Future Marine Christian Ponce, a poolee with Recruiting Sub-Station Santa Ana, Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo in Santa Ana, California on Feb. 12, 2021. Ponce received a meritorious promotion to private first class for providing two referrals to his recruiter. Referrals are necessary to identify qualified applicants for potential service in the Marine Corps. As a future Marine, their first mission is to identify potential leads for their Recruiter in order to continue filling the ranks with our Nation's best and brightest. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph) - Future Marine Christian Ponce, a poolee with Recruiting Sub-Station Santa Ana, Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo in Santa Ana, California on Feb. 12, 2021. Ponce received a meritorious promotion to private first class for providing two referrals to his recruiter. Referrals are necessary to identify qualified applicants for potential service in the Marine Corps. As a future Marine, their first mission is to identify potential leads for their Recruiter in order to continue filling the ranks with our Nation's best and brightest. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph)

Jung Hyun Ahn, a poolee with Recruiting Sub-Station Culver City, Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo at the Santa Monica Pier, California on Jan. 6, 2020. Ahn was hand selected as Recruiting Station Orange County’s Poolee of the Quarter because although he is not a Marine yet, he embodies the Corps of values; honor, courage, commitment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph) - Jung Hyun Ahn, a poolee with Recruiting Sub-Station Culver City, Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo at the Santa Monica Pier, California on Jan. 6, 2020. Ahn was hand selected as Recruiting Station Orange County’s Poolee of the Quarter because although he is not a Marine yet, he embodies the Corps of values; honor, courage, commitment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph)

While on her way to a training event to prepare future Marines for basic training, Prieto noticed three suspicious individuals attempting to conceal shotguns while crossing onto Hemlock Pass, a highway in Ocala. When Prieto recognized the suspicious activity and called out to question them, they ran. Prieto immediately dropped off her future Marines at a safe location and pursued the suspects on foot for two miles, continuously updating the police by cell phone. - Staff Sgt. Kathy Prieto, a recruiter at Recruiting Substation Ocala, gave the public a glimpse of her warfighting side, when she apprehended three gunmen in Ocala, Nov. 16, 2019.