How did Marine Corps Boot Camp change you?

It taught me to be humble. Things you normally take for granted are taken away from you in bootcamp. Such as eating a candy bar, drinking a can of soda, or just simply lay on your bed.

This pic doesn't help the recruit with no shower shoes on his feet. DI Explosion in 3......2.....1......

Being a female, it made me feel at home finally. A place where there are more people like me - hard headed, tough, loyal, determined and other good Marine qualities. It changed me by earning that title that noone can take away. It gave me more of the Never Quit determination that has helped me throughout life. Semper fi

Changed my entire life, Everything, Every day.

I had just turned 17 a few months before going in. The Corps raised me and taught me what I didn't know. I mean what 16-17 year old shined their shoes in 1971?, iron my cloths, sew, but most of all hoiw to be responsible, discipline, teamwork, true camaraderie, duty, honor, hw to stand up for yourself and be honest even when you screw up and they showed me what character was. What 17year old these days knows half of that? I got the building blocks to learn how to grow up and be a man.

I know many who were changed when they came back from Boot Camp most for the better...

I was in America for six months and nine months off the farm when I enlisted in the Marine Corps.
There I learned teamwork, got a "never quit" attitude and learned that success depended on me doing beyond my "best". I learned to work with all kinds of people and, whatever my feelings about them, accomplish the mission and carry on.

like every other man or woman I went in as a child. sure my grandpa taught me the meaning of hard work but after my first hour in S.D. I was changed that night was the first time I have ever been so scared of so few people.
in the following 13 weeks I learned what it means to be a Man what real teamwork looks and feels like and what real hard work is.
that time in my life is where I learned how far I could go and then push myself that much harder. the MARINE CORPS BOOTCAMP changed me in so many was and I am glad to say all in good was

It stripped away individualism. No more I and me but all us and we. Taught me about teamwork which is more of the same but meaning more that we only win if the team wins vs. superstars on a losing team. Taught me that you never know what you are capable of until you give literally all you have. I didn't prep much but did some running but I had it in my mind that I'd never drop out. If I passed out and the platoon ran over me then they could scrape me up and we'd try again. I had set my mind that no matter what I would only leave Parris Island as a Marine or in a pine box. I wouldn't want to do it again and at 59 wouldn't make it anyway, but it was all I expected it to be and worth the effort. I don't buy the concept that military is not for everybody; assuming they are fully qualified, and think our Nation would be a better place if every youngster served one hitch in the service of their choice. Best wishes to all.

It changed everything about me. It affected my self-esteem, my outlook on life, my politics. There were obviously physical changes... lighter/stronger/faster. But the mental ones are the ones that really surprised me.

Basically, I was in a bad spot in my life. Did the college thing. Didn't get me anywhere. I was literally working 3 jobs to barely keep a roof over my head. It came to a point where I was basically homeless. I needed a change in my life, so I contacted recruiters to get some information. The only ones who would talk to me were the Marines so that's when I made my decision.

No one believed I could be a Marine. Not my friends. Not my own family. They thought I should join one of the "easier" branches. My logic was the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward.

Shipped out and I was easily Mr. Popular. I was an older recruit. Hell I think I was older than some of my Drill Instructors. So I got my fair share of extra attention. Every night I thought I would die. I thought I would close my eyes and never wake up again. I thought I'd be one of those recruits who got brought to the tree line and never returned.

But I kept pushing on. I kept telling myself to survive another day. Dropped a lot of weight while I was there. I remember looking in a mirror during hygiene time and being shocked at how thin I looked.

I graduated boot camp and cried when I felt that Eagle, Globe, and Anchor placed in my hand. I realized how much of life I took for granted. I thought my life was bad before boot camp and I never imagined it could become so much worse.

I never took anything for granted ever again. I got married and started a family. I bought a house. I took risks that I never would have before. I've savored my meals. Even the feelings of actually earning a shower after a good PT session. It's hard to describe how significant of a change that boot camp can have on your life, but the person I was before isn't close to the person I am today.