Marine Corps
GalleryMarine Corps officer candidates honor first enlisted Black Marines in challenging exercise
Stars and Stripes
August 6, 2025
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates, with the Officer Candidate School, run with ammo cans while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
Officer Candidate School candidates, sergeant instructors and physical training instructors honored the first African Americans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps through the Montford Point Challenge on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., on Tuesday.
The exercise, named after the Montford Point Marines, includes three courses: Juniors Stamina Course, Senior Stamina Course and a portion of the Combat Course.
Teams commando crawled, high crawled under barb wire and ran on elevated logs during the obstacle courses. They also carried 40mm ammo cans and logs through muddy paths and knee-deep swamp water.
U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Hiram Polito, a sergeant instructor at the Officer Candidate School, runs while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates participate in a casualty carry while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at the Officer Candidate School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Joshua Munsen/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates conduct the Montford Point Challenge at the Officer Candidate School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Joshua Munsen/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates climb a rope wall while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at the Officer Candidate School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Joshua Munsen/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates low crawl under barbed wire during the Montford Point Challenge at the Officer Candidate School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Joshua Munsen/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates, with the Officer Candidate School, carry a log through water while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates, with the Officer Candidate School, carry a log through water while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps physical training instructors at the Officer Candidate School run to an obstacle while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates, with the Officer Candidate School, carry a log while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates, with the Officer Candidate School, climb an obstacle while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidates conduct the Montford Point Challenge at the Officer Candidate School on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Joshua Munsen/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Morgan Eggleston, left, and Sgt. Nicholas Hernandez, physical training instructors at the Officer Candidate School, climb an obstacle while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps physical training instructors at the Officer Candidate School pose for a photo while conducting the Montford Point Challenge at OCS on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Aug. 5, 2025. (Harleigh Faulk/U.S. Marine Corps)