Marching, Marching and More Marching

The training regiment was designed to impose a sense of uniformity and mold the new recruits into a team. One of the key methods for achieving this was to march.  Company Commanders would march their squad around a vast field of concrete, reffered to by the recruits as "The Grinder" Former recruit Martha Reuter recalls "The Grinder" as the place where you"marched, marched, marched.[1]

As many as nine companies marched at a time, often under the scorching Florida sun.  Recruits marched together in step for two to three hours a day as the commanders shouted and blasted loud music. Commanders prefered rock music with a four beat rhythm because it was ideal for marching.[2] The simple act of moving one’s feet and arms in perfect synchronicity reinforced the idea that the recruits were no longer individuals but part of a team.

[1] "Oral History of Martha "Connie" Reuter." RICHES of Central Florida. https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/items/show/4892.