No matter how serious and streamlined things need to be in order to get the job done, sometimes there’s an extra few minutes or a rare opportunity to have a bit of fun. All work and no play make anyone dull! As long as the work has been done well and on time, who is to say that you can’t blow off some steam on the side?
This is a great video of a platoon of recruits (almost Marines!) from Parris Island, South Carolina, USA. They are lined up in tight and concise formation, ready to march on their last day before graduation. But, something a little different happens.
With a bit of extra time on their hands, and rather than going through the drill over and over again, their Drill Instructor figured it was the right time to teach something new: the Monkey Drill. In this video, Sgt. Justin Wagner is seen with his recruits. The recruits have put in three months worth of grueling exercises and drills that have challenged and pushed them through different phases, as set out by their drill instructor.
But, just before they make it to the end of their training, there’s one last excruciating challenge they have to get through in order to be called a Marine, and it’s called the Crucible. If the name doesn’t set the tone already, the description will. It’s a 54-hour long event that takes place in the 11th week of training. There are six main events, and multiple smaller ones, designed to simulate the stress and intensity of combat. During the Crucible, recruits march 40 miles a day on little food and 3-4 hours of sleep per night, starting at 3 am and ending at 11 pm. This ends with a ceremony in which they are presented with a symbol for their service, leading up to the end of their graduation.
Sgt. Wagner explains, “These were Marines on what we call ‘Marine Week,’ which is the week of graduation (after the Crucible, which makes them Marines)… We had a few extra minutes so I taught them that on the fly. The 5060 (Drill & Ceremonies Manual) specifically says that Trick Drill may be taught once they master all standard drill movements… Semper Fi.”
The recruits now know their drills down pat, so now it was time to do the Monkey Drill and enjoy their newfound status as Marines.
Click below to watch these brave men and women in fine form after their long journey!
