Third Phase Recruit

Matthew mailed the family a letter this week. It was a welcome surprise since we didn't hear from him last week. He says he misses everyone and has so little time he cannot send individual letters anymore. He tries to get all the info in one letter.
He says he wants to go to church as soon as he gets home. He thanks us for all the encouragement and everyone for all the prayers. Letters have been deeply helpful and for those of you who have sent any, he really appreciates it.

They are third phase recruits now and says it gets a little easier from here on out. I notice more use of "we" mentality, which is one of the goals. He seems much more clear-headed and focused.

He concludes the letter with how much he loves all of us and misses us.

Keep the letters coming! He has this week and four more to go, so he still needs all the encouragement he can get! The Crucible is coming up soon, which is the most challenging event, I believe. Check out the link to the Training Matrix so you can see exactly when he will do The Crucible and when he will need your specific prayers. There is a description of The Crucible from the MCRD San Diego website below:


The Crucible
In the days leading up to the Crucible, as a part of the event’s preparation, recruits will become familiar with their field protective masks and go through the confidence chamber, more commonly known as the gas chamber.
The Crucible is a test every recruit must go through to become a Marine. It tests every recruit physically, mentally and morally and is the culminating event in recruit training.
The Crucible takes place over 54-hours and includes food and sleep deprivation and over 45 miles of marching.
The entire Crucible event pits teams of recruits against a barrage of day and night events requiring every recruit to work together solving problems, overcoming obstacles and helping each other along.
The obstacles they face range from long marches, combat assault courses, the problem-solving reaction course, and the team-building Warrior Stations. Each Warrior Station is named for a Marine hero whose actions epitomize the values we want recruits to espouse.
Bottom line -- The Crucible is a rite of passage that, through shared sacrifice, recruits will never forget. With that memory and their Core Values learned in recruit training, they can draw upon the experience to face any challenge in their path.
The culmination of the Crucible is the presentation of the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, signifying the new Marine’s successful transformation from recruit to Marine.


Impressed? I am and I am also so proud of him. Please keep his faith and dependence on His Heavenly Father in your fervent prayers, for to seek Him and His Righteousness is our only hope of attaining all the things we need in this life and the life to come.