MCRD San Diego -- Prior to starting a log drill exercise drill instructors stressed to recruits in order to carry an approximately 250 pound log, between eight recruits, it would behoove them to work as a team.
However when the time came to put teamwork into practice it proved to be a challenge.
Recruits of Company D, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, conducted log drill exercises wearing boots and camouflage utilities aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Oct. 30.
Recruit Jonathan B. Kim, Platoon 1069, Co D., explained the difficulties laid in working together despite the differences in height and strength.
“For some, it was hard to get the teamwork down. But once they got it down the exercise was much easier,” said recruit Jonathan B. Kim, Platoon 1069, Co D. “Once they started working and walking together it was like all the cogs were working.”
During the exercise, recruits quickly caught on to the idea of organizing their shorter and taller recruits in order to carry the log more efficiently.
Kim pointed out that during the exercise, it is also important to have the right mentality.
“Everyone has to do their fair share,” said Kim. “You have to have the mentality that it’s hard for everybody, not just one person.”
Each group of recruits worked through log exercises such as log push-ups, log squats and side benders.
“I push them to make sure they are giving 100 percent of themselves at all times. That log gets heavy by the third obstacle,” said Sgt. Tyler J. Tellez, drill instructor, Plt. 1075, Co D.
Tellez explained that when the recruits get fatigued, that is when they start to argue and their communication skills get tested.
“I tell them to stop arguing and to work as a team,” said Tellez.
Fellow drill instructor Sgt. Sean N. Ross, Plt. 1074, Co. D, also knew the difficulty recruits face if teamwork isn’t involved.
“I tell the ones not pulling their weight that because you’re not working you’re making your fellow recruits work harder and suffer,” said Ross.
Kim explained this was their first exercise designed to test the recruit’s ability to work as a team and he liked the results.
“After the exercise the morale went up because we knew we could trust each other a little better,” said Kim.
Although the bickering and fatigue were a struggle for some recruits to push through, it appeared many recruits have taken the experience for what it was intended – a building block for team working skills.