cmbell
02-22-04, 05:06 AM
HAWAII KAI, OAHU, Hawaii(February 11, 2004) -- HAWAII KAI - Scuba diving and the Marine Corps are the two biggest passions of one staff noncommissioned officer who went a few extra meters underwater to prove his dedication to the Corps. Gunnery Sgt. Daniel E. Blanchard, company gunnery sergeant for Kilo Co., 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, re-enlisted at a depth of 20 feet with more than 20 members of his command, as well as his son Thomas, during an underwater re-enlistment ceremony Feb. 11 at Hanauma Bay.
"The ceremony worked out really well," said Blanchard after surfacing. "I felt that after 20 years of service, I should do something spectacular to mark this occasion, and as far as I know, I don't think anyone has done this sort of thing before," he said of the monumental occasion in his life and career.
With waterproofed re-enlistment documents in hand, Capt. Rush Filson, commanding officer of Kilo Co., led Blanchard through his re-enlistment ceremony. Though the words were almost impossible to hear and all anyone could see were bubbles emitting from their mouths, the two were able to understand each other well enough to complete the ceremony.
"The ceremony worked out really well," said Blanchard after surfacing. "I felt that after 20 years of service, I should do something spectacular to mark this occasion, and as far as I know, I don't think anyone has done this sort of thing before," he said of the monumental occasion in his life and career.
With waterproofed re-enlistment documents in hand, Capt. Rush Filson, commanding officer of Kilo Co., led Blanchard through his re-enlistment ceremony. Though the words were almost impossible to hear and all anyone could see were bubbles emitting from their mouths, the two were able to understand each other well enough to complete the ceremony.