Photo By Sgt. Michael Ito | Recruit Adam Schneider, Platoon 1007, Company A, graduates from recruit training today...... read more read more
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For most recruits who come aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, the next 13 weeks will be some of the most challenging they will ever have to endure. For Pfc. Adam Schneider, not only did this hold true, but the injuries he sustained during training doubled his time here and added yet another tier in completing recruit training.
When Schneider arrived on May 17, he was a healthy and fully capable recruit. He completed the initial challenges of receiving week, and picked up with Platoon 1105, Company A, whose senior drill instructor was Gunnery Sgt. Michael Garcia.
“I knew this [recruit training] was going to be the best and worst time of my life,” explained Schneider.
Schneider took the next five weeks to learn all he could from Garcia and his other drill instructors. During that time, Schneider noticed a lingering pain in his lower right leg.
“It was small at first, but it [the pain] kept growing,” said Schneider. “I figured it would just eventually go away.”
On training day 22, while the company was taking their Initial Physical Fitness Test, the source of Schneider’s pain exposed itself in a brutal way; his right tibia had given way to a small crack. His bone was fractured.
When a recruit is injured during training, they are dropped out of the training cycle and placed in the Medical Rehabilitation Platoon, which is a part of Special Training Company, here. They are kept here until they are physically able to resume training with a new company on the same day they left off.
The doctors at the Branch Medical Clinic, MCRD San Diego identified the fracture. They placed Schneider in MRP and drew up an aggressive recovery program to get him back to training as soon as possible. Unfortunately for Schneider, as soon as possible was not very soon at all.
Schneider spent the next 13 weeks in STC, waiting for the fracture to close and then re-preparing his body for the rigors of recruit training. But the doctors were not always as confident as he was.
“They [The Marine Corps, in conjunction with naval medical staff] offered me a separation package on four separate occasions. It was extremely discouraging, knowing that my doctors thought I wasn’t going to recover enough to continue training,” says Schneider.
His time in MRP was, according to Schneider, the hardest part of boot camp.
“It was such a mental drain,” said Schneider. “The last time it was offered, I was tempted just to take the separation, go home, and possibly try again later.”
The tide turned in his favor when Schneider was medically cleared to return to training. After successfully completing another PFT, he was eligible to pick up with a company on training day 22.
The next day, Schneider was informed that he would pick up with Platoon 1007, Company A. Coincidentally; his new senior drill instructor would be Garcia once again.
“I was nervous, knowing the way that Gunnery Sgt. Garcia trained,” said Schneider. “But I was also comforted, because I knew that he wouldn’t show favoritism. He would make me earn everything, and would give me nothing.”
But his drill instructors were not at all worried that his time in MRP had made him any less of a worthwhile recruit. “He seemed like he was still motivated, so we brought him back like he had never left,” said Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Thorpe, drill instructor, Platoon 1007, Company A.
Thorpe had also been one of Schneider’s drill instructors before he was dropped.
“Schneider came back strong and was a stellar recruit,” said Pfc. Stephen Osborn, Schneider’s squad leader. “He was efficient and extremely effective, and had one of the best attitudes in the platoon.”
For Schneider, graduating a full 25 weeks after arriving at MCRD was not an easy task, but it proved to be a positive experience.
“I feel like I have definitely become mentally strong,” said Schneider. “This was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, trying to hold onto my motivation for that long. I feel confident that I am ready for anything and everything that the Marine Corps has to offer.”
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2010 22:05 |
| Story ID: | 61833 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 80 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Recruit endures injury, earns eagle, globe and anchor, by SGT Michael Ito, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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