Photo By Cpl. Kenneth Jasik | Gunnery Sgt. Victor Leaños (right), company gunnery sergeant for Headquarters and...... read more read more
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CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – A gunnery sergeant with Combat Logistics Regiment 15 (Forward), 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), promoted a Marine to the rank of staff sergeant here, Nov. 1, but the first time they met was under completely different circumstances – eight years ago at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Gunnery Sgt. Victor Leaños, the company gunnery sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company, CLR-15 (FWD), 1st MLG (FWD) pinned the chevrons on the uniform of one of his former recruits from his time as a drill instructor, Staff Sgt. Otis B. Karngbaye, the company gunnery sergeant for General Support Motor Transport Company, CLR-15 (FWD), 1st MLG (FWD).
They have both come a long way since the time they were both aboard MCRD San Diego in August 2002. Both Marines hold the billet of company gunnery sergeant with CLR-15 (FWD) companies, but Karngbay 28, from Brooklyn Park, Minn., remembers when he first met his former drill instructor on the yellow footprints.
“When I first met him I thought he was evil, and to this day he still kind of scares me,” joked Kangbaye. “I still see him as my drill instructor. If I need something or have a question about something, I ask him.”
Karngbaye is not only successful as a Marine, but as a recruit he was one of Leaños’ squad leaders.
“The senior drill instructor said he wanted him to be a squad leader, so I made him one,” said Leaños, 33, from Los Angeles. “After that, I realized the senior had made a really good choice.”
After Karngbaye departed boot camp, the two Marines first saw each other again last July as they prepared for their current deployment to Afghanistan at the Alternate Mission Readiness Exercise, in Yuma, Ariz.
“When I first saw him I recognized his face, but he had gotten a lot bigger,” said Leaños. Of his former recruit who added muscle mass since boot camp.
Karngbaye attributes his success to the first lessons his drill instructors taught him.
“He taught me that if you want something, you’ve got to go for it,” said Karngbaye. “You should put your whole heart into it, and to always make sure you have your core values.
Leaños is proud of Karngbaye’s accomplishments, and is glad to see him come so far in his Marine Corps career.
“Every Marine has a little bit of their drill instructor in them,” said Leaños. “So it is great to see your former recruits do [well].”
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2010 14:28 |
| Story ID: | 59369 |
| Location: | CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF |
| Web Views: | 420 |
| Downloads: | 20 |
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