SAN DIEGO -- The Marine Corps’ theory, ‘every Marine a rifleman’, is one that that makes the Corps stands apart from the other services. In recruit training, rifles become an extention of a recruit’s body as he is molded in the rifleman who will uphold that theory.
This theory was put into place because every Marine, regardless of gender, age or military occupational school was expected to be proficient in proper handling and employment of the rifle.
Recruits of Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, began their journey of becoming United States Marines recently and were issued their M16-A4 Service Rifles at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, March 23.
While the recruits have only been on the depot for just a week, they are immediately given the responsibility of maintaining a service rifle. They will keep their weapons with them at all times and while many have never held a rifle before, it will become as normal to them as breathing to them by graduation day.
“The primary purpose recruits get the rifles in the very beginning of training is to get them comfortable with holding the weapon,” said Sgt. Daniel D. Poldoski, senior drill instructor, Fox Company.
During the first phase of training, the recruits primarily focus on using their rifles for close order drill. The purpose of this kind of drill is to instill discipline, instant obedience to orders and unit cohesion as recruits begin to learn how to work together to perform as a single unit. They will learn more advanced drill techniques as they progress through training.
“They take their weapons almost everywhere they go,” said Poldoski, a native of Duluth, Minn. “We make sure we utilize any gaps in the training schedule to get the recruits out there to practice drill.”
Drill instructors have 17 training days to prepare their platoons for Initial Drill, which is their first test of conducting precise and smooth drill movements. Toward the end of training, recruits will undergo Final Drill, which is the overall evaluation of how the platoon has progressed as a unit since their initial competition.
While the recruits concentrate efforts on drill during Phase I, it’s during the second phase of training when recruits learn the techniques and fundamentals of firing the rifle and how to successfully qualify as a rifleman. At this point, the theory begins to come to life.
During Grass Week, recruits are taught the basics of handling the weapon, fundamentals and shooting positions they will use the following week. They will then put what they learn to the test during Firing Week, when they are attacking the challenge of the qualification course.
“As drill instructors, we teach them the basics of the weapon, such as handling procedures, weapons safety rules, assembly and disassembly, cleaning and regular maintenance,” said 30-year-old Poldoski. “We get them ready so when they’re in second phase so they can focus on the fundamentals in order to do well when they fire.”
From the beginning of training, recruits familiarize themselves with the weapon and will progressively learn more and more as they graduate recruit training and move on with their careers. The focus in recruit training is to make them as comfortable and familiar with the weapon as they can be so they can first and foremost riflemen.