thedrifter
10-19-04, 08:49 AM
Twofoldhunden: Marines relied on twinship through boot camp
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 20041015122329
Story by Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 15, 2004) -- "We do everything together," they said in unison.
From tooling in their stepfather's woodshop to marching across Shepherd Memorial Drill Field as Marines, twin Pvts. Jeremy and Jeremiah Pimental, Platoon 1007, Company D, said they are always on the same page, through good and bad.
"Ever since I can remember, we've always done things together," said Jeremy. "I remember playing in our dad's woodshop when we were little ..."
"And helping out working on cars and engines," chimed Jeremiah. "We do that a lot; finish each other's sentences. Sometimes we ask each other the same question at the same time"
"It's kind of freaky sometimes," said Jeremy. "But I guess we have that twin connection."
The Pimental boys exhibit that eerie telepathy, but their facial features and personalities are not identical.
"We do and like a lot of the same stuff," said Jeremy. " But we have lot's of differences, too. My favorite band is Aerosmith."
"And I like Garth Brooks," said Jeremiah. "Jeremy hates my music. And we wrestled for the varsity team in high school. Whenever we wrestle each other, it always ends in a stalemate."
"I'm stronger," said Jeremy. "But he outweighs me by about 20 pounds, so my strength and his weight counter each other."
After their high school graduation, both brothers decided to join the Marine Corps for a few reasons.
"I didn't think it was possible, so I joined for the challenge," said Jeremiah.
"I also joined for the challenge," said Jeremiah. "But I also joined because I believe every American citizen owes service for the freedoms we enjoy, even if it is only four years."
The 18-year-old Springfield, Ore., natives also sought an Army recruiter, but they weren't impressed.
"The Army recruiter sugar-coated everything," said Jeremiah.
"That's not what we wanted," said Jeremy. "The Marine recruiter told us it would be tough."
The twins enlisted on the buddy program so they had a better chance to stay together throughout training.
"Once we got here, Jeremy and I stuck together," said Jeremiah. "We walked really close together and we ended up in the same platoon."
The twin thing has had its ups and downs at recruit training, according to Jeremy.
"We've been able to help each other a lot," said Jeremy.
"I had a lot of trouble on my (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) test," said Jeremiah. "I got 17 out of 49 moves wrong. That night, Jeremy stayed up late and went over the techniques with me. I retook the test the next day and I didn't miss anything."
The brothers also agreed that in the tough environment, it's nice to have someone familiar.
"I think it was a good experience for the twins to be here together," said Staff Sgt. Andrew Nichols, Platoon 1007 senior drill instructor. "They said they learned things about each other here they didn't know after 18 years of growing up together."
"We talk each other through the stress," said Jeremy. "It's nice to have a brother here - someone I've known my whole life."
Frustration is one of the downfalls of having a brother in recruit training, they admitted.
"Boot camp is mostly mentally challenging," said Jeremy. "Sometimes we just get on each other's nerves."
The twins are also very competitive; they've been that way their whole lives, according to Jeremiah.
"We've always competed," said Jeremiah. "We competed in high school when we wrestled, and we competed a lot here. On the rifle range, Jeremy shot expert, and I shot sharpshooter. I should've had it, but I had a bad day on qualification."
After graduation and 10 days of leave, the twins will go to Marine Combat Training together. Jeremy enlisted as an ordinance technician/metal worker, and Jeremiah joined as a construction utilities Marine. Occupational specialty school will be the first thing to separate the brothers.
"I think we'll be OK on our own," said Jeremiah. "But I hope we get stationed together."
Jeremy nodded in agreement.
"We've been through everything together," said Jeremy. "We're brothers and best friends, and I don't think anything can change that."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20041015122458/$file/09recruitD_lr.jpg
Jeremy (left) and Jeremiah Pimental are paternal twins who joined the Marine Corps on the buddy program. They said they have done everything together. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1C48A169B4F0293B85256F2E005A0A86?opendocument
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification #: 20041015122329
Story by Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (October 15, 2004) -- "We do everything together," they said in unison.
From tooling in their stepfather's woodshop to marching across Shepherd Memorial Drill Field as Marines, twin Pvts. Jeremy and Jeremiah Pimental, Platoon 1007, Company D, said they are always on the same page, through good and bad.
"Ever since I can remember, we've always done things together," said Jeremy. "I remember playing in our dad's woodshop when we were little ..."
"And helping out working on cars and engines," chimed Jeremiah. "We do that a lot; finish each other's sentences. Sometimes we ask each other the same question at the same time"
"It's kind of freaky sometimes," said Jeremy. "But I guess we have that twin connection."
The Pimental boys exhibit that eerie telepathy, but their facial features and personalities are not identical.
"We do and like a lot of the same stuff," said Jeremy. " But we have lot's of differences, too. My favorite band is Aerosmith."
"And I like Garth Brooks," said Jeremiah. "Jeremy hates my music. And we wrestled for the varsity team in high school. Whenever we wrestle each other, it always ends in a stalemate."
"I'm stronger," said Jeremy. "But he outweighs me by about 20 pounds, so my strength and his weight counter each other."
After their high school graduation, both brothers decided to join the Marine Corps for a few reasons.
"I didn't think it was possible, so I joined for the challenge," said Jeremiah.
"I also joined for the challenge," said Jeremiah. "But I also joined because I believe every American citizen owes service for the freedoms we enjoy, even if it is only four years."
The 18-year-old Springfield, Ore., natives also sought an Army recruiter, but they weren't impressed.
"The Army recruiter sugar-coated everything," said Jeremiah.
"That's not what we wanted," said Jeremy. "The Marine recruiter told us it would be tough."
The twins enlisted on the buddy program so they had a better chance to stay together throughout training.
"Once we got here, Jeremy and I stuck together," said Jeremiah. "We walked really close together and we ended up in the same platoon."
The twin thing has had its ups and downs at recruit training, according to Jeremy.
"We've been able to help each other a lot," said Jeremy.
"I had a lot of trouble on my (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) test," said Jeremiah. "I got 17 out of 49 moves wrong. That night, Jeremy stayed up late and went over the techniques with me. I retook the test the next day and I didn't miss anything."
The brothers also agreed that in the tough environment, it's nice to have someone familiar.
"I think it was a good experience for the twins to be here together," said Staff Sgt. Andrew Nichols, Platoon 1007 senior drill instructor. "They said they learned things about each other here they didn't know after 18 years of growing up together."
"We talk each other through the stress," said Jeremy. "It's nice to have a brother here - someone I've known my whole life."
Frustration is one of the downfalls of having a brother in recruit training, they admitted.
"Boot camp is mostly mentally challenging," said Jeremy. "Sometimes we just get on each other's nerves."
The twins are also very competitive; they've been that way their whole lives, according to Jeremiah.
"We've always competed," said Jeremiah. "We competed in high school when we wrestled, and we competed a lot here. On the rifle range, Jeremy shot expert, and I shot sharpshooter. I should've had it, but I had a bad day on qualification."
After graduation and 10 days of leave, the twins will go to Marine Combat Training together. Jeremy enlisted as an ordinance technician/metal worker, and Jeremiah joined as a construction utilities Marine. Occupational specialty school will be the first thing to separate the brothers.
"I think we'll be OK on our own," said Jeremiah. "But I hope we get stationed together."
Jeremy nodded in agreement.
"We've been through everything together," said Jeremy. "We're brothers and best friends, and I don't think anything can change that."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20041015122458/$file/09recruitD_lr.jpg
Jeremy (left) and Jeremiah Pimental are paternal twins who joined the Marine Corps on the buddy program. They said they have done everything together. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Jess Levens
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1C48A169B4F0293B85256F2E005A0A86?opendocument
The Drifter's Wife
Ellie