind of a terrifying experience at first, but I had one of my good buddies with me,” Parcher said.

Like all recruits, Parcher arrived at the base he’d call home by bus, with his head down.

“They drove us around to make it seem longer,” Parcher said.

Parcher and the recruits with him all piled off the bus and went into the receiving room to get rid of any contraband and personal items.

“We stayed up two days straight with no sleep, which sucked,” Parcher said. “It was part of the experience.”

He says he always knew he wanted to be in the military, but not necessarily in the Marine Corps.

“I was going to go into the Army or maybe the Navy first,” Parcher said. Then a Marine recruiter spoke to him.

“It really opened my eyes about what the Marine Corps is, and it really motivated me,” he said.

He shipped off to MCRD San Diego, right next to the San Diego Airport and in view of the San Diego skyline.

While at the MCRD, Parcher went through the standard Marine Corps boot camp trials.

Marine boot camp is separated into three phases. The first phase is introductory and involves an initial physical fitness test and combat fitness test.

The first day is known as “Black Friday.”

“Black Friday is when you are introduced to your new drill instructors,” Parcher said. 

Parcher and the other recruits went to the front of the squad bay and sat down and waited for their senior drill instructor.

“I will never forget the clicks of his heels,” Parcher said. “We all became instantly scared.”

Recruit platoons are made up of 40 to 100 people, and they live in an open squad bay, with bunk beds lining two sides.

“They told us to dump our stuff,” Parcher said. “They proceeded to tell us what we need, and kicked all our stuff around, then said ‘put it back.’”

During the second phase of Marine Corps boot camp, the recruits and their drill instructors go to Camp Pendleton, about an hour away from San Diego, near Oceanside, California.

While there the recruits learn to shoot, and go on their first hikes.

During that phase Parcher’s best friend got sick and was dropped from his platoon.

“That was probably the worst time in my time in boot camp,” Parcher said. “I just felt unmotivated.”

After talking to his drill instructors and getting letters from home, Parcher was able to pick himself up and move forward with his training.

The last thing Parcher heard was that his friend is still in the medical platoon at MCRD, waiting to get added to a different platoon.

During the third phase of recruit training, they have their final physical fitness, combat fitness and drill tests. They also have a practical knowledge exam.

The Crucible

The final part of training is called the Crucible — a 54 hour endurance test with little sleep, three MREs and 46 total miles of hiking while at Camp Pendleton.

“It puts a lot of strain on you,” Parcher said.

The Crucible culminates with a 10-mile hike leading to the Reaper, a 700-foot mountain. The Reaper is a legendary part of MCRD San Diego training due to how steep it is.

Parcher was one of the first recruits in his company up the mountain, he said. “I looked back and everyone else is a good 30 feet behind me,” Parcher said.

Parcher tried to motivate his fellow recruits while going up the Reaper, and encouraged them.

During the hike the recruits are carrying 65- to 75-pound packs, occasionally stopping to change their socks.

Some recruits are not able to make it up the mountain, and have passed out and almost rolled down.

After the hike there is an Eagle, Globe and Anchor ceremony on what is called the parade deck. The recruits line up and their drill instructors go through the line and hand out their emblems.

It’s a very emotional time for the recruits, and some have tears in their eyes during the ceremony. It is the first time the recruits are referred to as Marines.

Parcher is now serving as a private and training at Camp Pendleton at Marine Corps Combat Training. He is going to go to school to become a motor vehicle operator.

“My great-grandpa was in the Battle of the Bulge and the was an 88M for the Army (a motor vehicle operator), so that motivators me,” Parcher said.

Parcher’s said his greatest motivation to join and get through Marine Corps boot camp was his grandfather.

“He was in the 1st Infantry division in Vietnam,” Parcher said. “He wrote me a letter and it really helped me push through everything. I didn’t care what pain was.”

 

Social Share

LATEST NEWS