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First Lt. Wayne Quint ran Cross Country in high school, eventually becoming the team captain with his best three-mile time being 16 minutes, eight seconds. He attended the University of California, Los Angles, and went on to earn hid degree in law. Shorty after, he decided to commission in the Marine Corps.

Photo by Cpl. Charles Santamaria

What I've Learned: 1st Lt. Wayne Quint

28 Aug 2014 | Cpl. Charles Santamaria The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

1st Lt. Wayne Quint ran Cross Country in high school, eventually becoming the team captain with his best 3-mile time being 16 minutes 8 seconds. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and went on to earn his degree in law. Shorty after, he decided to commission in the Marine Corps.
>I played basketball growing up and was a pretty decent point guard but once I got into high school I became more of a runner.

>Doesn’t look like it anymore, but I graduated high school at 125 pounds and could run about a 16 minute 3-mile. Track and Cross Country were my big ones, I also became the captain of my Cross Country team.

>Going into college at UCLA, I practiced with the team for a short time but I was never fast enough to run with the Pack 10 so I strayed away from that.

>The best run time I ever received was 16 minutes and 8 seconds at the California Interscholastic Foundation tournament which had high school-level runners compete from all of southern California

>I went to college at UCLA and I was working as an emergency dispatcher but I knew it wasn’t for me.

>Public service always felt like my calling. My brother became a teacher, my father was an Orange County sheriff for many years, so it ran in my family in a way.

>I graduated in 2002 and I remembered the effect 9/11 had on me and I wanted to serve in the military but I wanted to get my education first.

Once I went to law school, I began looking into the different branches.

>I saw the Marine Corps’ Judge Advocate Program and thought that was the best option.

I worked as a lawyer for two years in the public sector and began preparing to join the Marine Corps

>The officer selection officer prepared me very well but after I got to officer candidate school I realized I actually didn’t know what I was getting myself into

>When you’re a student for that long and you have time to yourself with no one depending on you, It’s a different mentality

>The discipline and organization of the Marine Corps always impressed me

>I think the change in environment from what you expect prepares you well for anything you would expect later on

>Adaptability is vital; it helps you be a better Marine and a better person for it 

>It was interesting, I came as a new lieutenant to a shop with Marines who had been in longer than me and done so much. 

You come in and they expect you to run the ship and lead, which is how it should be but what happens in the process is a lot of on the job learning. You have to take it and own it.

>From where I began in this job field to where I am now as a legal assistance officer ... is there is a lot more direct helping with Marines

>No one ever likes seeing an attorney, and it’s part of the challenge which is breaking down that mental barrier so we can fix the problem

>We see about 15 people a week, all with different issues, and law school helps with this in terms of knowledge of the law, but the lessons I learned throughout my life in school, running and the Marine Corps is what helps me connect with that Marine or spouse to help come up with a solution to a problem.

>It’s a good experience being able to help Marines more directly, And I relish this position for that reason.