It was July of 1998 when I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and set off for the infamous yellow footprints at MCRD Parris Island, South Carolina. It’s a day I’ll never forget, especially my arrival at the Recruit Depot. My first mistake when I got off the bus and jumped onto the yellow footprints was looking at one of the Drill Instructors. Yes, who knew looking at somebody could cause such an outburst of chaos. So, from then on I made it a point to pick a spot in the distance to look at when someone was talking to me or when I was talking to them. Needless to say, this was a very intense in-processing but you get use to it after a while and begin to establish a routine. This was the beginning of a career I could have never imagined.

Marine Corps recruit training was tough but not in the sense I expected. The difficulties came from mental exhaustion rather than physical exhaustion. The nonstop running back and forth, conducting drills, sounding off, exercising in the sand at 0230 in the morning after waking up from a dead sleep…these are just a few examples of the mental exhaustion I’m referring to. In the end though, it makes everything else seem easy. The pettiness that everyone normally complains about, it doesn’t have an effect after being in that environment for such a long period of time; this training was roughly 3 months followed by a school of infantry course at Camp Geiger which is just outside of Camp LeJeune, NC.

My first duty assignment was with 1st BN 2nd Marine Division in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Here I was assigned to an infantry unit with a military occupational specialty (MOS) as a 0311 – Rifleman. Our company was an Amtrak company and we spent a lot of time in the field conducting exercises. When I arrived at the battalion they were already doing a workup for the Combined Arms Exercise (CAX) in 29 Palms, California. Our unit deployed to CAX and upon return we began preparing for our next workup which was Okinawa, Japan. During the course of my first months with 1st BN 2nd MAR we were in the field at least 3 days per week training. It was extremely difficult to keep any type of weight on during this time period. Meals ready to eat (MRE) aren’t the best quality of food however they do provide an abundance of calories so I was able to maintain weight to a certain degree.

Our work up was finally complete and we flew to Okinawa, Japan. Upon arriving in Okinawa on Camp Schwab, I found it to be an extremely peaceful place. Outside of training there were many extracurricular activities that could be done and there was plenty of time to hit the weights. Our training evolutions were fairly short with the exception of the Northern Training Area (NTA), which was nearly 3 weeks. At this point, I began to take weightlifting more serious and finally purchased some supplements from the shop inside the base gym. On the deployment people either drank alcohol or did fitness related activities – for me, weight training was an outlet I considered to be a necessity. Outside of field exercises and weight training we all swam in Oruwan Beach and did a lot of running and cooking out. This deployment was an interesting experience but I was in for a real treat once I returned to Camp LeJeune.

With my new found passion for lifting weights I returned to Camp LeJeune with a big surprise – the USMC Body Bearers. The Body Bearer section is a unit within Bravo Company at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. The section is comprised of 15 Marine infantrymen whose primary mission is to conduct funerals for Marines, former Marines and Marine family members at Arlington National Cemetery and the surrounding cemeteries in the Washington, D.C. area. This duty is extremely humbling and adds a whole new meaning to the term, “Semper Fidelis” – Once a Marine, Always a Marine. The Body Bearer section is uniquely different than the other branches of service in the method to which funerals are conducted. The Marines require a stronger person, mentally and physically. Caskets can easily weight in excess of 500-700 pounds and the Marines must be able to hold these caskets waist high with a bent arm – not a straight arm. This requires more strength but in turn provides greater control to maneuver through obstacles, such as the ones frequently found at Arlington National Cemetery. When a Marine is screened and accepted to the Body Beared section he must complete a ceremonial drill school. Don’t let the name full you – this training is extremely difficult and without mental focus and dedication the chances of completing this successfully is slim. Putting someone to rest is a lasting memory. These Marines will be the last memory a family has when they think of their loved one; therefore, these ceremonies must be conducted with flawless precision, dignity and respect. More on the USMC Body Bearers

As my duties with the Marine Body Bearers were coming close to an end it was time to decide what the next step was going to be. It was around this time that I was screened for the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff personal security detail. This was no doubt the highlight of my Marine Corps career as I was able to do things that in ordinary circumstances would have been unheard of. All the perks aside, working for General Pace required long hours and many late nights. He was the first one to work in the morning and one of the last ones to leave at night. Being in this position took me to places like Scotland, England, Iraq and Afghanistan. I was exposed to politics in a way it’s hard to explain. Traveling to the White House was a normal occurrence as we did it on a weekly basis. I couldn’t have left the Marine Corps in a better way and with a more professional and down to Earth superior. I will always be grateful to the Marine Corps and to General Pace for adding some substance to my life and exposing me to scenarios and situations that build great leaders. General Peter Pace (USMC)

To all the Marines – Semper Fidelis

To all the service members and civilians serving abroad – Thank you

God Bless!!