WATCH: WHAT IS THE FIRST DAY OF MARINE RECRUIT TRAINING REALLY LIKE?

The first day of Marine Recruit Training is more than an introduction to the boot camp lifestyle; it’s a crash course in discipline, a fiery farewell to the comforts of home, and the first step of many that culminates with being awarded the coveted Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.

But from the vantage point of the young men and women that find themselves standing tall on the yellow footprints of MCRD Parris Island or San Diego, this momentous occasion mostly seems like hectic confusion and a whole lot of yelling.

(Marine Corps image courtesy of Cpl. Angelica I. Annastas)

In truth, a degree of that confusion and panic is by design, as drill instructors work hard to both get new recruits through forming and into training, while simultaneously introducing the sort of stress that defines recruit training in the minds of many. The Marine Corps is the most elite fighting force on earth, and as such, training to become one is an exercise in learning to function amidst even the most chaotic of environments.

For most Marines, looking back on just the first day of Recruit Training can be tough, as all the days of boot camp start to blend together through the lens of hindsight. As a result, it’s tough to impart just how crazy that first day feels. Fortunately, that’s where videos like this come in handy.

In this video, you’ll get to see a group of new recruits make their way through their first day of boot camp at MCRD San Diego. As you’ll see, the training begins before the new recruits are even off the bus. From there, they’re taken to the contraband room to turn in personal items before receiving their first of many Marine Corps barber hair cuts. For many recruits, it’s the hair cut that makes their new lives at recruit training feel real. Up until then, it all sort of seems like a crazy field trip.

Watch the video below to get a better understanding of what it’s like during your first day of recruit training.