Photo By Cpl. Crystal Druery | Recruit Murad F. Eiland, Platoon 1034, Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion,...... read more read more
Subscribe
SAN DIEGO - Recruit Murad F. Eiland, Platoon 1034, Company B, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, 21, has overcome many obstacles in life. At the age of 13, he was forced to take care of his ill mother, which was shortly followed by the separation of his parents.
With an estranged father, Eiland was the only son of four to commit to the caretaker role. Eiland was tasked with tremendous responsibility that would postpone his life-long goals.
While in high school, the Chicago native longed to join the Navy, but because his mother was ill, she asked him to stay home to help her after he graduated. After high school, he decided to enroll in a local college, eventually dropping out due to the extensive amount of care he needed to provide his mother. For the same reason, Eiland found it challenging to pursue other life responsibilities, including a job.
Eiland was provided financial assistance due to his mother’s illness under the stipulations of attending school. But after his voluntary withdrawal from college, he was no longer eligible for the financial assistance, influencing him to take out a loan and try college again at a new school, but decided to leave.
Unfortunately, Eiland’s mother died of cancer in 2009.
“I was in shock when she passed away, so I didn’t know what to do with myself,” said Eiland.
He decided to take the motivation his mother had given him over the years to make something of himself. Instead of going back to school or working a part-time job, he decided to join the military.
“She gave up everything for me to be the person I am now,” said Eiland, “I want to show her she didn’t waste her life.”
Though Eiland wanted to join the Navy during high school, he said the Marine Corps would give him more of a challenge and provide him the discipline he sought.
Even before leaving for boot camp, he had to demonstrate discipline by losing 40 pounds to meet the basic requirements to join the Marine Corps.
“I’m happy I came here, but at first it was hell,” said Eiland, “I wasn’t sure what I got myself into.”
After three months of intense training, Eiland has lost an additional 17 pounds, displaying all the hard work he has put forth since the loss of his mother.
Recruit training is broken up into three different phases and each has a distinct training regime to develop recruits into Marines.
Motivated to be a Marine, Eiland came to recruit training with an open contract, which meant he did not have a guaranteed military occupational specialty. At the beginning of the third training phase, he was informed he would have an MOS in the logistics field. As a logistics specialist, he will prepare supplies and equipment for various force deployment planning and functions to support the movement of personnel, supplies, and equipment, including all modes of transportation, using commercial and military assets.
“The Marine Corps has opened so many doors for me,” said Eiland, “I don’t know yet which one to choose.”
Eiland said he felt his life was at a halt before taking the oath of enlistment, but now he has options. He is uncertain at this point if he wants to make the Marine Corps a career, but if he chooses to end his contract, he plans to use his G.I. Bill to go back to school.
He just has to stay motivated for his mother and finish strong, he said. He is prepared to stay motivated and finish recruit training in memory of his mother.
“My happy ending is walking across the parade deck,” said Eiland.
| Date Taken: | 01.21.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 01.28.2011 14:09 |
| Story ID: | 64402 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Life experience gives Marine high motivation, by Cpl Crystal Druery, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT