Stories - Tag Recruit

Lt. Col. Adam Yang, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion Commanding Officer, speaks to Pfc. Alexis Banks, a Marine with Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Aug. 30, 2024. Banks formerly served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army and chose to conduct an interservice transfer and join the U.S. Marine Corps. - Lt. Col. Adam Yang, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion Commanding Officer, speaks to Pfc. Alexis Banks, a Marine with Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., Aug. 30, 2024. Banks formerly served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army and chose to conduct an interservice transfer and join the U.S. Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. William Horsley)

From Greens to Dress Blues

With one year left in her enlistment contract in the U.S. Army, Sgt. Alexis Banks had to decide what to do with the rest of her career. She could change jobs or move to a new duty station. But in the back of her mind was a third option— joining the U.S. Marine Corps.Growing up, Alexis always admired service members and the stories they told, the

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U.S. Marine Corps Pvt. Ali Abbas, a Marine with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, completes the transformation from civilian to Marine on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., July 12, 2024. To complete recruit training Abbas had to complete numerous events such as physical fitness tests, rifle qualification, obstacle courses, CBRN and rappel training, all culminating with the Crucible. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. William Horsley) - U.S. Marine Corps Pvt. Ali Abbas, a Marine with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, completes the transformation from civilian to Marine on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., July 12, 2024. To complete recruit training Abbas had to complete numerous events such as physical fitness tests, rifle qualification, obstacle courses, CBRN and rappel training, all culminating with the Crucible. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. William Horsley)

A Sense of Belonging: An Iraqi born Marine’s journey to finding brotherhood

The chaos and tragedy of the war in Iraq left Audai Naser and his wife Kanat Saad with few options. The war had already forced them to move countless times, relocating from the capital of Baghdad, to the city of Kirkuk, and eventually settling in Karbala.

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N/A - U.S. Marine Corps Pvt. Oluwagbemiga Omotoye, a Marine with Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, is given his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor from his drill instructor, Sgt. Devon Evoldi, on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., June 29, 2024. The giving of the EGA signifies the transformation from recruit to United States Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. William Horsley)

Honor and Legacy: A South African Marine's pursuit to honor his family through military service

Staring out the window, Oluwagbemiga Omotoye saw the skyline of Washington, D.C. as his plane landed at Dulles International Airport. He and his family had traveled nearly 8,000 miles from South Africa and the city was a welcomed sight. The United States represented change and new opportunities for Omotoye, who was 17 years old at the time. His family’s desire for coming to America was simple—to gain prosperity and be able to share that with their family members who remained in South Africa.

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N/A - Pvt. William Smith, a recruit with Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, stands with Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Joint Chief of Staff Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, Marine veterans John Weant, and Dan Kovach on Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., May 31, 2024. Smith’s grandfather was killed in action during the Beirut bombing in Oct. 1983 and Weant and Kovach were two Marines he served with. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Dakota Dodd)

Filling the Gap

On Oct. 23, 1983, Cpl. Dan Kovach was manning Checkpoint 8, a small outpost near the bullet ridden American University Library building in Beirut, when he heard a loud explosion. Kovach, an infantryman with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, saw two large mushroom clouds in the sky coming from the direction of the Battalion Landing Team barracks nearly a mile away.

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Douglas, Tanner, and Raymond Wright pose for a family photo at Tanner’s graduation ceremony Aug. 3, 2018 on Parris Island, S.C. Tanner became a fourth generation Marine and fifth generation service member, and will carry on the Wright Family legacy at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.(Photo courtesy of Douglas Wright) - Douglas, Tanner, and Raymond Wright pose for a family photo at Tanner’s graduation ceremony Aug. 3, 2018 on Parris Island, S.C. Tanner became a fourth generation Marine and fifth generation service member, and will carry on the Wright Family legacy at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. (Photo courtesy of Douglas Wright)

Fourth Generation Marine Proves He Has “The Wright Stuff”

Approximately 19,000 recruits graduate each year from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. For the Wright family, being a Marine is the family business. After 12 weeks of training, Pfc. Douglas Tanner Wright graduated Aug. 3 and joined a family of three generations of Marines and service members before him. Tanner wanted to follow his

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Members of Pvt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club welcome Marines from Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion to their table for refreshments Aug. 2, 2018. The club provides refreshments and friendly faces to Marines without family or friends on Family Day. - Members of Pvt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club welcome Marines from Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion to their table for refreshments Aug. 2, 2018. The club provides refreshments and friendly faces to Marines without family or friends on Family Day.

MCRD Parris Island Volunteer Group provides snacks; friendly faces to Marines alone on Family Day

Before they march across the parade deck and graduate from recruit training, new Marines spend liberty with loved ones during Family Day. However, not every new Marine that earned their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor has family that can make it to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. That’s where Pvt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club comes in. Outside of

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The old Marine exchange building is scheduled for demolition in May 2014, on Parris Island, S.C. The building was built in 1969 and was shut down after the completion of the current Marine Corps Exchange in 2008. In recent years, the building was used as temporary office space. Parris Island’s intent is to eventually transform the site, through a separately funded project, into a park that can be used by visitors and families who travel to here for graduations. (Photo by Cpl. David Bessey) - The old Marine exchange building is scheduled for demolition in May 2014, on Parris Island, S.C. The building was built in 1969 and was shut down after the completion of the current Marine Corps Exchange in 2008. In recent years, the building was used as temporary office space. Parris Island’s intent is to eventually transform the site, through a separately funded project, into a park that can be used by visitors and families who travel to here for graduations. (Photo by Cpl. David Bessey)

Parris Island to demolish old Marine Corps exchange building

The old exchange, building 204 located between to the post office and depot theater, was built in 1969 and was shut down after the completion of Parris Island’s current Marine Corps exchange in 2008, said Stephen Price, a museum technician here. In recent years, the building was used as temporary office space. Deconstruction will take place on

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