The Crucible may be moved earlier in recruit training so that Marines can have more time for mentoring before leaving boot camp, Marine Corps Times has learned.
No details about the proposed move were immediately available on Wednesday.
“The Marine Corps is considering modifications to the sequencing of some recruit training events; however, it is too early to discuss details at this time,” the Corps said Wednesday in a statement.
Right now, the Crucible is scheduled near the end of the 13 weeks of boot camp. Recruits go through a grueling 54 hours of combat exercises, after which they officially become Marines when they receive their eagle, globe and anchor.
The week following the Crucible is called Marine Week, during which the former recruits are treated as newly minted Marines.
Task & Purpose first reported on Wednesday that the Corps is thinking about extending the final phase of boot camp following the Crucible.
The Crucible was originally envisioned as the culminating event of boot camp, but as the demand grew for Marines to fight in Iraq, in 2004 the event was moved earlier in boot camp to give recruits more time to practice marksmanship, swimming and other skills.
Three years later, the Crucible was moved back to the end of recruit training. At the time, recruits were going through the event during the tenth week of training at Parris Island and the eighth week of training at San Diego.
