Potential Marines undergo fitness evaluation at Snow Hinton Park

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Asher Redd

Potential new U.S. Marines swarmed Snow Hinton Park Saturday, as recruits took the field for an intense physical fitness evaluation ahead of their ship-out date for basic training.

Sgt. Maj. Eric Shaffer said it’s important that recruits be ready for what’s ahead.

“My goals for today were to come out and just make sure that the young men and women that we have currently scheduled to go to recruit training at Parris Island, South Carolina, are physically able to meet the rigors,” Shaffer said.

During the recruits’ assessment, temperatures tiptoed around freezing, making everything that much harder. The test is designed to challenge recruits, force them to adapt quickly and work as a unit.

Alexander Taylor, one of the assessed recruits, said discipline is just one thing that keeps him focused.

“It’s very hard to stay physically active every day and to eat right,” Taylor said, “It takes a lot of self and mental discipline.”

Shaffer said above all, he wants his group to come back from training as United States Marines.

All of the recruits ship to boot camp on different dates.