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Marine Corps Boot Camp

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I thought completing Marine Corps boot camp was my most cherished accomplishment, completing boot camp merely stood in the shadows of my last work up for my last deployment. I was holding the Bravo Squad Leader position. At this point in my Marine Corps career I obtained three combat oriented M.O.S.’ or jobs; however, there was little to no preparation for what I got myself into. There are two culminating events at what we call Combined Arms Exercise or CAX, the first one is solely for the Alpha squad leader in every platoon and the last is for the entire company of Marines which consist of about 200. Again I was no stranger to leading people because I was also a Martial Arts Instructor for the Marine Corps, but it was still not enough. Fox 10 Alpha is the range that honestly and humbly tested my grit and my mental capacity. This range, designed to test 8 year experienced veterans, consisted of the platoon firing 25 mm cannons, 81 mm mortars, and 8 machine guns over our heads while we overtake and clear three critically complicated bunkers with live ammunitions. By no means …show more content…

McQuain, taking command and doing what he does best. He was no stranger to Fox 10 Alpha, he kept his composure and moved with a sense of ease and purpose, this was his sixth time overcoming Fox 10 Alpha. Making the training more interesting the individuals, or what we call coyotes, managing the range decided to remove the Alpha squad leader to test the knowledge of the rest of the squad, because our mindset is that you should always know how to complete the job above you in case any incidents, such as this, arise. This news circulated to me quickly and when my brain processed what happed my stomach dropped. I radioed an evacuation for Sgt McQuain and continued with the assault. Suddenly my skin felt hot and prickly, I could feel the burden getting heavier and heavier because of how miniscule the tolerance for error

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