From June to September, large caravans of military recruits will migrate to their respective training centers. Even though we are in the midst of a global pandemic, the United States military must continue its mission and training.
Fort Benning, Georgia, Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, Paris Island, South Carolina, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and Cape May, New Jersey, will be filled to capacity with highly motivated high school graduates.
All new recruits will be screened for COVID-19 and if they test negative, they will begin their transition from civilians to warriors. Their new life will consist of early mornings and late nights. For some, this will be the first time they have left their homes for an extended period of time. Their days will be filled with group classes, administrative tasks and combat training. They will learn that individual performance is important, but teamwork is the best method used to accomplish complex missions.
Everything they do right or wrong will be carefully scrutinized by the watchful eyes of drill instructors.
Drill instructors will be the central figures in their daily lives and will ensure all trainees meet the highest standards before they earn the title of soldier, sailor, Marine, airman or Coast Guardsman.
For most, basic training will last from eight to 12 weeks. For those who chose careers in Combat Arms, jobs such as Infantry, their transformation will last 22 weeks. Regardless of the length of training, it is a tremendous sacrifice for any young adult who volunteers to defend the American way of life.
I hope this article serves as a source of encouragement to those graduates who will soon take part in Summer Surge. Please join me in saluting these brave souls:
Christian A. Barrett
Branch of Service: United States Marine Corps
Career Field: Infantry
Basic Training: Paris Island, S.C.
Hometown: Ellerbe
Jordan R. Ballow
Branch of Service: United States Marine Corps
Career Field: Infantry
Basic Training: Paris Island, S.C.
Hometown: Rockingham
Timothy J. Buie
Branch of Service: United States Army
Career Field: 13J (Fire Control Specialist)
Basic Training: Fort Sill, Oklahoma
Hometown: Rockingham
Blake A. Cherry
Branch of Service: United States Army
Career Field: 13R (Field Artillery Firefinder Radar Operator)
Basic Training: Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Hometown: Rockingham
Karl H. Dietrich
Branch of Service: United States Army
Career Field: 25C (Radio Operator-Maintainer)
Basic Training: Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
Hometown: Rockingham
Zachariah Hamilton
Branch of Service: United States Army
Career Field: 25N (Nodal Network Systems Operator)
Basic Training: Fort Jackson, S.C.
Hometown: Hamlet
Huong Kim Phan
Branch of Service: United States Navy
Career Field: AG (Aerographer’s Mate)
Basic Training: Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
Hometown: Rockingham
Alyson J. Walton
Branch of Service: United States Army
Career Field: 25B (Information Technology Specialist)
Basic Training: Fort Jackson, S.C.
Hometown: Rockingham
