Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Crystal Harlow | Soldiers from the 137th Quartermaster Company out of El Monte, Calif., show their...... read more read more
TORRANCE, Calif. – Hundreds of patriotic Americans, recruits, troops and veterans gathered May 18, 2013, for the 54th Annual City of Torrance Armed Forces Day Celebration and Parade or TAFDA in Torrance, Calif.
The event focuses on future, current and retired military personnel, and provides the community the opportunity to interact with the military. This year hundreds of new recruits, anxious to go begin their new lives as members of America’s Armed Forces, participated in various branch specific activities.
Recruits ran obstacles; performed plank walks; competed in tug-of-war; and completed other team-building exercises during the pre-parade barbecue.
“They’re actually motivating,” said Jorge Lopez, a recruit from the El Monte Recruiting Station, regarding the activities troops were completing. “They help you achieve teamwork skills and a little friendly competition. I actually enjoyed them.”
Lopez leaves for basic training in less than a week and is making this big step in his life for the little people he loves.
“I always felt like I’m the leader type since I’m the older brother,” said Lopez. “I just want my little brothers to look up to me. I want them to be proud of me,” Lopez said of his siblings in La Puente, Calif. “I want to become a good role model [and] I’m pretty sure the Army can help me achieve that.”
When recruiters select new soldiers they only search out the best.
“[We want] someone with drive and determination, and someone who wants to make a better future for themselves and their community,” said Army Sgt. Robert Morrell, a future soldier leader at the El Monte Recruiting Station for the San Gabriel Recruiting Company in El Monte, Calif. Future soldier is a term used for new recruits; future soldier leaders are recruiters that mentor and prepare the recruits for basic training.
Morrell was among many recruiters and future soldier leaders present with their new recruits at the pre-parade barbecue.
“I just enjoy working with the soldiers and getting them ready for basic [training],” said Morrell.
Future soldier leaders teach recruits basic military knowledge including marching, rank structure, customs and courtesies, and physical fitness training. Morrell and other recruiters don’t have much time to pound that information in, having an average of six weeks between the time a recruit signs their contract and the time they leave for basic training.
“Training has been great,” said Cennyana Boon, an Indonesian living in Temple City, Calif., on a student visa who leaves for basic training in less than a week.
Boon enlisted in the Army via the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest or MAVNI program and will gain her American citizenship upon graduation of advanced individual training.
“I’m semi-excited and semi-nervous of what’s to come,” Boon continued. “Everything is going to be a really great experience from what I’ve heard from many veterans and people on active duty,” she said before rejoining her fellow recruits.
Cheers and war cries filled the field until the last of the events and exercises were complete. Recruiters and future soldier leaders gathered their young, excited recruits and put them in formation to march them over to the parade route.
“Every year, we bring them down and march them in the parade. They really enjoy it,” said Morrell.
A sea of fresh faces stood in four ranks – some smiling, some serious – but all ready to take on the challenge of becoming America’s next generation of heroes.
| Date Taken: | 05.18.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2013 21:35 |
| Story ID: | 107284 |
| Location: | TORRANCE, CA, US |
| Hometown: | EL MONTE, CA, US |
| Hometown: | LA PUENTE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 248 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Future Soldier Leaders guide recruits during Torrance Armed Forces Day celebrations, parade, by SFC Crystal Harlow, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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