thedrifter
11-18-03, 06:20 AM
From dog house to Devil Dog - Marine leaves life on street for future in Corps
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification Number: 20031117122546
Story by Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(November 14, 2003) -- With tattered clothing and dirty faces, transients roam the streets of urban areas, scrounging for what little food they can find. Many carry cardboard signs with messages such as "will work for food" or "military veteran; please help."
One new Marine has taken the reverse approach of that lifestyle by living on the streets as a youth, then making a new life for himself in the Corps.
PFC Van Black, guide, Platoon 3025, Company M, was on a downward spiral headed nowhere fast.
Born in Ohio, he moved to Arlington, Texas, when he was 15.
At the age of 17, he got into an argument with his mother, packed up his things and moved back to Ohio to live with his aunt.
"I left because I didn't want things to continue the way they were with my mom," said Black. "She brought me into this world, and I wasn't about to disrespect her in her own house."
In Ohio, Black began to hang out with a bad crowd and trouble followed. He ended up getting kicked out of school and his home as a result of his behavior.
"I messed up," said Black. "I got involved with some bad people and started living wrong and it caught up with me."
Black found himself living from couch to couch at random friends' and family members' homes, but eventually he ran out of couches.
"I literally had nowhere else to go," said Black. "I was on the street, eating out of trash cans. I never thought I'd see myself doing that."
One of Black's passions, his love for dogs, played out to his advantage while he was on the street. He encountered a large rottweiler named Bingo. He came by Bingo's yard daily and eventually made friends with the dog.
Black made such good friends with Bingo that he decided to start sleeping in Bingo's doghouse with him.
"I just went in the yard at night and crawled into the doghouse with Bingo," said Black. "He kept me warm and I kept him warm."
After about a month of sleeping in the doghouse, Black decided to tell the owner of the house what he had been doing.
"I knocked on the door and told the woman who lived there that I made friends with Bingo and was sleeping in the doghouse with him," said Black. "I didn't want to freak out her or her kids, and she was surprisingly understanding and said it was okay that I slept there."
Black continued to sleep in the doghouse for several months and became somewhat close to the family.
"Every once in a while, they would bring me food or even invite me in for dinner," said Black.
After about six months being homeless, Black decided he was sick of his life and he needed a change. He called up his lifelong friend in Texas, Jay Crimp, and said he wanted to move back.
Crimp, who is a year older than Black, was happy to hear the news and arrangements were made for Black to come home.
Black moved back to Arlington and got an apartment with Crimp. The two landed jobs at a local grocery store to make ends meet.
Black decided to go back to high school and get his diploma.
"I knew I needed to graduate or I wouldn't be successful," said Black.
While in high school, Black had a dream come true, literally. One night in Ohio, he had a dream about a young woman he had never seen before, but her face stuck out in his mind vividly.
"When I went back to high school I saw that face," said Black. "I told her I knew we would be together, and shortly after, we were."
Black's inspiration, Tonyela Arphul, helped keep him on the straight and narrow path as he finished high school and she is still with him today. The two plan to marry when she finishes college, according to Black.
After three years of toiling and sticking to the books with Arphul, Black received his diploma at the age of 20, and was ready for the next step in his life; the Army.
"I wanted to get out of where I was and I felt the Army could do that for me," said Black.
He contacted his recruiter and made an appointment to see what the Army was all about. There was one major problem though.
"The recruiter stood me up," said Black. "That really made me mad. First impressions are everything and I was really let down from the first impression I got from the Army."
Then, a few days later, Black saw a Marine recruiter named Staff Sgt. Elonzo Higginson.
"I made an appointment with Staff Sgt. Higginson and he met with me after school that day," said Black. "The things he told me interested me and I decided to join up."
While in the Delayed Entry Program, Black and Higginson became very close. Higginson became a mentor to Black.
"(Higginson) took me under his wing," said Black. "He told me things about boot camp to give me a head start, but he also became like a father to me. If I were younger, I'd want him to adopt me."
Finally, Black's day to leave for recruit training came and he was placed in Platoon 3025, Co. M. He was appointed guide of the platoon shortly after arriving.
"He's been through a lot in his life and he seemed more mature than everyone else in the platoon," said Staff Sgt. Leo Gomez, Black's senior drill instructor. "I gathered the recruits together and asked them who should be the guide. Almost all of them chose Black. He was taking charge from day one."
"His resilience and persistence is amazing," added Sgt. John Lucero, one the platoon's drill instructors.
Black puts his past behind him today and steps into a new life in the Corps as a series honorman, one of the highest honors in recruit training.
"I'm just glad I'm off the streets," said Black. "Now I have a future with a career and new family I will always be proud of.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20031117122710/$file/black1_lr.jpg
PFC Van Black, guide, Platoon 3025, Company M, oversees his platoon as they complete rappel training. Black left a life on the streets to earn the title U.S. Marine, and he graduates recruit training today as series honorman. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/EBBA12A97CD0953985256DE1005FBE44?opendocument
The Drifter
:marine:
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification Number: 20031117122546
Story by Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(November 14, 2003) -- With tattered clothing and dirty faces, transients roam the streets of urban areas, scrounging for what little food they can find. Many carry cardboard signs with messages such as "will work for food" or "military veteran; please help."
One new Marine has taken the reverse approach of that lifestyle by living on the streets as a youth, then making a new life for himself in the Corps.
PFC Van Black, guide, Platoon 3025, Company M, was on a downward spiral headed nowhere fast.
Born in Ohio, he moved to Arlington, Texas, when he was 15.
At the age of 17, he got into an argument with his mother, packed up his things and moved back to Ohio to live with his aunt.
"I left because I didn't want things to continue the way they were with my mom," said Black. "She brought me into this world, and I wasn't about to disrespect her in her own house."
In Ohio, Black began to hang out with a bad crowd and trouble followed. He ended up getting kicked out of school and his home as a result of his behavior.
"I messed up," said Black. "I got involved with some bad people and started living wrong and it caught up with me."
Black found himself living from couch to couch at random friends' and family members' homes, but eventually he ran out of couches.
"I literally had nowhere else to go," said Black. "I was on the street, eating out of trash cans. I never thought I'd see myself doing that."
One of Black's passions, his love for dogs, played out to his advantage while he was on the street. He encountered a large rottweiler named Bingo. He came by Bingo's yard daily and eventually made friends with the dog.
Black made such good friends with Bingo that he decided to start sleeping in Bingo's doghouse with him.
"I just went in the yard at night and crawled into the doghouse with Bingo," said Black. "He kept me warm and I kept him warm."
After about a month of sleeping in the doghouse, Black decided to tell the owner of the house what he had been doing.
"I knocked on the door and told the woman who lived there that I made friends with Bingo and was sleeping in the doghouse with him," said Black. "I didn't want to freak out her or her kids, and she was surprisingly understanding and said it was okay that I slept there."
Black continued to sleep in the doghouse for several months and became somewhat close to the family.
"Every once in a while, they would bring me food or even invite me in for dinner," said Black.
After about six months being homeless, Black decided he was sick of his life and he needed a change. He called up his lifelong friend in Texas, Jay Crimp, and said he wanted to move back.
Crimp, who is a year older than Black, was happy to hear the news and arrangements were made for Black to come home.
Black moved back to Arlington and got an apartment with Crimp. The two landed jobs at a local grocery store to make ends meet.
Black decided to go back to high school and get his diploma.
"I knew I needed to graduate or I wouldn't be successful," said Black.
While in high school, Black had a dream come true, literally. One night in Ohio, he had a dream about a young woman he had never seen before, but her face stuck out in his mind vividly.
"When I went back to high school I saw that face," said Black. "I told her I knew we would be together, and shortly after, we were."
Black's inspiration, Tonyela Arphul, helped keep him on the straight and narrow path as he finished high school and she is still with him today. The two plan to marry when she finishes college, according to Black.
After three years of toiling and sticking to the books with Arphul, Black received his diploma at the age of 20, and was ready for the next step in his life; the Army.
"I wanted to get out of where I was and I felt the Army could do that for me," said Black.
He contacted his recruiter and made an appointment to see what the Army was all about. There was one major problem though.
"The recruiter stood me up," said Black. "That really made me mad. First impressions are everything and I was really let down from the first impression I got from the Army."
Then, a few days later, Black saw a Marine recruiter named Staff Sgt. Elonzo Higginson.
"I made an appointment with Staff Sgt. Higginson and he met with me after school that day," said Black. "The things he told me interested me and I decided to join up."
While in the Delayed Entry Program, Black and Higginson became very close. Higginson became a mentor to Black.
"(Higginson) took me under his wing," said Black. "He told me things about boot camp to give me a head start, but he also became like a father to me. If I were younger, I'd want him to adopt me."
Finally, Black's day to leave for recruit training came and he was placed in Platoon 3025, Co. M. He was appointed guide of the platoon shortly after arriving.
"He's been through a lot in his life and he seemed more mature than everyone else in the platoon," said Staff Sgt. Leo Gomez, Black's senior drill instructor. "I gathered the recruits together and asked them who should be the guide. Almost all of them chose Black. He was taking charge from day one."
"His resilience and persistence is amazing," added Sgt. John Lucero, one the platoon's drill instructors.
Black puts his past behind him today and steps into a new life in the Corps as a series honorman, one of the highest honors in recruit training.
"I'm just glad I'm off the streets," said Black. "Now I have a future with a career and new family I will always be proud of.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20031117122710/$file/black1_lr.jpg
PFC Van Black, guide, Platoon 3025, Company M, oversees his platoon as they complete rappel training. Black left a life on the streets to earn the title U.S. Marine, and he graduates recruit training today as series honorman. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/EBBA12A97CD0953985256DE1005FBE44?opendocument
The Drifter
:marine: