After serving in the Marine Corps Security Forces, one infantryman came to the line companies with something to teach the young Marines of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and their reception of his unique training methods are evident.
Sergeant Dominick Valerio joined the military because the men in his family have always served in the Armed Forces, defending America’s freedom.
“My grandfather served in World War II, and both my uncles are Vietnam vets,” said Sergeant Dominick Valerio, a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Bn., 7th Marines. “My brothers also serve in the army.”
Though he always knew he would end up in the military, Valerio said the Marine Corps’ “dragon-slayer” commercial enticed him to become a Marine; his job preference was never up for question.
“My brother-in-law is with 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, and is a grunt,” said Valerio, a 22-year-old native of Phelps, New York. “I knew I wanted to be an infantryman and I told the recruiter I would do nothing else.”
Once an infantryman, Valerio was given the opportunity to receive advanced training when he elected to work in security forces rather than a line company.
“As a ‘Security Forces’ Marine, I went to Urban Assault Leader’s Course, Joint Fires Observer Course, Infantry Squad Leader’s Course, and a ton of other schools.”
This wide range of training has given him a wealth of knowledge, something his Marines have observed and taken advantage of, said Lance Cpl. Ryan Kinne, a team leader with Company K, 3rd Bn., 7th Marines.
Valerio, who his Marines nicknamed ‘V,’ has been through the training, but he also teaches his Marines.
“He will teach you anything you want to know if you ask,” said Kinne, a 21-year-old native of San Antonio, Texas. “He’s given us classes on calling for fire, medical evacuation procedures, and lots of other things.”
The training Valerio conducts is anything but conventional.
“I like to use physical training to teach Marines,” Valerio said. “We might go on a run and I can tell when everyone needs a break, so I’ll stop and teach them something important.”
Valerio also incorporates other types of physical training into his periods of instruction, like carrying a litter and other tasks Marines may have to accomplish under fire. In Afghanistan, these PT sessions and classes have a positive impact on the battlefield.
“We have taken casualties and we have had to transport them to a landing zone and call in a 9-line casualty report,” Kinne said. “That’s where the training paid off.”
The knowledge he has acquired makes him a good squad leader, but Kinne also said his ‘people’ skills help him connect with his Marines.
“He is very well-spoken,’ Kinne said. “He can explain something no matter who you are.”
Valerio once spent several hours in a classroom teaching Marine Corps Advanced Land-Navigation Techniques using a compass and a dry-erase board.
Knowledge has gained him respect among his subordinates and superiors, but he has earned their trust because of his backbone.
“My favorite thing about him as a squad leader is that he sticks up for his Marines,” said Lance Cpl. Joshua Matthews, a team leader with Company K, 3rd Bn., 7th Marines. “Even at the risk of getting himself in trouble, he has stood beside Marines that he thought were in the right.”
Currently deployed to Afghanistan, Valerio views every moment with his squad as an opportunity to teach them something new, preparing them for the challenges that await them.
Valerio joined the Marine Corps because he wanted to be one of the best, and according to his Marines, he is.