This is a personal thought that came to me years ago after my Dad and I went to visit my first cousin, shortly after receiving his first star as a General in the United States Marine Corps. He was being recognized and promoted to the position of Commanding Officer at Paris Island, which is the Boot Camp for all incoming Marine Recruits east of the Mississippi River.
I made the mistake of asking Jerry the question of how many Soldiers there were on the base? His answer was harsh, but merited, “ZERO, there’s _x__ Marines and 1500 Want-a-Be’s”! He made it very clear that those 1500 recruits in that current 13-week training period were not Marines until they proved they had the physical and mental capability to complete Boot Camp!