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SAN DIEGO, California (KOSA) - Day two of the Educators Workshop at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego California, was spent at Camp Pendleton with more demonstrations and hands-on learning.

The educators at the workshop were taught important tools that young men and women need to fight in combat.

Marine recruits’ most enduring task is The Crucible, a 54-hour-long event that mixes land navigation, combat skills, physical conditioning, and teamwork, testing them on everything they have learned throughout recruit training.

Once completed marines say they are overwhelmed with emotions,

“The marine has put forth a tremendous amount of effort and that’s really taken that kid out of high school and getting him through this program where we teach these five characteristics, exemplary character. We’re looking at the physical and mental toughness, war fight, and ability deciding how to communicate as well as leadership. Once they achieve all those things you can see it and it’s an emotional moment” says CO. Carlos T. Jackson, Weapons and Field Batellion.

After learning about the crucible, it was time for the educators to get hands-on learning with weapon safety and how to properly shoot a gun.

It’s highly important to know how to properly operate a gun, but like everything with the Marine Corps, there’s a reason behind the recruits spending day after day practicing the same exact thing before they even fire a weapon.

“So the importance of that is as we’ve all heard the slogan ‘Every Marine is a rifleman’ and we want to ensure that every Marine no matter their job in the Marine Corps they know how to properly utilize that weapon system. If they find themselves in a situation going overseas and they know how to properly execute and utilize that weapon system” Sgt. Francisco Rodriguez, Machine Gunner.

Despite having a gun it may not always be the most useful tool in the field.

The Marine Corps martial arts program was introduced into the marines after world war two to increase combat efficiency. The program has the added benefit of helping with confidence and leadership abilities.

Marines are required to develop the mind, body, and spirit simultaneously and equally.

“Our idea isn’t to develop someone that’s just going to go out into the battlefield and be a ruthless killer. We want somebody that still values life and that still has that in the back of their head where they’re like I’m a protector of life, I need to defend not I’m going out here to kill everybody. I’m going out here to defend my people and my country.” Sgt. Rishab Kohli

MCMAP Instructor.

Armed with new skills and new knowledge West Texas educators are ready to bring what they’ve learned back to help the students make more informed decisions.

“I’m so thankful that the Marine Corps invested in us as educators that way we can go back and invest in the students. It’s hard to talk about something you don’t have first-hand knowledge of, but now with what I’ve seen and experienced I can go back and I feel like I had a pretty good understanding of what these students will be getting into if they decide to join the Marines” says Latisha Hermosillo, Legacy High Counselor.