Into the Crucible

Rating:
Summary: Excellent overall view of the Crucible and USMC training!
Review: My son will enter "Into The Crucible" this week. I was unsure what the Crucible entailed until I read Woulfe's book. I found the book to be informative, interesting and easy to read. The description of the problems (missions) during the grueling 40 miles and 54 hours of the Crucible were helpful in understanding what each mission was for, and the honor associated with it. This book gave me insight into what it takes to be a UNITED STATES MARINE! I'm impressed with the level of training these kids get and the preparation they receive to defend our freedom.

A very well written book! I hope the author is still assigned to the MCRD so I can have him autograph it when I go up for graduation.

I am even prouder of my son for what he has accomplished after reading Woulfe's book!

Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: Now more than ever I see why the Marine Corps was so successful in Iraq. These guys are trained tough and the author explains that in this book. I bought and read this after I happened on Woulfe's other book Against All Enemies.

Rating:
Summary: Accurate, easy read
Review: The books greatly describes the rigors of US Marine boot camp. I am a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps and have been in for about a year, so I can tell you this book is up to date and accurate. This is another book I read prior to joining and it motivated me. I would recommend this anyone interested in learning what the recruits go through to earn the title of United States Marine. [e-mail] if you want more comments on the Marine Corps or books.

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring!
Review: There are many books that look at the Marine Corps as a phenomenon, as a culture, as a training system, and as a psychology. There are many biographical and autobiographical surveys of those who make up the Corps past and present. However, this book is unique in looking at what has become known as the defining moment in the making of modern Marines -- the Crucible, a 54-hour rigourous test, an obstacle course to beat all obstacles courses, that recruits at the end of their basic training must pass in order to win the title of U.S. Marine.

This is the culmination, the capstone of the training. Author James B. Woulfe, now a captain in Marine Corps, who started out in the enlisted ranks in the 1980s, is assistant director of the Drill Instructor (DI) school at MCRD San Diego, the western training ground for Marines (recruits from east of the Mississippi go to Parris Island). Woulfe's book follows a dozen recruits and their DI through the stations of the Crucible.

In the Crucible, the body, mind and spirit of the recruit is tested. There are limits on food and rest designed to tax the recruits even more, as they work through the different trials of the Crucible. No one can make it through the Crucible alone -- most of the tests can only be done as a team; often members of the squad have to take a back-seat to their companions, sometimes dramatically (if a recruit has to pretend to be injured for the sake of the exercise, he is at the complete mercy of his squad's performance).

The Crucible has many stations, 32 combat exercises to complete in the 54-hour period. These challenges draw on the core values and chief skills developed during the previous weeks. As part of the indoctrination into the Marine Corps, the history of the Corps is written across the challenges. Eleven of the obstacles are named for Medal of Honour winners, with a twelfth named for another outstanding Marine; significantly, they are all enlisted/NCOs, not officers. The backbone of the Corps is the enlisted ranks, with sergeants at the top; there are more enlisted to officers by ratio in the Marine Corps than in any other service.

Woulfe begins with an introductory chapter that gives a very quick overview of the timeline of basic training as well as the emotions experienced through the eyes of several recruits. The beginning of the Crucible begins in the early morning hours, long before dawn, such that three days later the end of the Crucible will coincide with breakfast time, when survivors of the Crucible will eat their 'warriors' breakfast' as Marines.

Woulfe makes an important point throughout that while these are special men doing special things, they did not start out as being special other than that they opted to be Marines. The Marine Corps takes the average recruit and makes them something special -- Woulfe indicates that the Corps could take a bus-load of recruits heading to any of the services and turn them into Marines; still, it remains a success for the men who undergo this trial, one they are rightly proud of completing.

Through all of the grueling challenges, presented in good detail including the physical elements as well as the emotions of the men paritcipating, Woulfe carries the the narrative through at a brisk pace. The epilogue is moving, starting really with the final challenge, the climb of 'Mount Suribachi', the first pronouncement by the sergeant major of the recruits' transformation to Marines, and their final victory as men in the Corps. Truly inspiring!

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring!
Review: There are many books that look at the Marine Corps as a phenomenon, as a culture, as a training system, and as a psychology. There are many biographical and autobiographical surveys of those who make up the Corps past and present. However, this book is unique in looking at what has become known as the defining moment in the making of modern Marines -- the Crucible, a 54-hour rigourous test, an obstacle course to beat all obstacles courses, that recruits at the end of their basic training must pass in order to win the title of U.S. Marine.

This is the culmination, the capstone of the training. Author James B. Woulfe, now a captain in Marine Corps, who started out in the enlisted ranks in the 1980s, is assistant director of the Drill Instructor (DI) school at MCRD San Diego, the western training ground for Marines (recruits from east of the Mississippi go to Parris Island). Woulfe's book follows a dozen recruits and their DI through the stations of the Crucible.

In the Crucible, the body, mind and spirit of the recruit is tested. There are limits on food and rest designed to tax the recruits even more, as they work through the different trials of the Crucible. No one can make it through the Crucible alone -- most of the tests can only be done as a team; often members of the squad have to take a back-seat to their companions, sometimes dramatically (if a recruit has to pretend to be injured for the sake of the exercise, he is at the complete mercy of his squad's performance).

The Crucible has many stations, 32 combat exercises to complete in the 54-hour period. These challenges draw on the core values and chief skills developed during the previous weeks. As part of the indoctrination into the Marine Corps, the history of the Corps is written across the challenges. Eleven of the obstacles are named for Medal of Honour winners, with a twelfth named for another outstanding Marine; significantly, they are all enlisted/NCOs, not officers. The backbone of the Corps is the enlisted ranks, with sergeants at the top; there are more enlisted to officers by ratio in the Marine Corps than in any other service.

Woulfe begins with an introductory chapter that gives a very quick overview of the timeline of basic training as well as the emotions experienced through the eyes of several recruits. The beginning of the Crucible begins in the early morning hours, long before dawn, such that three days later the end of the Crucible will coincide with breakfast time, when survivors of the Crucible will eat their 'warriors' breakfast' as Marines.

Woulfe makes an important point throughout that while these are special men doing special things, they did not start out as being special other than that they opted to be Marines. The Marine Corps takes the average recruit and makes them something special -- Woulfe indicates that the Corps could take a bus-load of recruits heading to any of the services and turn them into Marines; still, it remains a success for the men who undergo this trial, one they are rightly proud of completing.

Through all of the grueling challenges, presented in good detail including the physical elements as well as the emotions of the men paritcipating, Woulfe carries the the narrative through at a brisk pace. The epilogue is moving, starting really with the final challenge, the climb of 'Mount Suribachi', the first pronouncement by the sergeant major of the recruits' transformation to Marines, and their final victory as men in the Corps. Truly inspiring!

Rating:
Summary: The Most Unique and Up-to-Date Book on USMC Bootcamp
Review: There are several book available about Marine Corps bootcamp, but this is the only one that reflects the restructuring of recruit training in 1996 that culminated with the addition of The Crucible--the final test that every recruit must complete before receiving his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and earning the title United States Marine. I went through The Crucible, and this book made me understand its purpose, value, and signficance more than the actual experience itself. Capt. Woulfe has structured this book around the various "events" of The Crucible and explains the historical inspiration behind each event as well as its purpose in recruit training today. Although this book focuses on The Crucible (rather than on bootcamp in its entirety), it is a must-read for anyone about to ship off to bootcamp--reading this book will bring a greater understanding and sense of purpose to the daunting and often chaotic experience of Marine Corps bootcamp. I would also recommend this book to parents and friends of recruits, because it will help to explain the purpose of what goes on in recruit training. Additionally, I think any Marine who went to bootcamp prior to the much-talked-about addition of The Crucible will find this book to be a very enlightening dissection of how bootcamp has changed recently. "Into The Crucible" combines the best elements of a Marine bootcamp guide and a Marine Corps history book to make one motivating read! I highly recommend it to all Marines, past, present, and future--and to anyone else who knows a Marine or is interested in Marine history or training procedures. Semper Fi!

Rating:
Summary: What an excellent read!
Review: This book gave a great insight about the crucible. The book was well written and I really enjoyed the historical facts thru out.
This book was highly recommended to me and I highly recommend anyone with a family member entering boot camp to read this!

Rating:
Summary: a Good look into a training phase
Review: This book walks you through a phase of a Marine's four year tour. One must remember that it is informative, yet at the same time it does not give an open eyed perspective on the Corps and what Marines experience during their next 45 months of the first four year tour. For that it's wise to look to "Stand By to Fall Out" by Chadz . These two books together will allow for a guided journy through the times that (for the new Marine) will be spent in the Corps and the times (for the salty Marine) that they have already served.

Rating:
Summary: a Good look into a training phase
Review: This book walks you through a phase of a Marine's four year tour. One must remember that it is informative, yet at the same time it does not give an open eyed perspective on the Corps and what Marines experience during their next 45 months of the first four year tour. For that it's wise to look to "Stand By to Fall Out" by Chadz . These two books together will allow for a guided journy through the times that (for the new Marine) will be spent in the Corps and the times (for the salty Marine) that they have already served.

Rating:
Summary: Absorbing and Informative
Review: This book was so interesting that I could not put it down. As a girlfriend of a Marine - it has helped me to understand more about his experiences and has increased my already considerable respect for the Marine Corps as a whole. This book will help you to understand just why it is the Marines are the finest fighting force in the world. I had expected it to be a dry read, but the narrative was so smooth that before I knew it I was at the last page. Highly recommended.