THE LEGENDARY YELLOW FOOTPRINTS

The transformation from civilian to U.S. Marine starts here

Day 1 begins with a bus ride to Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) aka Boot Camp.

If you’re from East of the Mississippi – you go to Boot Camp at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina.

If you’re from West of the Mississippi – you go to Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego, California.

Upon arriving you are ordered to “GET OFF THE BUS AND GET ON MY YELLOW FOOTPRINTS!”

👉🏼 Arriving at Marine Corps Boot Camp – GET OFF MY BUS!

I stepped onto the Legendary Yellow Footprints of Marine Corps Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego, CA on September 25, 2001 – exactly 2 weeks after 9/11

The Yellow Footprints have been a Marine Corps tradition since January 1965. To this day, upon a recruit’s arrival, they are ordered off of the bus, and instructed to stand on the Yellow Footprints.

Receiving Drill Instructor

Once all the recruits have exited the bus and stepped onto the Yellow Footprints, they are given specific instructions on how to stand at the Position of Attention by the Receiving Drill Instructor – who then delivers this indelible speech:

You stand on the Legendary Yellow Footprints as a RECRUIT. You are not yet a Marine but you are no longer a civilian…

Your heels are touching.
Your feet are at a 45° angle.
Your knees are slightly bent.
Your chest is out.
Your chin is tucked.
Your head and eyeballs are straight to the front.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY YOUR MOUTH IS SHUT.
This is the position of attention.

The transformation has begun.

– Semper Fi and God Speed,
Marine Miguel

GET OFF MY BUS RIGHT NOW!

Marine Corps Recruit Depot

The journey towards earning the title and becoming a United States Marine begins with a bus ride to MCRD – Marine Corps Recruit Depot – aka Boot Camp

USMC Boot Camp is 13 weeks long – it’s the longest and the toughest of all the branches!

If you’re from East of the Mississippi – you go to Boot Camp at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina.

If you’re from West of the Mississippi – you go to Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego, California.

I took my bus ride to Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego, CA on September 25, 2001 – exactly 2 weeks after 9/11

The ride is mostly quiet until the bus starts to get closer to it’s destination then it gets really quiet, everyone puts their hands on their laps and their heads down.

As the air brakes hiss, hearts beat faster, palms sweat, breaths become shorter – a bus of hopeful Marine Corps Recruits are unified by the fear of the unknown.

Receiving Drill Instructor 

The bus comes to a stop, the doors open, and the silence is broken by our Receiving Drill Instructor who steps onto the bus and yells:

You exit the bus – sounding off “YES SIR!” Leaving behind the person that you were… The lean, mean, disciplined Marine that you will become awaits you. “YES SIR!”

As the Receiving Drill Instructor’s voice reverberates in your ears, you make your way through the night towards your future and onto the Legendary Yellow Footprints.

“YES SIR!”

The transformation has begun.

– Semper Fi and God Speed, Marine Miguel.

OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM 2003 – 5TH BATTALION, 11TH MARINES (ARTILLERY) REGIMENT, 1ST MARINE DIVISION

Going to war

Thursday, March 20th 2003. One of the most defining days in my life!

In the pre-dawn darkness of March 20, 2003 – we got the order from General James Mattis and we breached the border defenses of Iraq and crossed the Line of Departure.

I was a Lance Corporal and had only been in “The Fleet” for 11 months.

The Fleet – The FMF (Fleet Marine Force) is the name Marines give to the “real life” Marine Corps beyond the “pipeline” that includes Marine Corps Recruit Training, Marine Combat Training and MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) School.

While I was deployed in Iraq, I served with the (5/11) 5th Battalion, 11th Marines (Artillery) Regiment, 1st Marine Division.

During the 2003 invasion of Iraq, 5/11 participated on every major battle including the siege of Baghdad, Al Kut & Tikrit (Saddam Hussein’s home town).

Our battalion fired more artillery rounds and drove further in less time than any other artillery battalion in history during the invasion and we set the bar as the only artillery unit involved in Task Force Tripoli.

TASK FORCE TRIPOLI – After the fall of Baghdad on April 10, the US wanted to locate Saddam Hussein who was believed to have fled to Tikrit, Iraq – his hometown.

 

Within 12 hours of being tasked with the mission, the Marines were able to put together a convoy of 600 vehicles and 4,000 troops for the mission. On April 12, 2003 the task force was composited in a staging area east of Baghdad and by April 15th we had secured Tikrit!

I have the Corps and every Marine I ever had the honor of serving with to thank for the Hard Charger that I am today.

– Semper Fi and God Speed, Marine Miguel.

👉🏼 5 days into the war we got hit by a Sandstorm From Hell!