|
As Pvt. Alfonso A. Medinaarellano, Platoon 3223, Kilo Company,
3rd Recruit Training Battalion, made his way through each event of
the Crucible, he knew he was one step closer to becoming a part of
the Marine Corps' brotherhood.
Twenty-two-year-old
Medinaarellano, a Guerro, Mexico, native, joined the Marine Corps to
follow his dreams and help provide for his family.
Private Alfonso A. Medina-Arellano, Platoon 3223, Kilo Company,
3rd Recruit Training Battalion, low crawls during the Bayonet
Assault Course as part of the Crucible at Edson Range, Marine Corps
Base Camp Pendleton, CA on Sept. 11, 2014. Over the past three months,
recruits learned different bayonet techniques during Marine Corps
Martial Arts Program training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jericho Crutcher) |
When Medinaarellano was four years old, he moved to the
United States with his single mother and two-year-old
brother. He and his family lived in Chicago for just over a
year before moving to California, where they lived for 15
years before moving to Colorado in 2009.
Medinaarellano finished high school in Colorado, and went on
to college for criminal justice studies. Although his dream
was to be the first in his family to graduate college, he
felt it was his responsibility to help take care of his
family, which had grown by two sisters.
“Dropping out
of school was extremely difficult for me and my brother. It
was our dream to graduate,” said Medinaarellano. “We needed to take care
of our mom and two sisters, so it was necessary.”
Growing up, Medinaarellano worked several jobs including
fast food resturants, construction and in the oil fields.
He explained working in the oil fields is a physical
demanding job that requires you to work 12 hours a day,
seven days a week.
He and his younger brother stepped
up to be the men of the household and helped provide for the
family.
“Growing up without a dad was difficult,”
said Medinaarellano. “There was no one to teach me a man's
role in a family.”
Medinaarellano decided to join the
Marine Corps after working in the oil fields with his
brother to better support his family, as well as start a
career for himself.
“I wanted to prove to my family
and friends that you should never give up on your dreams,”
said Medinaarellano. “As long as you keep pushing, you can
accomplish anything in life you want.”
He explains he
still plans to give his family his full support, because
it's family that will always be there for you.
“The
only thing that keeps me motivated and striving for the best
is my family,”
said Medinaarellano.
Prior to
being released for family day, he was naturalized as a
United States citizen during a ceremony at the depot, Sept.
18.
Medinaarellano is scheduled to graduate recruit
training on Sept. 19, and then will attend Marine Combat
Training at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. Upon
completion of MCT, he will continue his schooling for his
military occupational specialty and plans to take college
classes for criminal justice to become a police officer.
By U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jericho Crutcher
Marine Corps
Recruit Depot San Diego
Copyright 2014
Comment on this article |
