San Diego -- Confidence is something every recruit must develop to become a Marine. For recruits one aid in building this is through the Confidence Course.
Recruits of Company G, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, battled their way through the Confidence Course aboard the depot, Nov. 4.
“The Confidence Course is designed to let the recruits know anything is possible if you just push through your limits with confidence and courage,” said Sgt. Carlos Chavez, drill instructor, Platoon 2145. “It gives the recruits a chance to see their abilities of completing the course, as the fear of each obstacle goes away.”
Before recruits start the course, drill instructors guide the recruits around each obstacle and demonstrate how each station works using the proper technique. Recruits are then divided up and led around the course by a drill instructor.
Recruits completed each obstacle before they moved to the next station. Recruit who failed any part of an obstacle were sent back to the beginning of the obstacle to try it again.
“There are no breaks and there is no rest time. You have to continuously push through the entire course putting forth everything you have,” said 26-year-old Chavez, a South Padre, Texas native. “There are no breaks on a combat deployment so we train as such during recruit training.”
“You have to overcome obstacles in combat regardless of what the challenge is because Marines lives, and your life depends on it,” said 21-year-old Slater, a Provo, Utah native. “Whether you’re jumping out of a helicopter or climbing over a wall, you have to get the mission done.”
Some recruits show up to the course nervous, but once they complete the course most recruits became more confident in their abilities.
“I will soon be a United States Marine and that comes with a lot of responsibilities I will have to uphold”, said Slater. “Confidence will be a key role in my day-to-day Marine Corps life to be able to complete missions and tasks I am given.”