San Diego -- A drill instructor’s presence can be stressful for most recruits. That stress level can become greatly multiplied when in the face of an enemy during combat. The physical and mental toll taken during such a fight is tremendous, which is why recruits must train and prepare for it. The Combat Conditioning Exercise is one of the few training events that can simulate that physically and mentally exhausting and stressful environment.
Recruits of Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, ran through the Combat Conditioning Exercise aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, May 29.
The purpose of the CCX is to push recruits to absolute exhaustion through multiple fast-paced obstacles. Mental training begins when recruits reach a point of physical exhaustion and must push through even though everything in their body is telling them to stop.
“We do it to give recruits a heightened physical stress environment as well as challenge them mentally,” said Sgt. Phillip S. Haly, drill instructor, Platoon 1031, Co. B, 1st RTBn. “This event also gives us a good opportunity to work proper technique into the training, especially since they’ll be tired and want to be sloppy.”
The CCX is one of the most difficult physical training sessions that recruits go through while at recruit training. For some though, the CCX offers the challenge recruits were looking for when they` signed up to become a Marine.
“I thought the CCX was hard, challenging, and at the same fun,” said Recruit Jourdon A. Winterstein, Plt. 1035, Co. B, 1st RTBn. “This is exactly what we came for; the fast-paced physical and mental challenges.”
The physical exhaustion and fast-paced, aggressive events in the CCX are designed to help mentally prepare a recruit for the dire situations they may encounter in combat. One may run out of ammunition or rushed at during a night ambush. Either way, it comes down to who gives up first.
“The CCX strengthens us and has real world application,” said Winterstein, a Fremont, Neb. native. “It prepares us for the mindset of a life or death situation where you can’t quit.”
Through sweat and exhaustion, a better recruit, a better Marine, is crafted. Pushing a recruit out of their comfort zone to realize the potential they have is one of the main goals in recruit training. After completing the CCX, recruits receive a new sense of confidence and accomplishment that will assist them with excelling through the rest of recruit training.
“It ties into them being a basic warrior,” said Phillip. “It helps them deal with the physical and mental challenges and just push through it.”