Better?
Posted on 12/09/2005 2:57:05 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Dec. 9, 2005) -- A Company D graduate served his country once before as a sailor, and he returns to serve again as a Marine despite criticism from his friends and family.
Pfc. Leonidez Cruz, Platoon 1131, 30, grew up in El Paso, Texas and joined the Navy in 1994 - a week after he graduated from high school. Trying to get away from home, Cruz wanted to move his life in a different direction.
"I just wanted to get away from home and see the world, so I went into the aviation-electrical mechanic field," said Cruz.
Cruz reported to Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego and participated in two deployments while in the Navy seeing the world.
"I did get to see a lot of places while I was in the Navy like Australia, the Philippines and Samoa, and I have been to Hawaii countless times," said Cruz. "I was basically around the Persian Gulf when we deployed."
Finishing his first enlistment, Cruz left the Navy in 1999 because his life at home was suffering and his wife asked him to.
"We ended up getting a divorce and I went home to Texas for six months," said Cruz. "I did volunteer work while I was there."
After the six-month hiatus, Cruz came back to San Diego and began working for the Boeing airline company at the Naval Air Station North Island.
"I did that for about two years and then I got a job with Butler International," said Cruz. " With that job I was moving throughout the country to New York and all kinds of places helping fix planes."
After another two years, Cruz set himself up financially and came back to San Diego where he became a real-estate consultant for a year before deciding to join the Marine Corps Reserve.
"I had two friends who were reservists and they were called to go to Iraq. I saw them leave their families behind, and I was upset that I wasn't doing anything," said Cruz. "So I joined the reserve as a military policeman."
Joining the Marine Corps was a decision that Cruz made after his understanding of the different roles the different services play in Iraq.
"I didn't just want to be in a boat and float around," said Cruz. "I wanted to be part of the immediate solution.
"I'm your typical old man. I sit down and read the newspaper every day, and I read about all the kids and women who suffer and I want to help."
With his decision to join the Marine Corps came a lot of scrutinizing from friends and family who questioned his need to serve again.
"My friends all knew that I was making a decent living and they wondered why I would give all that up to go," said Cruz. "My mother thought I was making a mistake by joining, but I have a girlfriend who is my motivation."
Before joining the Marine Corps, Cruz needed to set his financial situation in order before shipping out.
"I wanted to join the Marine Corps after Sept. 11, but financially I couldn't afford to live the life I had on a private first class' salary," said Cruz. "So I fixed everything and joined debt free."
After joining training, Cruz quickly realized that his position as an older recruit and a prior service member was going to help him stand out among his peers. Cruz's drill instructors also noticed that his charisma and knowledge would help the other recruits.
"Whenever I would get the platoon together, I would have Cruz stand up and talk to everyone about the fleet and being in foreign countries," said Staff Sgt. Shane A. Sehi, one of Cruz's drill instructors. "The platoon looked up to him."
Going through training with people a decade younger then him had its problems and trials to overcome.
"It was hard sometimes to put up with some of the immaturity that the other recruits would have," said Cruz. "But we're all here together to serve our country."
Cruz found that boot camp was not as strenuous as he anticipated, but he also realized that his prior service would make him a target.
"The Marine Corps has helped get me a little bit more in shape, but the best part is knowing that I can hang with 18 year olds," said Cruz. "But they target me and never let me forget that I was a sailor and an old man."
"He was an above-average recruit, and he was a squad leader," said Staff Sgt. Christopher B. Niemas, drill instructor, Platoon 1131. "His experience as a sailor helped him a lot."
Finished with his boot camp training, Cruz is moving on to Marine Combat Training and his military occupational training, and then back to his La Jolla, Calif., home where he waits to be called by his country.
Vet gives up Civilian Life to be a Marine
Where all Americans as brave and valiant as he, this war would be over already.
I can hardly see to post....must be something in my eyes.
Dear God people, how can you not love these guys?
Better?
And after graduation they'll never be able to say that again then you can give all that bell-bottom stuff back so hang in there.
I can't imagine doing MCRD at 30 years old. It was more than enough at 20.
At 20, with a Drill Instructor screaming in my face- I used to sometimes inwardly contemplate the Last Great Act of Defiance.
"I wonder, if I moved like lightning, how far I could wing this guy's campaign cover. I'll bet if the breeze was just right, I could get it over the fence into the airport."
Wouldn't have actually done it- but you gotta have a coping mechanism. It would have been hysterical- for about five seconds. :-)
BTTT
Okay, I'm impressed.
He had a plan, got debt free, and joined up. Semper Fi, Marine! Bravo Zulu.
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