The Crucible: Where Marines are forged.

The article presents information on Crucible, a tough 54-hour exercise, all Marines recruits of the United States's Navy must go through before graduation. In the Crucible each year more than 15,000 basic-trained Marines are born. Without going through this process it is nearly impossible to know what it is like to be transformed into a Marine. Recruits, who are rudely awakened by their drill instructor at 3 a.m. become ready for the exercise. Nearly all the recruits, who are auto-piloted march their weary feet down a narrow path lined with trees on either side with their M-16s hanging limply in their hands.