Marines TV

Future Marine, Blake Napper, speaks about how he lost over 25 pounds to be eligible to enlist into the Marine Corps at the U.S. Marine Corps Permanent Contact Station Auburn, Alabama, on Dec. 9, 2021. Napper is a student at Auburn High School, and is originally from Carrollton, Georgia. He is preparing to begin recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, in August, 2022. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Shannon Doherty)

Reyes Sauceda, a poolee with Recruiting Substation Gulfport, Recruiting Station Baton Rouge, 6th Marine Corps District, and Gulfport, Miss., native, speaks about his journey to become a Marine, October 3, 2020. Sauceda lost more than 100 pounds to meet the height and weight requirements to become a Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Shellie Hall)

Reyes Sauceda, a poolee with Recruiting Substation Gulfport, Recruiting Station Baton Rouge, 6th Marine Corps District, and a Gulfport, Mississippi, native, speaks about his three-year journey to join the Marine Corps, Oct. 3, 2020. Sauceda lost more than 100 pounds in order to meet the qualifying standards to become a United States Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Shellie Hall)

Tyree Smallwood, a St. Louise, Missouri native, grew up watching both his father and step-mother have successful careers and retire from the Marine Corps. After realizing that college wasn’t for him, and getting the run-around from the Navy recruiters, Smallwood decided to give the Marine Corps a try in November of 2019. To this point Smallwood had lost 60 pounds, dropping from 320 to 260 pounds, but it wasn’t enough to enlist. Smallwood had to lose an addition 40 pounds, which he did with the assistance of his recruiter, Staff Sgt. Absalom Johnson, at Recruiting Substation Port Richey in Port Richey, Florida. On Aug. 24, 2020, Smallwood shipped off to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, where he will train for 13 weeks to earn the title of U.S. Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Jorge A. Rosales and Sgt. Calvin Shamoon)

Rct. Jeremy Burns reflects upon his journey to become the man he is today, but also about the importance of never quitting even after the goal has been met. Rct. Burns took up the challenge of recruit training after losing over 200lbs. and recieved his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on August 1, 2020. Congratulations, Pvt. Burns, and welcome to the Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Daniel Johnson)