I have to explain this video before you watch it. Josh told me to go stand in front of this building and to smile for the camera. I thought he was taking a picture. He was actually taking a video and had arranged this little stunt with the drill instructors before-hand. In hind-sight, I should have known suspected something due to the ugly and unrecognizable building that Josh randomly asked me to stand in front of. Oh well...
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Few. The Proud. The Marines
Here are the rest of the pictures from our trip. The second day there, we went to Miramar Air Station. They let us go into some of the helicoptors and look into the cockpits of the fighter jets. It was pretty cool. 
We also got to meet Molly the Marine Mascot. She's a Corporal in the Marines. She was cute.
We also went to Camp Pendleton, where we saw an amazing demonstration of their amphibious tanks. They can be used like a boat for up to 7 hours and then drive 300 miles on land and be used like a normal tank. It was so cool.
We also saw the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor ceremony, which was one of the most touching things I have ever seen. There were about 300 recruits that had reached the end of boot camp. The last thing the recruits do is participate in the Crucible, which is 56 mile, three day hike with 80 pound backpacks, three meals for the whole time and three hourse of sleep per night. They have to take part in obstacle courses and carry their rifles the whole time. We watched them march down the mountain, set their packs down and then they were each approached by their drill instructor and called a Marine for the first time as they were presented with their Marine Pin. Every single Marine and most of the drill instructors cry through it. It was really amazing to see.
The next day, we watched the boot camp graduation. 
I have certainly gained more respect for the Marines and all of the armed forces than I have ever had before. It really takes a selfless and amazing person to go through boot camp and then fight for the freedom of our country.
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