I was made Sergeant in two and a half years. Served as a Weapons Platoon Sergeant with FOX Co. 2/7 1st Marine Division San Mateo, Camp Pendleton, California, and Reenlisted for DI. School with a couple of my brothers. They left ahead of me while I was awaiting the return of my Relmdoc (Reenlistment Document). which had been lost for some unknown reason. My best friend was Second in his DI Class, and they made him a recruiter in his hometown, saying, “They do not guarantee you will be a DI after your graduation.” I was still waiting for Marine Corps CMC to find my Documents when I received an offer from a Midwest Police Department for a post academy date that I accepted.
During my first three months as a Police Officer, I received another offer from the United States Army to reenlist as a Staff Sergeant. So I went to Oklahoma City and tested. I had to return to the Recruiter’s office in Olathe, Kansas, where I found my Recruiter had retired. His replacement was a Former Green Beret Staff Sergeant who told me he was going to make sure I did not get the Promised E-6 promotion but come in as an E-4 instead. He then made some nasty comments about the Marine Corps. After a “scuffle” in his office that sent him to the hospital, I never heard from the Army again.
After my two years of college, I attempted to reenlist in the Marines as a Warrant Officer, only to be turned down for having too many dependents. That hurt, but it never took away my pride in being a Marine.
I’m now 68 years old and still get in fights over my Marine Corps pride.
Sergeant Hammer