Their stomachs twist and turn as the bus rolls to a halt in front of the yellow footprints. They are dead silent. The recruits are just moments away from the inevitable collision of civilian and drill instructor.

The turbulent transformation begins when they step onto the yellow footprints, and a drill instructor begins his speech with a simple greeting, “Congratulations on your decision to become a United States Marine. It is a decision you will never regret.”

They make their way through a one-way door adorned with the infamous eagle, globe and anchor. That is where the recruits take their first steps of the training they signed up for.

Their minds are blank as they turn on auto pilot. When told to do something, they seem to do it without thinking.

The hard-learned lessons of the Corps are beginning to soak into their minds.

As their time at receiving begins to slowly creep into the early morning hours, they have already had a haircut, been given nearly all of their gear and are beginning to show signs of sleep deprivation. This is when they will be given the chance to put on their Marine Pattern camouflage utility uniforms for the first time.

Finally, their second day on Parris Island is here. However, the week-long process is not complete, they still have medical in-processing and field gear issue to undergo before their training cycle begins.

Receiving Drill Instructor Staff Sgt. Kendall Jones appears from the darkness as he prepares to welcome the Corps newest recruits to the Depot’s Recruit Processing Center March 13.

Nicholaus Tiger, Big Cypress Reservation, Fla., looks at the phone in front of him as he receives instructions to call home..

A group of new recruits stare blankly at Receiving Barber Tootie Whitehead as they wait for the inevitable – their first Marine haircuts.

A group of new recruits stare blankly at Receiving Barber Tootie Whitehead as they wait for the inevitable – their first Marine haircuts,

After a long night at the Recruit Processing Center, Recruit Lebron Massey, Ringgold, Ga., checks the fit of his new cover.

Recruits stand at attention as they are welcomed aboard the Depot. This is the first of many steps they will go through on the road to becoming a United States Marine.

Receiving Drill Instructor Staff Sgt. Kendall Jones orders a new recruit to open the silver hatches at the Recruit Processing Center. The hatches are a ‘one way trip,’ which symbolize the beginning of the transformation from civilian to United States Marine. Once the receiving process has begun, recruits will spend the rest of their night finalizing paperwork, getting haircuts, turning in all civilian clothing and belongings and are issued their first Marine Corps uniforms.