thedrifter
10-17-03, 02:16 PM
DI leaves troubled adolescence for straight and narrow path
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification Number: 20031017123856
Story by Sgt. L. F. Langston
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(October 17, 2003) -- Standing tall and mentoring before countless recruits during his seven cycles, Staff Sgt. Michael J. Poe, senior drill instructor, Platoon 2010, Company E, ends his drill field duties with taking honors and accomplishing a task that has masked setbacks in his journey to becoming a positive influence to the Corps and society.
Poe was raised by his mother in Compton, Calif. along with his older brother Jeremy.
Troubles had rained down on the Poe family, and at age five, he and his brother were taken into foster care.
For the next five years, Poe and his brother were taken care of by foster parents before being reunited with their mother.
"It was difficult having our mom visit and not being able to leave with her," said Poe.
The thought of not having mom around to tuck him in at night was traumatic for the five-year-old.
Years later, Poe made decisions that would run him into a dead end.
The first time Poe got into trouble with the law was at age 14. He didn't suffer repercussions from his actions and was handed over to the custody of his mother.
Poe's luck changed a couple years later when he and five of his buddies decided to test their fate with the long arm of the law. This time he wasn't released to his mother's custody. He was sent to a juvenile hall detention center.
"Every day was Ground Hog's Day," said Poe, commenting on juvenile hall. He said the curriculum and strict adherence to rules mirrored recruit training. However, the end product wouldn't be a proud Marine marching on a parade deck on graduation day, but a wandering soul walking the streets of Compton.
"I woke up and I decided to do something with my life. I wanted a positive environment," said Poe. Enduring uncertainty at an early age and later making decisions that would land him in an unkind environment opened Poe's eyes. He decided to change his environment.
"I first went to the Army recruiter and they rejected me. He continued to say not to bother with the Navy or Air Force because their waiver guidelines were more strict and that I should check out the Marines," said Poe. "I was the last one to leave out of the Military Entrance Processing Station because of the lengthy process for approving my waiver."
Accepted into the Marine Corps, Poe succeeded, eventually becoming a motor transport chief. Poe decided to seek a new challenge and set his sights on the drill field.
Completing drill instructor school here, Poe was assigned to Company E after two training cycles. Poe was chosen to go to Officers Candidate School as a sergeant instructor for Company E and K.
"It was very different. It was a duty that put me in a position to mentor candidates," said Poe.
"He's very demanding, yet he squeezes the best out of you," said Sgt. Arturo Blanco, Platoon 2010, Company E. "He helps you and uses his leadership to develop your own"
"Out of all the drill instructors I know, there are only two I look up to and Staff Sgt. Poe is one of them," said Staff Sgt. Antonn M. McCole, platoon sergeant, Basic Marine Platoon.
"Along with his spirited personality he is creative, captivating and speaks with charisma to the recruits. Poe is a role model of what one can do with setbacks in their life and come out on top if they really want to," said McCole.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20031017124030/$file/DI_lr.jpg
Staff Sgt. Michael J. Poe, senior drill instructor, Platoon 2010, Company E, emerged from years of strife in the rough neighborhoods of Compton, Calif., to become a Marine and, eventually a drill instructor.
Photo by: Sgt. L. F. Langston
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1E27663B13C66A0C85256DC2005B74AE?opendocument
The Drifter
:marine:
Submitted by: MCRD San Diego
Story Identification Number: 20031017123856
Story by Sgt. L. F. Langston
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif.(October 17, 2003) -- Standing tall and mentoring before countless recruits during his seven cycles, Staff Sgt. Michael J. Poe, senior drill instructor, Platoon 2010, Company E, ends his drill field duties with taking honors and accomplishing a task that has masked setbacks in his journey to becoming a positive influence to the Corps and society.
Poe was raised by his mother in Compton, Calif. along with his older brother Jeremy.
Troubles had rained down on the Poe family, and at age five, he and his brother were taken into foster care.
For the next five years, Poe and his brother were taken care of by foster parents before being reunited with their mother.
"It was difficult having our mom visit and not being able to leave with her," said Poe.
The thought of not having mom around to tuck him in at night was traumatic for the five-year-old.
Years later, Poe made decisions that would run him into a dead end.
The first time Poe got into trouble with the law was at age 14. He didn't suffer repercussions from his actions and was handed over to the custody of his mother.
Poe's luck changed a couple years later when he and five of his buddies decided to test their fate with the long arm of the law. This time he wasn't released to his mother's custody. He was sent to a juvenile hall detention center.
"Every day was Ground Hog's Day," said Poe, commenting on juvenile hall. He said the curriculum and strict adherence to rules mirrored recruit training. However, the end product wouldn't be a proud Marine marching on a parade deck on graduation day, but a wandering soul walking the streets of Compton.
"I woke up and I decided to do something with my life. I wanted a positive environment," said Poe. Enduring uncertainty at an early age and later making decisions that would land him in an unkind environment opened Poe's eyes. He decided to change his environment.
"I first went to the Army recruiter and they rejected me. He continued to say not to bother with the Navy or Air Force because their waiver guidelines were more strict and that I should check out the Marines," said Poe. "I was the last one to leave out of the Military Entrance Processing Station because of the lengthy process for approving my waiver."
Accepted into the Marine Corps, Poe succeeded, eventually becoming a motor transport chief. Poe decided to seek a new challenge and set his sights on the drill field.
Completing drill instructor school here, Poe was assigned to Company E after two training cycles. Poe was chosen to go to Officers Candidate School as a sergeant instructor for Company E and K.
"It was very different. It was a duty that put me in a position to mentor candidates," said Poe.
"He's very demanding, yet he squeezes the best out of you," said Sgt. Arturo Blanco, Platoon 2010, Company E. "He helps you and uses his leadership to develop your own"
"Out of all the drill instructors I know, there are only two I look up to and Staff Sgt. Poe is one of them," said Staff Sgt. Antonn M. McCole, platoon sergeant, Basic Marine Platoon.
"Along with his spirited personality he is creative, captivating and speaks with charisma to the recruits. Poe is a role model of what one can do with setbacks in their life and come out on top if they really want to," said McCole.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/image1.nsf/Lookup/20031017124030/$file/DI_lr.jpg
Staff Sgt. Michael J. Poe, senior drill instructor, Platoon 2010, Company E, emerged from years of strife in the rough neighborhoods of Compton, Calif., to become a Marine and, eventually a drill instructor.
Photo by: Sgt. L. F. Langston
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/1E27663B13C66A0C85256DC2005B74AE?opendocument
The Drifter
:marine: