Roughly 275 young men and women from across Florida and Georgia got a taste of Marine Corps life—and a grueling workout—during a pool function March 22 at Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island in Jacksonville, Florida.

The annual event, designed to assess the physical and mental readiness of future recruits before they ship to boot camp, saw participants dive into leadership discussions, equipment demonstrations and physical challenges.

The day began with an initial strength test on the physical fitness field at Blount Island, situated alongside the St. Johns River. Clad in red shirts, black shorts and white socks, the future recruits lined up to test their mettle. The test included maximum pull-ups or push-ups, followed by a timed plank hold and a 1.5-mile run.

“This is similar to what they do at Parris Island,” said Maj. Robert Moore, commanding officer of Marine Crops Recruiting Station Jacksonville, as he watched the test get administered with five drill instructors from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina. Boot camp is roughly 175 miles up the Atlantic coast.

Moore enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 2003 and graduated with honors from Parris Island. He would serve in Iraq and Afghanistan ahead of completing Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia. He emphasized the importance of the Delayed Entry Program in preparing recruits for the rigors of Marine Corps life.

“There are more drill instructors at Parris Island,” said Moore. “But it’s certainly an increased stress level than what they experience at their recruiting station.”

Divided into platoons representing different recruiting regions, the participants, who hailed from as far as Albany, Georgia and Daytona Beach, Florida, attacked the challenges with a mix of nervous energy and fierce determination.

“Most of these are high school seniors that are going to graduate in May or June and start shipping out, so we want to validate that they are ready,” said Moore. “We want to mimic what Parris Island will feel like because I don’t want them quitting when they get there. I want them to understand what they’re getting into.”

After opening MREs for lunch, the recruits engaged with the drill instructors, peppering them with questions about recruit training, the challenges ahead and how to become better leaders.

Garrett Payne, 19, of Ocala, Florida, said he’s excited to head to Parris Island in May. For him, it’s about building pride while starting a career in engineering.

“It’s about saying ‘I’m a United States Marine,’” said Payne. He noticed how the experience fostered a strong sense of camaraderie that enabled resilience.

“When we were running and came in from the mile-and-a-half, we were fist bumping each other—someone was telling me ‘keep your chest up’ and it helped me get through,” he said.

The sprawling 1,200-acre Blount Island facility is a logistics hub for Marine Corps prepositioning programs. Massive Navy cargo ships enter its 1,000-foot slipway for loading operations. It provided a tangible connection to the scale and global reach of the organization they hoped to join.

Displays of combat vehicles like the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, Logistics Vehicle System Replacement, Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, along with weaponry like the M4 rifle and M240 machine gun and M777 howitzer, offered a glimpse into the tools and technology that empower Marines around the world.

The intensity escalated on the Marine Corps obstacle course, where active-duty Marines showcased their agility and strength. A final heat pitted the fastest Marine from each platoon against each other.

“They need to understand that Marines fulfill an oath that’s bigger than themselves,” Moore said. “None of these young Americans are doing it for them, they’re doing it for their country, and that’s the most important.”

“They’re important–they’re the future of our Corps,” said Moore.

“I want them to know that you are a future Marine.”