Leading the way to the Corps' future - Former special-operations soldier leaves Army elite to make Marines

8 Jan 2004 | Lance Cpl. Edward R. Guevara Jr. and Sgt. Ethan E. Rocke Marine Corps Recruiting Command

D-Day-June 6, 1944, the Germans had the Army's 29th Infantry Division pinned down on Normandy's infamous Omaha Beach. General Norman D. Cota, assistant division commander of the 29th, knew his men were in a dire situation and had to break through the German defenses soon. In the heat of the battle, he called upon men he knew could do the job. He called upon Army Rangers.

"Rangers, get up and lead the way!" Cota yelled. It was at this time and place the Ranger motto, 'Rangers Lead The Way,' was born.

Before Staff Sgt. Robert Armendariz became 'always faithful' to the Corps, he served as one of those intrepid soldiers who are renowned for their high standards of discipline and proficiency on the battlefield.

Armendariz, who currently serves as senior drill instructor, Platoon 2132, Company F, fed his adolescent hunger for 'guts and glory' at the young age of 17. Anxious to don a camouflage uniform and get into the mix of the U.S. military, he gave up a ticket to Marine Corps boot camp and accepted the Army's more immediate end to an enthusiastic teenager's pursuit of prestige, honor and high esprit de corps.

Nevertheless, Armendariz would eventually return to the Marine recruiter's doorstep.

"I left the Army for the Marine Corps," said the hazel-eyed Armendariz. "I always wanted to be a Marine."

Armendariz served in the Army for more than eight years before leaving to fulfill his Leatherneck dreams. His adventurous military beginning took him through several of the Army's toughest schools and hardened him on battlefields in back-to-back American conflicts-from Operation Just Cause in Panama to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Graduating basic training and infantry school was just the beginning for Armendariz. He earned his wings in Airborne School, fought through hunger and sleep deprivation in Ranger School, and endured the painstaking challenges of Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape School.

He served as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division's Long Range Surveillance Detachment, a unit that has a mission similar to that of the Corps' Force Reconnaissance units.

After all of this, something was missing from his life.

"I liked the units I was with in the Army," he said. "But even after being in combat twice, there was still something missing that I felt I could find in the Marine Corps."

In order to find what was missing, he had to struggle for the opportunity to fulfill his long-time goal.

His obligation as a father of three became an obstacle in his quest to earn the title Marine when he had to get a waiver from the Corps to let him attend recruit training while, at the same time, supporting his children. The waiver took longer than expected to get approved, according to Armendariz.

"I got the run-around from one recruiter for a year before I went to another city where a different recruiter got me in quick," Armendariz said.

At 26 years old, he came into the Corps with an open enlistment contract. The fact that his military occupational specialty was uncertain didn't bother Armendariz because he knew any male Marine could try out for the Marine reconnaissance program.
Armendariz became a Crash, Fire, Rescue Marine, but just as the Army's toughest challenges beckoned to Armendariz, so did the Corps'. He looked to the recon program for the challenging lifestyle he was accustomed to.

But during his quest for the recon MOS, Armendariz encountered an obstacle that was insurmountable for even him. A week before his indoctrination into the recon program, he was promoted to sergeant.

Even though the promotion was a proud occasion, it also meant he was no longer eligible for the recon program, and his hopes of getting back to his infantry roots were smothered.

Today, sergeants interested in recon are more fortunate than Armendariz was because they are not only eligible for the recon program but are highly encouraged to try out as motivated and experienced NCOs are a primary target for success in the recon community.

Losing hope of finding a fitting challenge for a Marine with his skills, Armendariz was ready to join the Army again until he was influenced by his sergeant major.
"He asked me if I would stay if he could get me orders to the drill field," said Armendariz. "I took the orders because he said it was hard."

Since completing Drill Instructor School here in April 2001, he has trained eight cycles of recruits.

He said he now hopes to be on the next deployment to Iraq to see Marines he trained in action. He wants to make sure he did a good job.

"Sometimes they will come see me for advice before they go or some have come back after being in Iraq and thanked me," Armendariz said. According to him, it's very rewarding to see Marines he trained come back to visit him.

"He's a role model," said Pfc. Alvaro Rodriguez, Platoon 2132. "He gave speeches that really inspired me."


Although he misses recon and the infantry, he has many fond memories of his days in the Army and much to be proud of in his roller coaster career among the Army's elite and America's 911 force-the Marines.
Retiring from the Corps in a few years, Armendariz may pursue a career as a teacher and help young people get started off in the right direction - much like he does now.

"After I give the command 'dismissed' on graduation day, I see parents who don't even recognize their sons," Armendariz said. "I see the tears of joy on their faces, and that lets me know I've done my job. I don't need any medals or ribbons. That's all the reward I need, and I'm just as proud as that mom and dad are.

Marine Corps Recruiting Command