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thedrifter
05-15-04, 07:47 AM
Marine trains despite losing sibling
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 2004514172313
Story by Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.



MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(May 14, 2004) -- His leaders said they had bad news.

The recruit, who had only arrived nine days prior, asked, "Is it my sister?"

It was.

He asked, "Did she pass away?"

She did.

It was something Robert C. Villalobos wasn't expecting to deal with in recruit training. His 35-year-old sister Norma G. Villalobos died of cancer that spread throughout her body.

"I held the pain inside until that night," he said. "Then I held a pillow over my head and cried. I kept thinking about all the good times we had."

Recruit training tests will; the challenge is already tough for recruits, unaffected by outside factors. However, in his grief, Villalobos had to continue.

The next morning, carrying only a hygiene kit, his money and papers, he boarded a plane home to San Antonio.

"I mostly spent time at my mom's house and kept her company; she was taking it badly," said Villalobos.

According to his senior drill instructor, Staff Sgt. Moncie L. Johns, Villalobos was authorized 10 days leave, and he chose to take three.

"I didn't want to leave the platoon," he said. "Although I wanted to pay my respects, I still had a job to do."

If Villalobos missed a day more, he would have dropped from Platoon 3067, Company L, to the next company.

Villalobos started strongly as a squad leader before going home to Texas, and he wanted to return with that momentum. He attributes his strong start to the leadership and motivation he acquired from being a high school quarterback.

"He only lost the (squad leader) position because while he was gone, another recruit stepped up and started showing improvement," said Johns.

"Although I am not a squad leader anymore, I still motivate the platoon," said Villalobos.

At Memorial High School in San Antonio, Villalobos also played basketball, ran track and ran cross-country. His father, Isidoro Villalobos Jr. coached him through every sport.

With sports taking most of his time during his sophomore year, Villalobos was surprised when he became a father that year as his girlfriend, Dulse C. Moreno, gave birth to their son, Robert M. Villalobos Jr.

Villalobos said fatherhood made him mature faster.

"I stopped acting like a kid and started working," he said.

After practices, he would work late evenings and double shifts on weekends.

After they both graduated high school, the young family moved into their own place. Villalobos then joined the Marine Corps to protect his family and serve his country.

Because of his commitment and motivation in recruit training, and for being the platoon's most-improved recruit, Villalobos' leaders meritoriously promoted him to private first class. He ate diet rations until he lost 20 pounds. He now can pump out 160 crunches. He's also one of the company's fastest runners, finishing three miles under 19 minutes.

He encouraged other recruits to do well in training like his sister did well with him.

"Me and my sister have loved the Marine Corps since I was 10," PFC Villalobos said. "She encouraged me when everybody else didn't understand why I was doing it. I told her to hold on until I got back, so she could see me as a Marine."

He changed his family's and friends' minds when he went home for the funeral.

"When I visited home to pay my respects, they saw me in my (Service C) uniform and they said they saw a change in me," he said.

His sister helped him become a Marine, and in her absence, his family has come together to support their new Marine. Villalobos will turn 19 tomorrow, and today he goes home with the family he came here to protect.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/2004514172511/$file/pfc_r_c_villalobos_lr.jpg

After his sister's death, PFC Robert C. Villalobos, Platoon 3067, Company L, relied on his family for support. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/ED5BE7078A97426F85256E9400757B6F?opendocument


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