Colonel Roger A. Hollenbeck serves as Commanding Officer, First Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot / Western Recruiting Region, San Diego, CA.
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First Sergeant Mejia was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in his hometown of San Diego,
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Here are some useful links and messages for Marines who have been assigned to 1st Recruit Training Battalion. Welcome aboard! Commanding Officer's Welcome Letter *Each Company (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta) holds events that Drill Instructor families are encouraged to attend. Click here for a brief description of what you can expect. We hope to see you there! *Seasoned 1st Battalion Drill Instructor spouses have provided some experience and advice for incoming families. Be sure to read this over to help prepare yourself for what to expect as a Drill Instructor's family while on the drill field. *If you're moving to the San Diego area and are interested in military housing, please visit the Lincoln Military Housing web site at http://www.lincolnmilitary.com/lmh/. *The Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) Marine Corps Recruit Depot webpage has information on the School Liaison Program, Exceptional Family Member Program, classes through Marine Corps Family Team Building, counseling services, employment opportunity and assistance, events on MCRD and more! Visit the site at www.mccsmcrd.com to learn more and see all that is available to you. A U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor with Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, supervises recruits during their MCMAP test at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, Aug. 26, 2021. Recruits were trained in the basics of unarmed combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, and rifle and bayonet techniques throughout recruit training. Recruits were required to earn their tan belts before they graduated recruit training. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Julian Elliott-Drouin)
First Recruit Training Battalion conducts recruit training, ensuring recruits complete required events and meet the objectives of recruit training, in order to transform recruits into basically trained Marines prepared to meet the challenges of their follow-on training.
First Recruit training Battalion is one of the three Battalions under the Regiment, whose main mission is to train new United States Marine Corps recruits, specifically enlisted recruited from west of the Mississippi River, but also from some areas east of the river, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, the Chicago metropolitan area and New Orleans. Recruit training includes a thirteen week process during which the recruit becomes cut off from the civilian world and must adapt to a Marine Corps lifestyle. During training, drill instructors train recruits in a wide variety of subjects including weapons training, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, personal hygiene and cleanliness, close order drill, and Marine Corps history. The training emphasizes physical fitness, and recruits must attain a minimum standard of fitness to graduate by passing a Physical Fitness Test. Recruits must also meet minimum combat-oriented swimming qualifications, qualify in rifle marksmanship with the M16A4 service rifle, and pass a 54-hour simulated combat exercise known as "The Crucible".
Unlike training at Parris Island, recruits must leave the depot to conduct field training. Three weeks of the recruit’s training is spent at Edson Range aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where recruits fire on the rifle range, conduct field training, and undergo the Crucible. At the conclusion, recruits return to MCRD San Diego for graduation.