The official guide to everything a Marine must know, now available to everyone.

Leon Uris said of Moskin's history of the Corps, "It's a hell of a piece of work." Loaded with facts, it is also a book that a Marine can read with pride. This third revised edition includes a newly written chapter on the Gulf War.

The transition from civilian to that of a Marine is a process unlike any other in any branch of the military. As any potential recruit can imagine, Marine recruit training is difficult and challenging. Its purpose is to mold a Marine from the inside out. Nick “Gunny Pop” Popaditch is best known as the “Cigar Marine” and author of Once a Marine, a candid memoir about his service as a tank commander in Iraq, his horrific wounding in the first battle of Fallujah (where he was hit in the head by a rocket-propelled grenade), and his long and difficult recovery. Gunny Pop has experienced the Marine recruit training process from both perspectives: as a new recruit and as a drill instructor. This new book brings together his nearly 16 years of Marine Corps expertise. The Ultimate Marine Recruit Training Guidebook is a comprehensive, practical, and easy-to-follow guide written specifically for every new or prospective recruit about to enter basic training. Gunny Pop offers step-by-step instructions and solutions, including helpful charts and graphics, for how to prepare both physically and mentally for boot camp. Written by a Marine who experienced it firsthand many times over, Gunny Pop explores what recruits will be asked to do (and in many cases, explain why) and the motivating forces behind drill instructor lessons and behavior. The Ultimate Marine Recruit Training Guidebook was written by a Marine and former drill instructor for young men and women who want to become one of the few and the proud. No one should undertake Marine recruit training without having read this book. About the Author: From East Chicago, Indiana, Nick Popaditch enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1986. He was wounded while commanding a tank in Fallujah (Iraq) in 2004 and medically retired from the Marines in 2005 at the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. “Gunny” and his wife April have two children, Richard and Nicholas. They reside in Chula Vista, California.

Here is everything there is to know about the essentials of life as a Marine. From fitness to first aid to firing positions, this book covers all subjects in which every troop, regardless of rank, must maintain proficiency. Learn the Military’s Code of Conduct, understand the Dos and Don’ts of surviving as a POW, and grasp the foundation of military law. Find out about Marine customs, uniforms, and drills. Follow the Marine Corps fitness routines to get into the best shape of your life. Read the detailed section on first aid and learn how to perform CPR, make braces for broken limbs, dress and bandage wounds, improvise slings, and transport injured victims. Find out about the symptoms and treatment of chemical agents and learn how to safely travel through a contaminated area. Also included in the U.S. Marine Guidebook are marksmanship requirements; navigation tactics; and nuclear, biological, and chemical defense. The U.S. Marine Guidebook details procedure during combat, including code of conduct in war and when to use deadly force. Because these subjects are first taught and tested during recruit training, they are the distinctive qualities of a Marine and his training. Anyone who is interested in what makes a Marine the strong, brave, and skilled individual he or she must be will find this book fascinating.