Kyle is my oldest son’s, youngest son who has gone into the Marine Corps of all things. I remember when he about 3 years old at the family reunion, he ended up peeing on the floor before he could get the bathroom in time. Don’t worry, his Grandfather helped him out.
The little guy chose the Marine Corps for pretty much the same reason his Dad did. It was the most rigid of all the services.
Well, the little guy will graduate from MCRD (Marine Corps Recruiting Depot) this coming Friday the 23rd. Additionally, it will be seen on YouTube at 10 AM Pacific Time, which should be noon Central Time.
When Jeremy graduated, his mother and I went to San Diego to watch and bring the little skinny guy home to Pampa for a few weeks. – Yes, Jeremy was skinny as a rail when we picked him up; and no, he is not skinny as a rail anymore. We had to stop and buy him new clothes, since what he wore going in no longer fit. I suggested he could wear a pair of my britches (Texan for jeans) if needed, and he said, “I can’t Dad. I’m not allowed to wear clothes with tears in them.” What a disappointment. All my years of manual labor, I always looked upon the tears in my jeans as something to be proud of, like the scar under my belly button to repair a hernia due to lifting too much weight.
So, I looked on YouTube to watch a little of several previous ceremonies, and was reminded of the most impressive thing I had seen in years. There are probably a thousand recruits perfectly lined up on this huge area, behaving in ways they do not at home. Some high ranking guy was standing out in front of them, all alone, talking to the moms, dads, sisters, brothers and just friends who had come to watch the ceremony. He was telling everyone what all the recruits went through and how they survived. Then a sort pause and he commented, “With your permission, I would like to address these recruits one more time.”
He turned around and said, “Good Afternoon, Recruits.”
What followed was a shockwave of sound that startled all of us. Every recruit yelled back, “Good afternoon, Sir,” then followed with a “Oorah!” which is the battle cry of the Corps.
Watching the video on YouTube from last year did not fully express the shockwave you would hear in person, but it was still amazing to watch. And above all, it brought back the pride I have for my son, and now for my grandson.
I salute you two good men, right up there with Pop. You have a right to hold your heads high.
Wikipedia says, over 21,000 recruits are trained each year.
Here is the link for those who want to watch. https://www.youtube.com/@usmcrdsandiego