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Isabella Carrillo

Mrs.Mua

Public Health Honors, Period 2

12 April 2019

What I Take Pride In

There’s very few things i can say have changed me as a person. Especially being

seventeen I haven’t technically lived my life yet. Usually it’s sport or a skill or school that molds

you into the young adult that you want to be. For me, it was the Marine Corps.

I started training when I was sixteen, there was a man in a beautiful dress blues uniform always

walking around my school, preferrably talking to the star athletes or guys.Something stood out,

different from the other branches. When he walked, he walked with a purpose, he was always

polished, confident and most importantly stood out. I realized i wanted to be that. I sat down with

him and at the end of the conversation he asked me, “Are you ready to be a United States

Marine?” Thats when i knew what i wantedto do with my life. I trained hard for over a year,

keeping up with the guys, faster,stronger,better leadership skills to make up for my size and

gender setbacks (Hikes are hard on females hips, certain miltary buddy workouts are awkward

cause im a female, lifting and dragging guys twice my size, the female body naturaaly has more

fat and isn’t meant to be fit in certain areas).

So i applied myself everyday, weight training in the morning, PT(marine corps physical

training afterschool), and the gym for three hours when i didn’t have training. I studied the

Marine Corps kowldge more than i studied my homework, i did research, watched
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documentaries, spent time with marines outside of training, i went to other schools and trained

other kids, i helped recruit. Within 8 months i became squad leader, theres four of us in a platoon

of 45-50. We wear a red sleeve which gives us authority. Come 9 months i go from an E-1 to and

E-2, which means im a highere rank and get a pay raise when i graduate bootcamp. I have done

the craziest things, pushed myself passed my limits and exceeded my goals. This is something

beautiful that i take pride in. It’s my destiny, leading a team and being a part of an elite force.

The best of the best. I am proud.

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