Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego -- The separation between those who achieve a goal and those who don’t isn’t entirely due to the abilities one has over the other. The capability to continue on and push through when failure seems imminent is the crucial element used that few truly understand.
Recruits of India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, utilized their physical and mental strength during their final Physical Fitness Test aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Oct. 23.
“This is the final evaluation for the recruits to meet the Marine Corps’ minimum physical standards,” said Staff Sgt. Cristobal D. Osoria, senior drill instructor, Platoon 3215. “The event is also a preparation for what they’ll be doing at least once a year for the rest of their Marine Corps career.”
The PFT is comprised of three events; pull-ups, a three-mile run and crunches. To achieve a perfect score, recruits had to complete 20 dead hang pull-ups, run three miles in 18 minutes and perform 100 crunches in two minutes. Though the event is made up of basic activities, some learned that it required strategic technique to complete.
“A lot of the recruits struggled during the three-mile run,” said Recruit Jack P. Seward, Plt. 3215. “They run real fast at first but then run out of gas and can’t finish strong.”
At the start of the PFT, recruits lined up in front of pull-up bars that had an Instructional Training Company drill instructor standing by to monitor and count each proper pull-up performed. Next, recruits lined up at the start line for the three mile run, using what little down time they had to stretch. After completing the run, the recruits partnered up to perform the crunches.
During the event, Seward had one goal on his mind that helped push him to perform his best.
“I was extremely nervous because I was trying to be the Ironman,” said Seward, a Huntington Beach , Calif., native who was recruited out of Recruiting Substation Costa Mesa, Calif. “I ran cross country so the run was fine, but I spent it trying to catch the lead drill instructor.”
The Ironman award is given to a recruit who performs the best overall in the entire company.
With the physical challenge behind them, recruits carried a new sense of pride and accomplishment.
“Recruits develop pride due to their new fitness level,” said Osoria, a Cicero, Ill., native. “They see the improvement from when they first came here and realize that increased strength and speed is both obtainable and achievable.”
Coming toward the end of the journey of becoming a Marine, drill instructors also start to feel a sense of achievement.
"Seeing them complete the final PFT gives me a sense of accomplishment,” said Osoria. “Through physical and mental training, we’ve taught them unselfishness and the desire to want it. In the first phase of training they did things because they had to, but now they do it because they want to get better.”
Marching back to the squad bay, recruits completed another physical challenge but also overcame an even bigger mental obstacle, themselves.
“This training helps push through mental boundaries of wanting to give up and quit,” said Seward. “You learn to just push through it and see that you actually were able to successfully accomplish it.”