Posted on 02/03/2006 7:14:01 PM PST by SandRat
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO (Feb. 3, 2006) -- Two brothers have more in common than blood today as Company K graduates.
Pvt. Harjay Lacanilao was welcomed to recruit training by his older brother, Sgt. Harvey Lacanilao, a drill instructor in his company.
When Harvey graduated from boot camp in 1999, Harjay had no aspirations to join the armed forces.
After his graduation from Pacific High School in 2004, Harjay attended San Bernardino Community College and worked for Sears. His goal was to be a professional singer.
On Jan. 17, 2005, Harjay attended his big brother’s Drill Instructor School graduation. From the stories Harvey told Harjay about his first cycle on the drill field, Harjay began to see things differently.
“I wanted to be in an elite team. I wanted the pride of the uniform, and I also wanted the stability,” Harjay said.
He chose to make this big decision for his future because he wanted a good life. He wanted a life like his brother’s.
Aside from Harvey’s stories, the only other knowledge of boot camp Harjay had was the mental aspect.
“It’s weird how I can’t talk to him since we were so close,” said Harjay.
Coming here able to do two pull-ups and 79 to 80 crunches, Harjay now does 12-15 pull-ups and more than 100 crunches.
“I didn’t want to embarrass him,” said Harjay when asked about the physical aspect of training.
Other Co. K drill instructors knew of the Lacanilao brothers, but it had no effect on Harjay’s training.
“It didn’t matter that his brother was a Marine,” said drill instructor Sgt. Carlos Weiss, Platoon 3055, Co. K. “(Harjay) was treated as any other recruit.”
Though they saw each other almost every day, there was little interaction between the brothers. Harvey did have the opportunity to inspect Harjay’s uniform however, and he would ask his brother’s drill instructors about his progress in training.
When the company traveled to Weapons and Field Training Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Harvey noticed Harjay was favoring his ankle. He told Harjay’s drill instructors to make sure his little brother was all right.
Having made it through boot camp, Harjay is looking forward to life in the Marine Corps as a supply Marine. Ultimately though, he said he would like to become a drill instructor.
“Now I do want to be like my brother,” he said. “I ended up being in the elite forces of America, and I’m proud of it.”
True Marine Brother in every way!
Nice story! Thank you for sharing.
BTTT
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