|
Recruits come from all different backgrounds. Some come from
small farming towns and some from urban hot spots. One new Marine
Corps recruit recently traveled from the big city lights of Las
Vegas to sunny San Diego with dreams of becoming a Marine and
carrying on a family tradition.
Pfc. Mason A. Davis, 20, was
born in Virginia. When he was five months old, his family moved to
California, and then to Nevada when he was five. Once there, his
family decided to plant their roots in Vegas.
Private First Class Mason A. Davis, Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, provides security while his fire team works its way through one of the 12 challenging obstacles during the 12 Stalls event at Edson Range, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Sept. 23,
2015. The stalls, which stand approximately 20 feet wide and 20 feet deep, are set up in three columns. After receiving only a small set of tools and basic instructions for each station, the fire team was quickly on its way to complete each mission. The instructions described their task to be completed as well as guidelines they must follow to successfully complete the challenge. Today, all males recruited from west of the Mississippi are trained at MCRD San Diego. The depot is responsible for training more than 16,000 recruits annually. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jericho Crutcher) |
“It was fun growing up in Vegas,” Davis said. “I'm not
21, so I haven't participated in much, but I still go to the
main strip with my friends and hang out. It doesn't matter
how long you've lived there, it's still beautiful to see
every night.”
Family
Tradition of Military Service
Davis grew up in a
military family. His father, grandfather and two uncles
served in the Marine Corps, so he knew his path would lead
to serving his country. However, it didn't start out that
way.
He grew up playing football. Like tough
Marines who defend their country, this lineman fiercely
defended his quarterback. Once Davis reached the high school
level, he decided to put a hold on joining the military to
pursue a football career.
“I trained hard to be the
best I could be,” Davis said. “There is a special feeling
you get when you dig your cleats into a football field and
prove yourself better than the opposing player you're
clashing helmets with all game.”
It wasn't long
before college offers filled up the football player's
mailbox. One particular school caught his eye and sparked
his interest over the rest.
Plays Football, Joins Marine
Corps
“Earlham University offered me a
full ride with plenty of money, so I decided to sign with
them,” Davis said. “It's located in Richmond, Indiana, which
was a fun area to go to school.”
Although Davis played well
in his games and maintained a high grade point average, he
decided to cut his football career short for what he
described as his true calling.
“After playing my
first year, I was awarded Defensive Newcomer of the Year and
voted team captain,” he said. “There was something else I
needed to do, though.”
The college student left his
school with a 3.5 grade point average and set off to join
the United States Marine Corps.
“When I first got
home, I immediately got a job at Home Depot to keep money in
my pocket,” Davis said. “I then went straight to a Marine
recruiter, and within a month I was on my way to recruit
training.”
Graduates
Boot Camp
Now that the new Marine has
graduated with Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training
Battalion, he will attend Marine Combat Training at Camp
Pendleton to further his combat skills. Once he graduates
from there, he will attend school for his military
occupation specialty to become a motor transportation
operator.
Davis will be a Marine Corps Reservist and
plans to go back to college in Las Vegas to earn a degree in
criminal justice.
“Carrying on the family tradition
of serving this great country has a special meaning to me,”
Davis said. “I look forward to making them proud and giving
back to my country.”
By
Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego
Copyright 2015
The U.S. Marines
|
Comment on this article |
