Marine Combat Training Schedule (MCT)

PFC Webb At Marine Combat Training - 2010

MCT Training Matrix
Every platoon at Marine Corps boot camp has a few recruits that get a hold of the training matrix/schedule. Finding a schedule for Marine Combat Training (MCT) is another story. I’m not sure an up-to-date one even exists. The schedule recently just changed from 22 training days to 29 training days, unless you’re on the west coast… then you barely get any training because you have weekends off. Must be nice

MCT Arrival
The first day of MCT receiving/check-in is chaotic. You literally hit the ground running. Make sure you know what you need to take to MCT. You’ll change from your Alphas into camis and start your admin work. You’ll get a bone marrow pitch, go to medical, take a drug test, and then you’ll get assigned a platoon. The platoons on the east coast have about 10-15 females and about 80-85 males. The platoon trains mixed-gender, but the females live in separate barracks.

MCT Barracks
The good news is that the barracks at MCT are REALLY nice compared to boot camp. You’ll have real wooden oak racks, wall closets and cleaner heads (bathrooms). The bad news is that you won’t spend very much time in the barracks. You’re in the field for a good amount of time. The chow hall is REALLY nice too. take advantage of it while you can… you’ll live off MREs for the last two weeks of MCT.

Marine Combat Training Barracks

Week One: Classes & Practical Application
The first week of Marine Combat Training you’ll spend doing simple classes and practical application. You’ll take a class in the morning and then do the prac app in the afternoon. The first few weeks of class consist of learning about radios, automatic weapons, first aide, grenade launcher, AT-4s and other field equipment. In the afternoon you’ll work hands-on with the equipment to learn its parts and functions.

Week Two: IEDs, Detainment & Patrolling
The second week is spent learning about improvised explosive devices (IEDs), binoculars, how to detain a suspect, how to search a suspect and how to patrol. You’ll hit the classroom first and then do some hands-on work in the afternoon. You’ll most likely get to watch some pretty cool videos as well.

Week Three: Field Exercises & Ranges
Week three starts your field exercises. First comes the range (M249, M240, Grenade Launcher, AT-4, Frag Grenade and Night Fire). You’ll sleep in a small airplane-like hanger with no heat or A/C. You used to sleep in tents, but Mothers of America had that changed by complaining, so now we get a giant tin can. NO SHOWERS HERE… NONE! You’ll hygiene out of your canteen or a puddle of water for a week. You’ll wake up for a week and hike each day out to the ranges. You’ll hike anywhere from 2-4 miles a day with your assault pack, Kevlar, flak, rifle and deuce gear. The hikes sound easy, but they’ll kick your butt on very little sleep and having to put up with the weather. I went through in the winter, so the snow and below freezing temperatures made my Marine Combat Training (MCT) experience a miserable time.

Weapons Pre-Training at Marine Combat Training School of Infantry East
Before firing each weapon, you’ll shoot it on a simulated computer system called the IZMIT. You’ll be using the actual weapons hooked into a high-tech computer system that shows your shooting results. They have a air-pressure gauge that produces small amounts of recoil to try and simulate the real thing. You’ll have more jams and failures to feed in the high-tech simulator then you will with the actual weapon system.

Marine Shooting M240B At MCT

On The Range
Now your at the range, waiting in line all day to shoot a weapon for 20 seconds. As fun as the shooting is, the waiting barely makes it worth the trip. You’ll have time to use the head, eat MRE’s and sit on your packs… only after you’ve fired. Try to get to the front of the line, that way you’ll be done and can head back to your pack. Otherwise, you’re stuck waiting in line. You can’t head to your pack until you’ve fired. People at the end get screwed because as soon as you’re done firing you’ll police call and head to the next range, or back to camp.

Meal Ready To Eat (MRE)
Be prepared to eat a lot of MREs during Marine Combat Training. The bad news is that you’ll be issued somewhere around 36 MREs for your two weeks in the field. The good news is that they don’t taste too bad, and the new ones come with chemical heaters. There will be a lot of trading, buying and selling of MREs during MCT. If you’re going to be training during the cold months, then take some advice. Save your heaters. I went through in February, and there were times when nothing mattered except trying to find heat. You can activate your MRE heaters and put them in your blouse pockets, use them as hand warmers and even put them in your boots to prevent your toes from getting frostbite.

Camp Devil Dog & Basic Skills Retention Exercise (BSRE)
After the range, you’ll head to Camp Devil Dog for the second phase of your field week. Here you’ll learn the basics in mounting and dismounting a seven-ton armored vehicle, patrolling, IED detection and procedures, security check points, vehicle and detainee searches, night assaults, ambushes, crossing danger points, map reading and more. After a week of classes and practical application, you’ll start the BSRE (Basic Skills Retention Exercise) which will test you on everything you have learned during Marine Combat Training. You’ll be split up into smaller squads and put into war-like scenarios for three days on virtually no sleep, no showers and you will shoot a ton of fired blanks blanks. The blanks dirty your weapon more than actual rounds do, so you’ll be field-cleaning your rifle about 3 times a day. You’ll also get good at putting on cami paint.

MCT Camp Devil Dog

After you complete and pass the BSRE, you’ll prepare for your 10 mile hike back to main side. It is pretty comparable to the crucible hike, on less-even ground. You’ll make head calls in the woods about every 45 minutes to an hour.

Final Week: Final Exam, Gear Turn-In & Admin
The next few days you’ll spend studying for your final written exam, turning in gear, getting orders, going through admin again and practicing for your twenty-minute graduation.

Be prepared to be treated like crap at East coast MCT. Yes, you’re a Marine, but apparently part of the training there is to still treat you like a recruit. Some of it makes sense, and some of it is pointless.

Written Exams at Marine Combat Training
The exams at MCT are similar to boot camp exams. They are a bit tougher as far as the material goes and you’ll have to study more on your own, but they are all multiple choice. You shouldn’t have any worries here.

Phone Calls & Free Time at Marine Combat Training
This isn’t boot camp. You get about 5 hours of free time during your entire month-long training and it will be spent showering and prepping your gear.

As for phone calls. If you’re lucky you’ll get your phones out of the armory every Sunday for about 15 minutes. If you don’t bring a cell phone, then you won’t be able to make a phone call unless you borrow one.

Combat Instructors at Marine Combat Training
They’re a little lighter on you than Drill Instructors, but you’ll learn quick that they still treat you like garbage. Most of the combat instructors at the Marine Combat Training School of Infantry East are Infantry (03XX). At times you’ll feel like you’re back in boot camp (on the East coast) and you’ll end up getting screwed because of what other Marines in your platoon do. If you’re on the west coast it will be a walk in the park, you’ll get weekends off and be treated like the Army.

Fire Watch at Marine Combat Training
You still do fire watch at MCT. In fact, it’s much worse than at boot camp. You can get anywhere from a 2-6 hour shift of either fire watch or gear watch. Fire watch is the real deal here too. Get caught sleeping and you’ll have an NJP to look forward to rather than an extra set of push-ups or the sand put the next morning. You’re not a recruit anymore… don’t act like one.

Graduation at MCT
If your family is within 5 hours (my wife drove 8 because she REALLY loves me), then have them come. They will be able to spend five hours with you the day before graduation and then about 2 hours total the day of graduation. The ceremony is short, so don’t come unless you can make it for family day the day before.

Leaving For MOS School
You will leave for your Military Occupational School (MOS) as soon as you graduate. You might, if you’re lucky, have about 30 minutes to change over to civilian clothes, grab your bags, say goodbye and jump on the bus. The buses will be lined up outside your barracks waiting for you. You’ll know the day before which group you are in, and which bus you are supposed to get on. Have some cash for a meal on the way to your school. If you’re flying to your MOS, then the bus will just be taking you to the airport. If your MOS school is within 8 hours of driving, then you’ll be on the bus the entire trip.

You’re not being watched or babysat, so be on your best behavior. You’ll arrive at your school, change over and check-in the same day, or the very next day (depending).

Cleaning Weapons At MCT

Marine Shooting AT-4 at MCT

Marines Learning On A Terrain Map at MCT

Marines Firing Down Range at MCT

Camp Geiger M240 Assembly at MCT