Structure of Marine Corps Training Battalions, Companies, and Platoons

There are two facilities for recruit training. They are called Marine Corps Recruit Depots (MCRDs) and are located in San Diego, California and Parris Island, South Carolina. Their acronyms are MCRDSD and MCRDPI, respectively.

Though there are some exceptions, for the most part, the Mississippi River is the dividing point for which MCRD your son or daughter will attend. Recruits west of the Mississippi River attend MCRD SD. Recruits east of the Mississippi River attend MCRD PI. In the past, every female recruit would go to MCRD Parris Island, regardless of their residence location. The Marine Corps now has fully integrated training for males and females at both MCRD Parris Island and MCRD San Diego.

Each MCRD includes Recruit Training Battalions, or RTBs. Each RTB has a color and crest associated with it. RTBs are divided into companies, and each company is divided further into platoons. Each platoon has a four-digit number. Each company runs a 13-week training schedule and graduate on the same day.

A battalion is identified by number, 1-3. Each company is identified by a letter in alphabetical order. The platoon is identified by a four-digit number, with the first number indicating which battalion they are from.

Colonel Jim G. Gruny (left), commanding officer, Recruit Training Regiment, leads Marines of Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, during their motivational run at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Dec. 11, 2014.
—USMC photo/released.

The following is the breakdown of each MCRD.

San Diego MCRD

• 1st Battalion (red)
  (platoon numbers begin with 1xxx)
  • Alpha Company
  • Bravo Company
  • Charlie Company
  • Delta Company
• 2nd Battalion (yellow)
  (platoon numbers begin with 2xxx)
  • Echo Company
  • Fox Company
  • Golf Company
  • Hotel Company
• 3rd Battalion (blue)
  (platoon numbers begin with 3xxx)
  • India Company
  • Kilo Company
  • Lima Company
  • Mike Company

Parris Island MCRD

• 1st Battalion (red)
  (platoon numbers begin with 1xxx)
  • Alpha Company
  • Bravo Company
  • Charlie Company
  • Delta Company
• 2nd Battalion (yellow)
  (platoon numbers begin with 2xxx)
  • Echo Company
  • Fox Company
  • Golf Company
  • Hotel Company
• 3rd Battalion (blue)
  (platoon numbers begin with 3xxx)
  • India Company
  • Kilo Company
  • Lima Company
  • Mike Company
  • November Company