PARRIS ISLAND, S.C.— --
Educators from Recruiting Station Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, took
part in a special opportunity to observe Marine
Corps recruit training. They would familiarize themselves with Marine Corps
values and ethos and observe the transformation of recruits from civilians to Marines.
“We invited the educators down here to give them a look into the Marine Corps,”
said Gunnery Sgt. Raymond Robison, a recruiter with Recruiting Station
Harrisburg. “A lot of people have misconceptions of what we do and what our
values are. The workshop is a way for us to set the record straight.”
The
educators took part in variety of events including classes on Marine Corps
opportunities and benefits, lunch with recruits, and the opportunity to face
some of the many obstacles recruits must overcome to earn the title Marine.
Some of the obstacles the educators faced included the
confidence course, rifle range, repel tower, and the leadership reaction
course, all designed to transform a civilian into a basically trained Marine
“I had such an amazing time on Parris Island,” said Lorraine
Selke, an educator from West Chester East High School. “My level of respect for
our nation’s military has increased ten-fold and the transformation these
recruits go through in 13 weeks is truly amazing.”
Others echoed Selke’s comments.
“I’m loving it. It’s great to get a little taste of what the
recruits experience,” said Fredrick Harris, an educator from the Bethlehem Area
School District in Pennsylvania. “I think coming down here is great because now, if I have a student who’s curious about the service,
I can tell them from my experience what
it’s like down here.”