My son is starting day 2 of the crucible at Camp Pendleton.  Wish I was there with him.
Breakdown of the Crucible:

Day One:

Day 1
Reveille (2 am)
Night movement (3 am)
Recruits conduct a 6-mile hike to the Crucible site.
Events 1-3 (5: 30 am - 6:30 pm)

Event 1 – Battle of Hue City
A one-hour event in which the teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through a course which consists of trenches, wire fences and walls.
After the resupply course, teams negotiate the warrior stations below:
Pfc Jenkins Pinnacle
Teams cross two horizontal cable-supported logs.
Pfc Garcia's Engagement
Individuals demonstrate their knowledge of hand-to-hand combat skills, and then participate in a warrior case study of Pfc. Garcia.
Lehew's Challenge
Teams of two climb over an eight-foot high horizontal log.
Corbin's Convoy
Teams react to a simulated IED while on patrol.

Event 2 – Battle of Belleau Wood

Pugil Sticks/Body Sparring
Leadership Reaction Course

A three-hour event in which the teams perform six reaction course problems which test their ability to work as a team to solve problems.

Some of the problems include:
Using three wooden boards to cross a number of stumps without touching the ground.
Negotiating a water hole using the same wooden board concept to get from point A to point B.
Transporting a large container over a wall using the limited resources available.
Once completing the events, the teams of two face off in a pugil stick bout.

Event 3 – Core Event and Warrior Stations
A one-hour event which can hold a maximum of six teams working concurrently.
Noonan's Casualty Evacuation
The team will recover a downed pilot and another recruit “shot” by a sniper and transport them over a mile of wooded terrain.
Enhanced Obstacle Course
The recruits carry a dummy casualty on a stretcher and ammunition cans from one end of a standard Marine Corps obstacle course to the other, going over all obstacles.
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) Strikes Station -
Recruits are required to demonstrate and conduct five-minute MCMAP strikes.
Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor.

Night Event (8 pm - 11 pm) – Five-mile night hike with a time limit of three hours.

Sleep (midnight - 4 am)


Day 2

Reveille (4 am)

Events 4-6 (5:30 am - 6:30 pm)

Event 4 – Battle of Fallujah
A one-hour event in which teams resupply water, ammunition and MREs through the Combat Assault Course.

Following the completion of the Battle of Fallujah, recruits negotiate a bayonet assault course and the warrior stations below:

Perez's Passage
Teams cross a “contaminated area” by swinging on ropes from “safe spot” to “safe spot.”

Kraft's Struggle
Teams climb a 10-foot wall and climb down the opposite side by a knotted rope.

John Quick Trail (Navigation Station)
Basic map reading and grid coordinate plotting will be reviewed and evaluated.

Core Values Station
Recruits sit inside a hut and receive information on a particular core value from their drill instructor

Event 5 – Battle of Mariana Islands
Combat Endurance Course
Teams have two hours to complete five events of a modified Confidence Course.

The Sky Scraper
The team retrieves a “wounded” dummy from the top of an 18-foot tower.

Stairway to Heaven
Team members move two ammunition cans over the top of a 36-foot ladder obstacle.

Two-Line Bridge
Team members cross two 52-foot long ropes with their hands and feet suspended two feet and 10 feet off the ground as they carry ammunition cans and water re-supply cans.

The Weaver
Team members climb over and under 24 logs, 42 feet in length ascending to 14 feet as they carry ammunition and water re-supply cans.

In addition to the Enhanced Confidence Course, teams go through a Combat Endurance Course.

Combat Endurance Course- Teams conduct a simulated patrol, negotiate the obstacles and report the number and types of obstacles to intelligence sources.

Event 6 – Battle of Khe Sanh (Unknown Distance Firing)
Teams of four fire two magazines of five rounds each from simulated building structures at unknown distance targets in a time limit of 70 seconds. The number of targets hit and number of unused ammunition is then recorded.

Following Day's Defense, team members participate in a 250-meter casualty evacuation where members remove simulated casualties from a simulated danger area consisting of artillery simulators.

Night Event (8 pm - 11 pm)- Night Infiltration Course
Teams re-supply water, ammunition and MREs at night in a simulated combat environment. The teams take their ammunition cans, water cans and simulated MREs through the Combat Assault Course with the added obstacle of darkness.

Sleep (midnight - 4 am)

Day 3

Reveille (3 am)

Nine-mile hike (4 am - 7 am)
Recruits conduct a nine-mile hike from the Crucible site back to the battalion.

Eagle Globe and Anchor Ceremony (7:30-8:00)
New Marines will receive an Eagle Globe and Anchor from their Drill Instructor marking their transition from a recruit to a Marine.

Warrior's Breakfast
The new Marines are treated to a breakfast fit for only true warriors. It consists of all-you-can-eat steak, eggs and potatoes...and Chocolate Cake

I wish him and his fellow Recruits the best of luck!

Congratulations on raising a fine young man.

The DI made him platoon armorer when he reassembled another recruits M4 that he was having a problem with.  The DI said, at least there is one recruit that's not a total retard.
I bought him a colt 6920 and had the EGA engraved on it by ident markings as his graduation present.

Ahh, brings back such fond memories. Many of us gorged at the warriors breakfast and hurled on the Hump back

Semper fi!!!!!

Semper Fi Devil Dad

Oorah! Get some!

You gotta love that the Corps named those obstacles and events after heroes and their battles.  



Congrats to your son!

Thanks, I thought it was pretty cool too.

Here he is in late May practicing for the bayonet lunge.  Arg, I can't rotate it.

Stout lad, and no doubt he's beasting it.  

Bravos on you OP.

Sounds awesome.  And you.  

Congrats!

His M-4

Holy crap dad, that's an awesome present

He looks like a tough one, he'll do fine.  That last hike is the hardest part but it's actually a ton of fun.

My little brother just graduated from MCRD San Diego last weekend. I hope you are flying out for the ceremony. I highly recommend walking through the museum on base. Tons of cool old weapons to look at.

He went in on June 6th (interesting day) and is done Sept 2nd.  The whole family is going out to watch the graduation.  The museum is a must see.  He went in at 175lbs and is 6'2"  his last letter said he is at 157lbs.

I was just there a year and some change ago.  

Good times.  

I don't think I've ever been happier than eating steak and cake at the warrior's breakfast.  

The first time you will get to see your son is during the motivational run on Thursday. I recommend you go to it, I am glad we did. They will line the platoons up in order in front of the base theater. After the run they will go get cleaned up and your son will be released for base liberty. I recommend making a mad dash to the Bayside Buffet. It gets crowded quickly.

We stayed off base cause billeting filled up before we could make our reservations. If you are staying off base, they will do a full search of your vehicle before letting you on base. So allow extra time to get on base. Bring your son a spare set of clothes, he will probably want to change after graduation on Friday.

Thanks, appreciate the info.