You turn eighteen sometime during receiving. There isn’t a moment for it. No pause. Just noise, movement, and being told where to stand. The Marine Corps doesn’t care about birthdays, and you’re not expecting it to. You learn fast. Not because you’re trying to impress anyone, but because it makes things easier. Stand where you’re told. Move when you’re told. Don’t give them a reason to remember you. Most recruits are loud in one way or another—nervous, angry, joking too much. You keep to yoursel