Parris Island Drill Instructors Mold Recruits Into Marines

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Parris Island Drill Instructors Mold Recruits Into Marines <br />
Submitted by: American Forces Press Service <br />
Story by Mr. Gerry J. Gilmore <br />
<br />
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (Nov. 8,...

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Why I Serve: Marine Recruit Learns Discipline, Leadership Lessons
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C., Nov. 8, 2004 – "I wasn't disciplined enough for college," said Marine Corps recruit Joseph E. Solinger.

The 19-year-old Columbus, Ohio, native said he realized in high school about a year ago that his self-indulgence and spotty grades were taking him nowhere. He said his attitude and study habits were exceptionally poor.

After talking things over with his father, a former Marine officer, Solinger elected to join the Marines' Delayed Entry Program in October 2003.

Fast-forward to today. After completing 12 weeks of intensive training, the young recruit was slated to graduate on Nov. 5 and become Pfc. Solinger, U.S. Marine.

The Marine Corps, Solinger discovered, is "the place to get discipline and to work on my leadership skills."

Assigned to H Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Solinger learned his lessons well at Parris Island. He was selected as an honor recruit for his leadership, attention to detail, and other skills.

As a soon-to-be Marine, Solinger said he gained new perspectives on how people from different backgrounds can cooperate to accomplish difficult tasks. His Parris Island experiences, he said, also taught him "how to work with people from all over the country."

And, embracing teamwork "is essential" to becoming a Marine, he said. "There's not one recruit that can make it through recruit training," Solinger said, "without the help of another recruit."

Joining the Marine Corps, he observed, would be a good decision for many of today's young people who "are walking around in sloppy clothes."

The Marines, he explained, extol responsibility, good personal hygiene, manners, and proper posture.

Recruits who seemed to lack self-confidence and direction when they arrived at Parris Island, Solinger observed, are transformed by Marine training to embrace self-discipline and responsibility.

And discipline, he noted, "is something that you need in life."

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11082004_2004110806.html

The Drifter's Wife

Ellie

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Learning the drill
Battery Creek JROTC cadets go through Marine regimen
Published Sat, Nov 6, 2004

By MICHAEL KERR
Gazette staff writer
Forty-seven feet in the air, Jonathan McPheters gripped his rope and leaned back over the edge of Parris Island's rappel tower.
With a deep breath, the 14-year-old Battery Creek High School freshman shot his right arm out at a 45-degree angle and ran down the wall, his black boots skidding over the USMC logo emblazoned on the wood.

"The rappel tower was scary, very scary," Jonathan said once both of his feet were safely on the ground. "Especially not knowing how far you had left to go. Scary."

One by one, about 20 Battery Creek Junior ROTC cadets conquered their fear of heights the hard way Friday morning. Some shaking, some crying, all visibly nervous, they took the plunge down the same wall each and every Marine recruit must conquer before graduating from the island.

"I trusted the men working here, working at the rappel tower," Jonathan said. "I put my life in their hands and went down the tower."

Retired Marine Corps Maj. Jeff McGill, the ROTC unit's instructor, paced atop the massive wood and metal structure, speaking with and encouraging the cadets who looked most fearful.

"They're doing things they've never done before, especially with the rappel tower," he said. "Most of them are nervous right now, but after they go one or two times it's, 'Hmm, I can do this.' That's a confidence builder."

The cadets, all freshmen in their first year in the ROTC program, were scheduled to spend most of Friday at the depot.

After a rude awakening that saw them greeted by three screaming drill instructors, the cadets took their place on the depot's famous Yellow Footprints, where recruits first lineup when they reach Parris Island. After a break for chow, they were scheduled for a go on the base's confidence course Friday afternoon.

"For the most part, I thought they did better than 50 percent of the recruits that get sent off," said Staff Sgt. Josh Ramsey, the chief instructor at the rappel tower. "I thought they did a real good job. We can't make them do it, obviously, not like recruits."

With the ROTC cadets, like recruits, the rappel tower is designed to build self confidence, he said.

"It's a lot of fun," Ramsey said of helping the cadets. "A lot of them are scared at first ... They overcome their fears."

For Jonathan, who plans to join the Corps after college, overcoming the challenge of the tower only added to the day's fun.

"Hanging over the edge is the worst part of it," he said. "Coming down the tower is very easy."

Contact Michael Kerr at 986-5539 or mkerr@beaufortgazette.com.

http://beaufortgazette.com/ips_rich_content/NWS-BCHS-JR-ROTC,-1-weekend.jpg

Bob Sofaly/Gazette
Gunnery Sgt. James Telley, a drill instructor with the 2nd Training Battalion, Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, gives Jr. ROTC cadets an ear full as they run off the bus Friday morning.

http://beaufortgazette.com/ips_rich_content/JR-ROTC2-110604.jpg

Bob Sofaly/Gazette
Gunnery Sgt. James Telley, right, a drill instructor with Second Training Battalion of Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot, expresses his displeasure with the Battery Creek High School Junior ROTC cadets Friday morning at the depot's repelling tower.

http://www.beaufortgazette.com/local_news/military/story/4159585p-3923692c.html

The Drifter's Wife

Ellie

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'Every Marine's a Rifleman,' Says Parris Island Instructor
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2004 -- "Every Marine's a rifleman," Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Soignet remarked Nov. 2 amid the pop and crack of scores of M-16 rifles firing at Chosin Range at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.

That's why, the range officer said, nearly a fourth of the 12 weeks of recruit training given at Parris Island is devoted to rifle marksmanship.

Wearing a wide-brimmed campaign hat that shaded his eyes from the bright afternoon sun, Soignet noted that 300 recruits were assembled on the range that afternoon to practice firing their M-16s at 50 stationary targets mounted 200 yards away.

The targets, he noted, are pulled down and put back up by recruits, with the action supervised and synchronized by range officials for safety.

Safety is paramount on the rifle range, the warrant officer said, noting his primary marksmanship instructors keep an expert watch on goings on.

Soignet said range cadre also instruct recruits on the finer points of marksmanship, noting that improper sight alignment most often contributes to inaccurate shooting.

It's also important that the recruits learn to use gentle pressure on the rifle trigger to "squeeze off" their shots rather than to abruptly jerk back the trigger, which most often results in off-target strikes, Soignet explained.

Marksmanship instructors also examine the target strike patterns displayed in a data book carried by recruits, the warrant officer said.

The data book "is sort of like the 'bible of shooting' for the recruits," Soignet said. Recruits use the books to improve on their shooting.

"They can reflect back at the end of the day" and work on their mistakes, he said.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/2004110909c_72.jpg

"Every Marine's a rifleman," Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Soignet remarked Nov. 2 amid the pop and crack of scores of M-16 rifles firing at Chosin Range at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. Photo by Gerry J. Gilmore


http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11092004_2004110909.html


The Drifter's Wife

Ellie

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Why I Serve: Recruit Joined Marines for Challenge, Opportunity
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C., Nov. 9, 2004 -- "I wanted something more" out of life, Marine Corps Recruit Nina N. Garcia said a few days before she was to graduate from recruit training here.

Earning a college degree was definitely one of her goals as she was finishing up high school, but Garcia also wanted to challenge herself on another level, she said. So, last year, when she was a high school senior, the Fort Collins, Colo., native joined the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program.

The 18-year-old Garcia was set to become a U.S. Marine Nov. 5, after completing 12 weeks of arduous training. Garcia said she learned "a lot of discipline" at Parris Island, which has trained Marine recruits since 1915.

Instructors on Parris Island rifle ranges taught her how to shoot, and she also became a better swimmer thanks to the Marines, she said. Embracing and employing teamwork, Garcia observed, provides the key for recruits to successfully complete the Marines' famously tough training. "Everything depends on teamwork," Garcia emphasized, noting, "There's no 'I' in team."

The Marine Corps offers young people "challenge, opportunity, and (a way) to serve our country with the best," she said.

And, Marines' proud personal bearing, Garcia noted, sets them apart "from any other branch of the military."

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/2004110901a_72.jpg

Marine Recruit Nina N. Garcia, 18, looks forward to her Nov. 5 graduation from Parris Island in a Nov. 2 photo. She said she joined the Marines for the challenge and opportunity. Photo by Gerry J. Gilmore

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Nov2004/n11092004_2004110901.html

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Ellie

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Young Marines Graduate with Pride

Hundreds of Acadiana servicemen and women are fighting in Iraq, and Sunday a few who could be the next generation graduated from a tough program. As they threw their hats in the air, the 21 new young marines officially graduated from the program. After 33 hours of training and three days of boot camp, they were ready.

"We're not an in-your-face program and we're not a program that pushes kids into the Marine Corps. We give them the values of honor and commitment," says coordinater Joseph Fruge. The graduates learned a lot from the intense program. "I learned hot to get into form, respect my elders," says 14-year old Channing Cagle.

Graduates' parents expressed their excitement, kissing and hugging their children. "She's into something other than hanging out," says Chelsey Cormier's mom.

The Young Marines program has been around for almost fifty years, the Acadiana chapter is only a few months old.

Louis David


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Ellie

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Marines get physical at boot camp

PARRIS ISLAND, SC.-- Each year, twenty-thousand recruits graduate from boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina and become Marines.

Push-ups are probably the image that most associate with boot camp, but it's really just a part of the physical challenge. There are also obstacle courses, running, and even a swim test in full uniform. It is all part of everyday life for Marines.

One of those Marines is New London High School graduate Samuel Hernandez. He has long wanted to be a Marine, just like his dad.

"I saw a picture of him with my mom at their wedding with his uniform on and I've wanted to do it since I was three years old," says Hernandez.

Even with all those years to prepare, Hernandez was still overwhelmed by the physical strain. The physical challenges and drill instructors aren't the only things the recruits have to overcome. Parris Island is built on a swamp, which makes for some tough living conditions.

Another challenge for Hernandez is being away from home. However he is committed to standing to tall in that Marine uniform.

"I think about it everyday, then I realize why I'm here."

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Ellie