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Making the Corps
by Thomas Ricks
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Scribner (1998-10-02)
ISBN: 0684848171
EAN: 9780684848174
Dewy Decimal #: 359.960973
Paperback: 320 pages
Edition: Touchstone ed
SKU: 29813
Condition: New
Comments: THE SOFTBACK BOOK! TOUCHSTONE, 1997. THE UNABRIDGED 1ST EDITION. WITH GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS! SOFTCOVER BOOK AND PAGES ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION! NEW BOOK! Rapid shipping w/FREE tracking. GREAT PACKAGING . Air Mail. YW.
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Making the Corps visits the front lines of boot camp, Parris Island, South Carolina. Here, old values are stripped away and new, Marine Corps values are forged. Acclaimed military journalist Thomas E. Ricks follows these men from their hometowns, through boot camp, and into their first year as Marines. As three fierce drill instructors fight a battle for the hearts and minds of this unforgettable group of young men, a larger picture emerges, brilliantly painted, of the growing gulf that divides the military from the rest of America.
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Amazon.com Review
Marines are different: distinct not only from ordinary U.S. citizens but from the ranks of the army, navy, and air force as well. The difference begins with boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, where the history and future of the United States Marine Corps intersect in the training of every new recruit. In Making the Corps, Ricks follows a platoon of young men through 11 grueling weeks of boot camp as their drill instructors indoctrinate them into the culture of the Few and the Proud. Many arrive at Parris Island undisciplined and apathetic; they leave as marines. With the end of the cold war, the role of the American military has shifted in emphasis from making war to keeping peace. "The best way to see where the U.S. military is going is to look at the marines today," says Ricks, as the other armed forces have begun to emulate the marine model. To understand Parris Island--a central experience in the life of every marine--is to understand the ethos of the Marine Corps. Ricks examines the recent changes in the Standard Operating Procedures for Recruit Training (the bible of Parris Island), which indicate how the corps is dealing with critical social and political issues like race relations, gender equality, and sexual orientation. Making the Corps pierces the USMC's "sis-boom-bah" mythology to help outsiders understand this most esoteric and eccentric of U.S. armed forces. --Tim Hogan
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Customer Reviews
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Good overview, but felt something missing
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-06-22
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gave a great introduction to the Marine Corps boot camp. I now have a better appreciation for all that my brother-in-law endured. There were two parts where I felt a little frustrated: the third person perspective and dated material.
When I read a story, I much more enjoy it from the first person perspective. Although Ricks gave an account of what 3086 went through, the description of what it feels like to have a DI in your face would be more poignant coming from first hand experience rather than an after the fact interview. Also, the brief description of the crucible at the end of the book and the discussion of the role of a military without war seems dated, especially since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have probably affected the view of many in the military.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but there may be a few other books which are more up to date.
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Making The Corps
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-06-05
Very detailed and enlightening book about Marine boot camp in the 1990s. Ricks does a great of job setting the scenes and letting the recruits speak for themselves. From the moment the recruits step off the bus and onto Parris Island, they're in for a life-changing experience and readers are able to tag along for the ride. An added bonus was the follow-up on those who made it through boot camp and those who weren't quite able to live up to the standard set by the Corps. The Marine background and history, while integral to the book, was a little boring to me, but as a whole, this was a very satisfying and worthwhile read. Hoorah!
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Tells an important story.
Rating  (5)
Date: 2008-02-01
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
This is an excellent book that tells the story of Marines from their conception to their birth into the Corps.
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Great book!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-01-14
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
We have a son who has joined the Marines and will go to boot camp next summer. This book was recommended to me by a friend, who knew I was struggling with how strict and regimented the Marines are, and I didn't understand the need to be this way. This book has been an excellent source of information for me and has provided me a great sense of peace with our son's decision to join. I highly recommend it to anyone - especially to parents of sons or daughters who have joined the Marines, or have expressed an interest to join.
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Fun at Parris Island
Rating (4)
Date: 2007-11-14
2 out of 2 customers found this reveiw helpful
This book follows a band of recruits through their experience at Parris Island, and beyond. It gives good historical background on the Marine Corps in an interesting narrative. The author is objective and doesn't gloss over the scars that still linger from Vietnam, and how they affect the Corps today.
The book also provides a well rounded perspective on military life. Making the Corps is well written by someone who obviously has a great deal of insight on the subject.
The book is most interesting as it tracks the individual recruits through their 11 weeks of training and their first year of service. I recommend the book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Marine Corps and wants to understand and appreciate the fierce allegiance that most Marines have for the Corps.
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