MCRC News

U.S. Marines at Recruiting Sub-Station Fullerton, Recruiting Station Orange County, pose for a photo with future Marine Luis Solano in Fullerton, California, on April 15, 2021. Marines at RSS Fullerton came together in order to assist Solano’s family with assistance in fixing their van, and providing him with a cell phone. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Sgt. Sarah Ralph) - U.S. Marines at Recruiting Sub-Station Fullerton, Recruiting Station Orange County, pose for a photo with future Marine Luis Solano in Fullerton, California, on April 15, 2021. Marines at RSS Fullerton came together in order to assist Solano’s family with assistance in fixing their van, and providing him with a cell phone. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Sgt. Sarah Ralph)

It's What Marines Do

Maria Sanchez and Jesus Solano, the mother and father of future Marine Luis Solano, immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the early 2000s. They had their first son Luis in September of 2003 which was one of their main reasons for staying in California. From there, they added two little girls and three younger boys. Growing up as the oldest, Solano had the responsibility to help take care of his siblings and assist in providing for them. Maria and Jesus instilled in Solano that everything he gets from life is earned, never given.

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U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Sawyer M. Montgomery, a temporary officer selection assistant with Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo on April 12, 2021, in Santa Ana, California. Montgomery is one of the select few Marine Corps officers who is aspiring to become a Marine Corps pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph) - U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Sawyer M. Montgomery, a temporary officer selection assistant with Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo on April 12, 2021, in Santa Ana, California. Montgomery is one of the select few Marine Corps officers who is aspiring to become a Marine Corps pilot. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph)

A 2nd Lieutenants Desired Future of Leading from the Air

As a Marine, you are either in the infantry or you support the infantry. Marine Corps aviation plays a major contribution to achieving mission success while working with their ground counterparts. A Marine Corps pilot is able to provide support for the mission and decisions of what ends up being the maneuver warfare. One of the biggest impacts aviation plays in is the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. The MAGTF is the only combined combat organization in the world that consists of all integrated parts of cohesively working together while being in the air, land, and sea.

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Zuzy Hall, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, and Staff Sgt. Angelica Pulliam, one of MCRC’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates, post the MCRC G-1 section's SAPR awareness physical exercise completion time on a board at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, April 15, 2021. The ladies coordinated both a physical and a mental challenge for MCRC headquarters’ personnel to participate in during the month of April as part of the Marine Corps’ 17th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The physical challenge coupled learning SAPR statistics with a set of exercises. For example, an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. In recognition, personnel were challenged to complete 73 squats as part of the exercise. The physical challenge consisted of nine different exercises. (US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Naomi May) - Zuzy Hall, the Marine Corps Recruiting Command Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, and Staff Sgt. Angelica Pulliam, one of MCRC’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates, post the MCRC G-1 section's SAPR awareness physical exercise completion time on a board at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, April 15, 2021. The ladies coordinated both a physical and a mental challenge for MCRC headquarters’ personnel to participate in during the month of April as part of the Marine Corps’ 17th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The physical challenge coupled learning SAPR statistics with a set of exercises. For example, an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. In recognition, personnel were challenged to complete 73 squats as part of the exercise. The physical challenge consisted of nine different exercises. (US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Naomi May)

MCRC SAPR team challenges command to raise awareness

The Marine Corps Recruiting Command Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team launched several initiatives in conjunction with the Marine Corps’ 17th Annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, April 2021.

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Staff Sgt. Andre Babineaux, a Marine with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, is a prior active duty Marine who is now part of the Marine Corps Reserves. - Staff Sgt. Andre Babineaux, a Marine with Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501, is a prior active duty Marine who is now part of the Marine Corps Reserves. Babineaux now works a civilian job in Virginia, and supervises 20-30 flight equipment Marines in Beaufort, South Carolina during his periodic drill weekends.

The Third Option

When young men and women sign a four to five-year active duty Marine Corps contract, they take an oath that ensures they understand the magnitude of their commitment. However, they may not realize that they’ll have to make another difficult decision when they near the end of their obligated service.

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Future Marine recruit Teia Chutaro from Recruiting Sub-Station Honolulu, Recruiting Station San Diego, poses for a photo prior to shipping to recruit training aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Jan. 5, 2021. Lima Company will be the first integrated company at MCRD San Diego in Marine Corps history. Historically all females who enter the Marine Corps are trained at MCRD Parris Island in South Carolina. (U.S. Marine Corps by Sgt. Tessa Watts) - Future Marine recruit Teia Chutaro from Recruiting Sub-Station Honolulu, Recruiting Station San Diego, poses for a photo prior to shipping to recruit training aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Jan. 5, 2021. Lima Company will be the first integrated company at MCRD San Diego in Marine Corps history. Historically all females who enter the Marine Corps are trained at MCRD Parris Island in South Carolina. (U.S. Marine Corps by Sgt. Tessa Watts)

Making history for women and Marines at MCRD San Diego

Women began serving in the United States Marine Corps in 1918 when Opha Mae Johnson became the first of approximately 300 female Marines that volunteered for temporary clerical duty. In 1948, the Women's Armed Services Integration Act was passed by Congress, permanently allowing women to join and serve in the Marine Corps.

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Lt. Col. Sally Ann Falco holds photos of two of her female Marine mentors, retired Sgt. Maj. Tammy Fodey and retired Sgt. Maj. Sarah Thornton, the first woman Marine to retire after 30 consecutive years of active service. Falco served as an enlisted Marine for 14 years before her acceptance to the Meritorious Commissioning Program. She commissioned in August 2001 and will soon retire after 34 fruitful years in the Marine Corps. “I’ve just been privileged to be allowed to be a Marine,” Falco said. “I still love it as much as the day I came in, and I would stay in forever, but I want to make room for others to climb the ladder and at the same time, contribute to society in another capacity.” (US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Naomi May) - Lt. Col. Sally Ann Falco holds photos of two of her female Marine mentors, retired Sgt. Maj. Tammy Fodey and retired Sgt. Maj. Sarah Thornton, the first woman Marine to retire after 30 consecutive years of active service. Falco served as an enlisted Marine for 14 years before her acceptance to the Meritorious Commissioning Program. She commissioned in August 2001 and will soon retire after 34 fruitful years in the Marine Corps. “I’ve just been privileged to be allowed to be a Marine,” Falco said. “I still love it as much as the day I came in, and I would stay in forever, but I want to make room for others to climb the ladder and at the same time, contribute to society in another capacity.” (US Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Naomi May)

Woman Marine of 34 years leaves lasting legacy

In 1987, Lt. Col. Sally Ann Falco was just 17 years old. The Cold War was still hot. President Ronald Reagan had recently delivered his famous speech urging Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, but the wall would remain standing for two more years.

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U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jason Oliver, a recruiter with Recruiting Station Frederick and 4th Marine Corps District recruiter of the quarter, completes a hike during a monthly pool function for Recruiting Substation Martinsburg in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, March 16, 2021. The monthly pool functions are preformed to both build rapport between poolees and recruiters and to prepare them mentally and physically for the rigors of Marine Corps recruit training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ryan Sammet) - U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Jason Oliver, a recruiter with Recruiting Station Frederick and 4th Marine Corps District recruiter of the quarter, completes a hike during a monthly pool function for Recruiting Substation Martinsburg in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, March 16, 2021. The monthly pool functions are preformed to both build rapport between poolees and recruiters and to prepare them mentally and physically for the rigors of Marine Corps recruit training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ryan Sammet)

Chase Dreams, Make Marines

“The first interview you ever do, should be on yourself,” said U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Jason Oliver, a recruiter with Recruiting Station (RS) Frederick and 4th Marine Corps District recruiter of the quarter. “Before you interview another kid, before you interview a prospect or talk to a parent or a teacher, sit down in your office and do the benefit tag presentation for yourself, and remind yourself why you became a Marine and why working this hard is necessary, not only for yourself but also because you are working for other people and you are affecting other people’s lives whether recruiting or not.”

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National Women's History Month: Through the Marine Corps

From Opha May Johnson to females being integrated into training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, for more than a hundred years women have been continuing the legacy that Opha May Johnson and 300 other women started back in 1918. In today’s Marine Corps, women make up a total of 8.4% of roughly 246K Marines. The progression for women in the Marine Corps has been a slow, but continuous process that has prospered in time. We have come to a time where even women in the Marine Corps do not desire the word ‘female’, in front of the title Marine.

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U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Gabra A. Bailey, a supply officer with 12th Marine Corps District, poses in his office at the district headquarters located at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on March 4, 2021. Bailey was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica before immigrating to the United States and becoming a Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tessa D. Watts) - U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Gabra A. Bailey, a supply officer with 12th Marine Corps District, poses in his office at the district headquarters located at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego on March 4, 2021. Bailey was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica before immigrating to the United States and becoming a Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Tessa D. Watts)

Capt. Gabra A. Bailey: Inspiration through humanity

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Gabra A. Bailey, a supply officer with 12th Marine Corps District, Marine Corps Recruiting Command, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica at 22 years old and was on the renowned yellow footprints of Marine Corps recruit training at 23 years old.

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Major Gordon Emmanuel, the commanding officer for Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo in Santa Ana, California on Feb. 21, 2021. In honor of National Black History Month, Maj. Emmanuel discussed his life story and how he got to where he is today as a United States Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph) - Major Gordon Emmanuel, the commanding officer for Recruiting Station Orange County, poses for a photo in Santa Ana, California on Feb. 21, 2021. In honor of National Black History Month, Maj. Emmanuel discussed his life story and how he got to where he is today as a United States Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sarah Ralph)

Giving Life Everything He Has: U.S. Marine Corps Major Emmanuel tells his story

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gordon Emmanuel did not come into this world with the brightest path, or under the most positive circumstances. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York as the son to two Haitian immigrants. The environment he was born into was relatively rough and was not the best conditions for a child. Gordon’s household could be described as tumultuous, and a place where he felt as if he was facing adversity inside as well as outside.

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