Posted on 10/10/2005 7:13:20 PM PDT by Chieftain
(CBS) At first glance, Parris Island looks a lot like a nature preserve. But CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi finds that this is where Marines are made.
As Alfonsi tours, she finds that dawn breaks with croaking drill instructors.
First stop: the dreaded obstacle course. It's supposed to build strength, but it also tests character — often in inches and agony. It's where Alfonsi meets Michael Laurello, a scrappy 19 year old who enlisted right out of high school.
"My mother actually cried," Laurello says of when he enlisted. "It was like a funeral at my going away party."
Some wonder why anyone would voluntarily enlist during wartime.
"I want to be fighting the evils, what they did to us on Septmeber 11th," Laurello says.
All three of the recruits Alfonsi sit down with say they enlisted because of Sept. 11. Politicians will argue whether the war and 9-11 are related — but clearly here, to these recruits — the two are inseparable.
Alfonsi asks the recruits if the rest of America is touched by the war.
"The young kids, some of them, they don't understand," answers Shauna Paddie, a Marine recruit. "They are not touched by it."
Michael Laurello thinks the rest of America has actually forgotten about what happened on Sept. 11.
"I don't think America wants us over there fighting the war," he says. "They say it's not our war, but to me, we're helping other people."
Trenton Roberts, another recruit, agrees.
"We're very helpful," Roberts says. "When we see a need to help somebody, we're going to do so because we're the big brothers to other countries."
But all three get the feeling that people just do not care about the war. Despite that, Michael Laurello and a new class of recruits are going through hell and likely headed to war, by choice.
"In my heart, this is what I want to do, and there's nothing that's going to change that," he says. "There's nothing that can change that."
The Marine recruits illustrate with their comments that they really do "GET IT"!
There is a video of the interviews with the recruits on the right side.
''Some wonder why anyone would voluntarily enlist during wartime.''
Umm, just a guess here, but perhaps they are brave patriots who wish to serve their country. An idea that would certainly be alien to the msm. It's nice to read an article like this occasionally and be reminded why I unplugged my television five years ago, and why I'm never tempted to plug it back in.
Some wonder why anyone would voluntarily enlist during wartime.
But MOST don't.
My sons are shipping out to MCRD San Diego for recruit training 2 weeks from today. We went to the NFL game yesterday and I commented to another season holder whom, I have come to know over the seasons, "Today will be my sons last home game for perhaps, many home games. They leave for Marine boot camp in 2 weeks."
Her response was similar to the See BS folks. She said "Man, this is the wrong time to be going in the service".
I told her they wanted to serve their country, and they were very proud to do so. She looked at me like I came from another galaxy.
The young men and women that are enlisting out of high school were 14-15 on 9/11.
For a generation it will be the most remembered event of their lives.
God bless you and your sons....prayers up....I know I get it you have raised two wonderful sons....you must be proud
''Some wonder why anyone would voluntarily enlist during wartime.''
For the same reason they did after Pearl Harbor, Sept 11th, etc.
Idiot Pressholes
Well, you obviously didn't come from the same galaxy she came from. She came from the Galaxy of the Protected, and she doesn't even know it.
Bless you for raising such fine young men. Are they by chance twins?
At least one set of twins arrived to PISC at the same time as I. During Receiving, they were afraid to be seen together for fear that they would automatically be split up. They did manage to be in the same platoon together once we formed up, my platoon. Since racks were assigned alphabetically, there was no mistaking the fact of their twinhood, LOL. One was named Lisa, the other, Litha. Eventually our senior DI talked one of them into getting a perm, so that her middle initial, "C", stood for "Curly".
Yes, they are mirror image identical twins, and yes they are ready for the 'special' treatment the Drill Instructors will have for them.
There was a set of identical twins in my platoon at MCRD San Diego 35 years ago too!
I have also found a great website precifically for support of parents who have sons and daughters in Marine Corps bootcamp, it is called RecruitParents.com. It's a forum type website sorta like FR, though not as good as FR, (because they don't allow political stuff or linking and your posts have to be screened by a moderator), but great support for those parents who otherwise would have nothing! The other sevices parents heard about this great website and they are jealous. (You and I know they all suffer from Corps envy!)
Semper Fi, Devil Dog!
She is one of the sheep that we sheepdogs are on watch for.
Most of our fellow Americans are sheep. If it weren't for official holidays they would have no idea where their country came from, and even then, most only have a vague clue. We protect them still.
What a country?!
I get the same sort of response from a lot of people in my office when they hear that my son in in Iraq. Disbelief that I would "let him join the military right now". I remind them that he is an ADULT and made that decision as an ADULT.
It's almost like they are getting feed a line from the MSM that "our children" are being dragged out of their homes and conscripted.
BTW, some of us will NEVER forget. And for those who have, watch news footage of that day. And, remember, it happened to us. And, not for the first time.
Thanks for the link! Saved to Faves for further perusal. Too bad they didn't have that back when you or I went through boot camp, huh?
Thank you for passing on your commitment to the next generation. I (almost) wish I had kids so they they could growl, "Yer darn right my Momma wears combat boots! Sumthin' wrong widdat?" *big grin*
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