thedrifter
02-18-09, 03:10 PM
Marine tank mechanic prepares recruits for military life.
By Nick DeRatto
Feb 18, 2009 - 2:20:43 PM
Growing up in Bath, N.Y., local resident Joshua Whiting knew that he wanted more from life than what his small town offered. With a passion for working on cars, Whiting knew there had to be more fulfilling opportunities than just becoming a small-town mechanic.
After all, who wants to work on cars when you can fix tanks?
Looking for an opportunity to take his mechanical skills to the next level, Whiting got that chance, becoming a tank mechanic for the Marine Corps.
“I never really made the Marines an option until I got out of school and realized that there was nothing there in my town,” says Sgt. Whiting. “I wanted a challenge, to go to the best level that I could be, so I jumped on. I talked to the recruiter about how much I loved working on cars and he hooked me up.”
A tank mechanic for five years, Whiting worked solely on M1A1 tanks, describing them as having an engine “like a big truck paired with a jet engine.” He even took his skills overseas, serving in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006.
“I had a blast because I was doing what I love,” says Whiting. “Being able to serve my country and make a difference is a big part of why I enjoyed my deployment. It was a little hotter than I expected, but I wasn’t scared about going over. The Marine Corps does a great job of preparing you for what to expect. They brought me to a higher level.”
Now he’s offering that opportunity to others. For the past year and a half, Whiting has served as a Marine recruiter for Colonial Heights and the southern part of Chesterfield County. Visiting Thomas Dale, Matoaca, Chesterfield Community, and Colonial Heights high schools, as well as the Chester campus of John Tyler Community College, Whiting searches for the next class of Marines.
“I volunteered to go to a different duty to broaden my career spectrum and to give me a chance to do something different,” says Whiting. “Kids who are interested just have to want to be successful, be up for the challenge, and be willing to reach their full potential.”
As a recruiter, Whiting’s job now is to help prepare new recruits for life in the Marines.
“The most fun part of my job is getting the kids ready to where they need to be to go to boot camp. I get them physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for training,” says Whiting.
Though physical training is a huge part of joining any branch of the armed services, Whiting and fellow recruiter Staff Sergeant Timothy Ferguson stress they offer more than that to new recruits. While they offer physical training for new recruits every Wednesday night, they also do fun activities one Saturday a month, activities that include camping, playing laser tag, riding go-karts, and visiting museums and battlefields.
“We’re not here just to put people in the Corps; we’re here to help them out,” says Ferguson. “We serve as the positive role models that so many kids need.”
nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421
Ellie
By Nick DeRatto
Feb 18, 2009 - 2:20:43 PM
Growing up in Bath, N.Y., local resident Joshua Whiting knew that he wanted more from life than what his small town offered. With a passion for working on cars, Whiting knew there had to be more fulfilling opportunities than just becoming a small-town mechanic.
After all, who wants to work on cars when you can fix tanks?
Looking for an opportunity to take his mechanical skills to the next level, Whiting got that chance, becoming a tank mechanic for the Marine Corps.
“I never really made the Marines an option until I got out of school and realized that there was nothing there in my town,” says Sgt. Whiting. “I wanted a challenge, to go to the best level that I could be, so I jumped on. I talked to the recruiter about how much I loved working on cars and he hooked me up.”
A tank mechanic for five years, Whiting worked solely on M1A1 tanks, describing them as having an engine “like a big truck paired with a jet engine.” He even took his skills overseas, serving in Iraq from September 2005 to March 2006.
“I had a blast because I was doing what I love,” says Whiting. “Being able to serve my country and make a difference is a big part of why I enjoyed my deployment. It was a little hotter than I expected, but I wasn’t scared about going over. The Marine Corps does a great job of preparing you for what to expect. They brought me to a higher level.”
Now he’s offering that opportunity to others. For the past year and a half, Whiting has served as a Marine recruiter for Colonial Heights and the southern part of Chesterfield County. Visiting Thomas Dale, Matoaca, Chesterfield Community, and Colonial Heights high schools, as well as the Chester campus of John Tyler Community College, Whiting searches for the next class of Marines.
“I volunteered to go to a different duty to broaden my career spectrum and to give me a chance to do something different,” says Whiting. “Kids who are interested just have to want to be successful, be up for the challenge, and be willing to reach their full potential.”
As a recruiter, Whiting’s job now is to help prepare new recruits for life in the Marines.
“The most fun part of my job is getting the kids ready to where they need to be to go to boot camp. I get them physically, mentally, and emotionally ready for training,” says Whiting.
Though physical training is a huge part of joining any branch of the armed services, Whiting and fellow recruiter Staff Sergeant Timothy Ferguson stress they offer more than that to new recruits. While they offer physical training for new recruits every Wednesday night, they also do fun activities one Saturday a month, activities that include camping, playing laser tag, riding go-karts, and visiting museums and battlefields.
“We’re not here just to put people in the Corps; we’re here to help them out,” says Ferguson. “We serve as the positive role models that so many kids need.”
nderatto@villagepublishing.com | 751-0421
Ellie