"Boot camp tips," writes one Marine mom. "Run, run, run." "Look out for your buddy." "Bonus tip: Go to church. Even if you are an atheist, church is a good time to reflect... escape the pressure and regroup for the day or week ahead." http://gunnydi.tripod.com/mcrdparrisisland/id16.html
Not official counsel from the military, of course, but advice that many of the new recruits at Parris Island Marine Base in Beaufort, South Carolina, have taken to heart. Peruse the base's paper, which lists information about worship services, and you'll see there's no shortage of spiritual communities for recruits to choose from. There are Wiccan meetings and opportunities for Muslims to worship, services held by Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Seventh-Day Adventists.
"From what I've seen, recruits seek out some kind of spiritual community for all sorts of reasons," says Don Lee a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. "Some of them are spiritual explorers. Others want the answers to theological questions they're wrestling with. But most? Most want some kind of foundation, some kind of center they can 'come home to' during basic training—one of the most intense and challenging periods of their lives."
