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A PARENT'S GUIDE TO THE MARINE CORPS

It is important to help your son or daughter prepare for Marine Corps Boot Camp (Recruit Training).

Good nutrition, physical exercise, and study should be priorities in the coming weeks and months prior to shipping. Recruits must pass an initial strength and fitness test, and need to report to Recruit Training in the best possible shape, both physically and mentally.

Knowing your young person's current state of physical preparedness and setting reasonable goals ensures success, both immediate and long term. Changes in physical ability do not happen overnight. With that in mind, your young person should make efforts today to become better prepared for Recruit Training.

Those who succeed at Recruit Training become greater than the person they were when they started. As a Marine, your son or daughter will take pride in the fact that they trained harder and longer in the Marine Corps than they would have in other branches of military service. Here's how to help your family member prepare for the challenges of Recruit Training that lie ahead.

Recruits doing pull-ups

Frequently Asked Questionsred arrow

Question: 
Are daily physical workouts necessary after Recruit Training is complete?
Answer: 
Marines are committed to a physically demanding lifestyle and are tested twice a year on their fitness. You will have a difficult time finding a current or former Marine who is not involved in regular physical activity – it is part of what Marines do and becomes a part of who they are.