Young men and women from across the country rush to

Young men and women from across the country rush to the yellow footprints Nov. 18, 2013, after arriving on Parris Island, S.C. Most of these young people, now recruits of India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, and Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, will be transformed during the next 13 weeks into basic Marines, representing the epitome of personal character, selflessness and military virtue. Vehicles loaded with soon-to-be recruits began arriving at Parris Island's receiving building at 6 p.m. and continued to trickle in throughout the next few days. Both companies are scheduled to graduate Feb. 14, 2014. Parris Island has been the site of Marine Corps recruit training since Nov. 1, 1915. Today, approximately 20,000 recruits come to Parris Island annually for the chance to become United States Marines by enduring 13 weeks of rigorous, transformative training. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for 50 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps. (Photo by Cpl. Caitlin Brink)