Personal Essay: My Marine Corps Life

My Mother and Father relocated from Costa Rica to New York City where they met got married and where I was born. When I was just two years old, always wanting the best for us, my father moved our family from New York City to Jacksonville, FL in search of a better paying job and the American dream so he could provide us with a better quality of life. To ensure we were always clothed and feed, my father sacrificed everything for us and worked long hours to do so. Though I did have a pronounced, safe and active upbringing the North Florida school system didn’t expect much from the Hispanics that were starting to move to the then small town; unfortunately since my parents worked so much they expected the school system

On November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress passed a resolution stating that "two battalions of Marines be raised" for service as landing forces with the fleet. This established the Continental Marines and marked the birth of the United States Marine Corps. Serving on land and at sea, early Marines distinguished themselves in a number of important operations, including their first amphibious raid on foreign soil in the Bahamas in March 1776, under the command of the Corps' first commandant, Capt. Samuel Nicholas. The 1783 Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War and as the last of the Navy's ships were sold, the Continental Navy and Marines disbanded.

In five years I see myself as either a Sargent or Corporal in the United States Marine Corps. Being 22 years old I will be in the first year of my second enlistment providing that I do not get NJP’d (non-judicial punishment) or something else dumb that I might get myself into. I look forward to joining the Marine Corps because of my long family military history and my extent of being a child of a military father. I plan on either being in the MOS (military occupational service) 1142 or 1345. I see myself having a degree by the end of those five years from online schooling while overseas on deployment or at my current duty station. Providing that I am a Sargent I will send in a request form in to become a DI (drill instructor) and then hopefully

Fast forward, the Lord guided me through the U.S. Marine Corps, Desert Storm and four tours of U.S. Embassy duty, it was not easy as in those days you had to fight daily as a Marine. It was just par for the course, so to speak, this I believed harden my spirit along with frequent drinking. I think the drinking became a way of coping with the tragic death of my mother among other things. While in the Marine and living in Africa I had a vision of a mountain and a gathering of people dressed in white. I later determine that the mountain and the people were in Ethiopia. The people all looked as though they were in a trance and were walking to and from the mountain. When I would walk up and asked them what they were doing, they would only say one word to me "Exodus" the Greek word meaning to depart just as the Israelites had departed Egypt. At the moment I did not truly understand what God was saying, but I now I realize that God was telling me to turn away from my worldly ways. See as a Marine I became very aggressive and would fight at the drop of a hat. I was a drinker and womanizer and the more of both I had, the better I thought I was doing. That said, the vision I had was the embarkation line of my departure from the Egypt of my flesh and the beginning of my journey and transformation; not to say I am perfect now because I am still a finite being, but I am not who I used to be.

When I was growing up, the only family I had was my mom and her side of the family. My father was not a big part of my life at that point in time, and our relationship has suffered because of it. For the first four years of my life, my father was an active member of the Marine Corps. His absence in my life impacted our relationship since we never had a chance to connect, and I don 't think we ever recovered from that. We’re on good terms now, but we don’t have any special connection like my mom and I do. The two of us were never close, we never see eye to eye, and we can barely hold a conversation that lasts longer than five minutes.

So when I turned eighteen, I and some of my classmates flew to the neighboring island to see the United States Army Recruiter. My recruiter showed me a video of what an infantryman does and I was sold, then told him that this is the perfect job for me. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. It was hard for my parents to accept that I was joining the Army, especially my mom, all she could think of was that I was going to war and bad things could happen to me. She didn’t want me to experience that kind of life and she couldn’t bear the thought of losing one of her own children. So the day I flew off to basic I told my parents, “Everything will be fine trust me”. This was my first time leaving the islands and being away from my family for a good while. So myself and two of my buddies started basic training together, we stuck together as soon as we got to 30th AG. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into I have never seen so many different people in one area. I have never experienced being away on my own for the first time, I had no clue what was going on. I wanted to give up and quit, but I told myself no! I cannot go back home as a quitter, ever since then, my motivation that kept me going was my family and friends, I wanted them to be proud of who I’ve become. I graduated basic training February 2005 with Fort Campbell

​The year was 2005 I was fresh meat on a cage of wolfs. After graduating from boot camp, Marine Corps Combat Training (MCT), Later the Armed Forces Culinary School, I got send to my new house in the service my new family they call, the place is call Camp Lejeune in the coast of North Carolina, the Battalion was new in self, it was made after 9/11 the name was Anti-terrorist battalion.

I was in the second grade when I decided that I wanted to be a Marine. It was the television show World War II in Colour that first captured my interest, especially the moments of the island hopping campaign in the Pacific. Upon learning of my interest in the Marine Corps, a teacher from my school, who had a son attending the Naval Academy, gave my family and I the opportunity to attend a Navy football game against the Air Force Academy. After excitedly watching the Midshipmen defeat the Cadets, I decided that I wanted to attend the Naval Academy. Over the next ten years, I worked hard to achieve my goal, attending the Candidate Visit Weekend, playing baseball at a camp, and receiving a nomination from a Senator. But after ten years of working

One of the biggest influences in my life is my family's military service. There are tons of reasons for people wanting to serve our country. Patriotism, health benefits, free college, Or just for the challenge. I can say I enlisted for all of these reasons. One month ago, I made the decision to enlist in the Marine Corps as a parachute rigger and signed an Eight Year active duty contract. I started the process of enlisting almost a year ago by getting in touch with military recruiters. After taking the PICAT military aptitude exam I scored a seventy-five with great line scores; which means that every Military occupational specialty is available two be besides Nuclear Security and Airman. Since enlisting I attend weekly meetings and workouts

It would be hard to continue this discussion without mentioning my grandfather. I, like yourself, idolize him. He is, to me, the best example of what a man should be like: hard working, responsible, and stoic. I believe that if I became a Marine like him, I would adopt these traits. Currently, I feel like my life doesn’t amount to much as it is. I haven’t done anything notable in my life, and it seems like the same is true for all my peers. I might be overreacting, but something deep down wants me to go through with this. If I were to become a Marine I would be able to travel the world and be given the opportunity to do a job that had importance to the world. Being able to serve my country as a Marine seems like a greater profession than a

I served in the air force for six years, I was stationed in Germany, Korea and Japan. Being overseas gave me many opportunities to travel and enjoy my time in the military. I was fortunate to meet a lot of great co-workers, mentors and friends. These people motivated me to be the best I could be. They always supported me and advised me to go back to school to follow my dream but I got complacent and used to the lifestyle provided for me. I decided to take the easy ride until I got a wakeup call.

When I was younger, I knew I could become anything I wanted to as long as I set my mind to it. With inspiration at my fingertips and always believing in myself, that’s what pushed me forward to always succeed with whatever I do and to never give up. Like the time everyone around me with the exceptional people said I could never make it in the military, that I was too weak. Even people who I trusted most said that. So i joined. I stepped into that recruiter office with my long just dyed red hair, shorts and sandals. They all looked at me with astonishment as if I had stepped into the wrong building. After signing up I was sent to Fort Jackson, SC in the following months. When I got there I saw, heard, and did so many things that shaped me to the person I am today. It made me realize how strong I really am, and how anyone can achieve their goals.

August 2008 about 4.AM in the morning I was in a tent with couples of soldiers in remote location in the camp because we were ready to go on an R&R leave. About 5 minutes later I wanted to go to the bathroom, not exactly a fancy bathroom. At one point, I didn’t felt the need to do so because of an unusual mode I find myself in. Because everyone was at sleep I decided to use an empty bottle of water that was behind me. While I was trying to use the empty bottle I heard a loud boom sound and the second and third boom. I couldn’t figure where the heavy sound was coming from. A minutes later another boom, at that time I realized the camp was under attack, it was then I shouted “incoming” to alert everyone. I tried to put on my head gear, and my

It is one month ‘till March 1st, the day my time in the Army is done. All those miserable days of fighting are almost done. But, the question I’ve been asking myself is, will I re-enlist? I’ve served my time of 9 months in the Army.(D.B.Q., Background Essay) in really harsh conditions. Sleeping in a small hut with 12 other men, eating firecakes, no shoes and barely any clothing. Having to relive myself outside in the open. Lastly having that terrible illness.Will I re-enlist or not re-enlist? In other words, will I sign up again, or will I quit and not join the Army again? I will not re-enlist because of no food and supplies, bad conditions, and all the diseases going around. Also I am concerned in my aging mother. If I die who will take care

How many of you have ever wondered what it was like to join the military? Well, I have some experience in this matter many times. While on this journey we will all take a trip down memory lane back to how this all started. We will go about joining to the end of obligated service with the military. There have been situations in my life that molded me, and I would not go back to change them. In 2006, I started the down the path of serving my country in the active duty military.