The Marine Corps is the best thing that ever happened to me. When I was 16 years old I had my son Adam. I was cocky and thought I knew everything, like most teenagers tend to do. I thought, oh well I'll just drop out of school and get a job with my Dad in construction and support my family. Well, after time I started seeing a little more of the big picture. There would be no more going where I wanted to when I wanted to. Partying with the guys until all hours of the night was now out of the question. I had a son to raise. It was time to grow up, and clean up my act. I wish I could say that's what happened, but it's not. All this parenthood was too much for me. I was a punk little kid just thinking about myself. I started going out with my friends again, only this time I was partying harder, getting mixed up with drugs. You know catching up for lost time. Well in October of '94 while strung out, my girlfriend (Adams mother) and I got into an argument. During that argument I stood up to yell at her and she flinched, as if I was going to hit her. I asked " you know I'd never hit you, what's wrong with you?" She said I was a different person now. She didn't know what I was capable of. These words stuck with me, and I knew I needed to make a change. I needed to be a father now. I needed to stop being a kid and take responsibility of my son. I couldn't have picked a better teacher than the Marine Corps.

On June 25,1995, I was on a plane to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. I was still a cocky little punk thinking nothing could scare me. Thing's soon changed. When I arrived to the front gate of the Depot, there was about two dozen other recruits waiting there. After about ten minutes a couple of buses rolled up and that's when all hell broke loose. Four men in Smokey bear hats came out screaming, foaming, and spitting all over the place, calling us things I've never been called before. These guys could out yell my Mom, now that's impressive. Now reality hit me. I've heard all the rumors, I've seen "Full Metal Jacket", but now I was stuck in the middle of it all and there was no turning back.

From Day 1, I started getting responsibilities, such as fire watch. During fire watch I would have to stay up when everyone was sleeping, making sure nothing happened to my platoon. It takes a lot of discipline to stay awake after a hard day of training. I would always have to have accountability of my rifle, and other recruits in my platoon. If I didn't I would pay the consequences, such as digging trenches or going into the "House of Pain," which is a room where the drill instructors exercise you until you drop. After months of having these responsibilities, it became second nature. After 12 weeks of intense training, with the fundamentals of discipline and responsibility lodged into my brain, I graduated boot camp. I was now a Marine.

During my Marine Corps career I learned many valuable things. I started out as a fire team leader. A fire team consists of four Marines, three of which I was accountable for. This position gave me a chance to show the leadership, and responsibility skills that I learned in boot camp. After two years of showing I could handle the responsibility of a fire team I was promoted to section leader, which consists of two fire teams. This position helped my confidence, knowing I could handle a bigger responsibility, and that the senior Marines had faith in me too.

I got out of the Corps on June 25, 1999. Between work and school I spend as much time with Adam as I can. I try my best to pass on the valuable lessons taught to me, only in a much more gentle way. He is the world to me, and I want him to know that. I can do this only by being the best father to him that I can. The way I act with my son, I owe completely to the Marine Corps. It gave me a strong foundation, and a set of rules to go by. Although I'm a little rough around the edges, I'm no longer that punk little kid. The Marine Corps made me a man, and taught me about the responsibility and honor it takes to be a father.