We got an inside look at the United States Marine Corps' intense 13-week basic training program. Chief video correspondent Graham Flanagan spent five days at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in San Diego, California, where he observed different companies at various stages of training.
Enlisted recruits who live west of the Mississippi River attend basic training in San Diego, where women have only trained since 2021. Men and women train together, but live in separate squad bays. Male and female recruits are not allowed to talk to each other during training. In week seven, recruits travel 40 miles north of San Diego to Camp Pendleton, where they complete their training.
Boot camp culminates with a 54-hour event known as The Crucible, in which recruits endure mental and physical challenges with minimal food and sleep. After completing The Crucible, recruits receive the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor pendant, marking their official transition to Marines.
