MCRD PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- A graduate from The Citadel, a military college in South Carolina, turned down the chance to become a Marine officer and chose instead to try the enlisted side of the Corps first.
If you ask him why, Pfc. Philip Pinckney of Platoon 3062, Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, will answer “I wanted to become a Marine before I try to lead Marines.”
Pinckney graduates Aug. 4, not with a set of shiny gold bars, but with an honest leadership impact on the rest of his platoon.
“He wanted to witness firsthand what it takes to actually lead Marines. It’s a decision that shows the type of people we’re looking for in society,” said Staff Sgt. Juan Cruz, senior drill instructor for Plt. 3062, Mike Company, 3rd RTBn.
Pinckney’s choice to endure the experience at Parris Island was acknowledged by his drill instructors.
“Some might call it stupid; I call it honorable, classy and definitely respectable,” Cruz said.
The Citadel, a four-year military college designed to prepare students for service in the armed forces, begins with rite of passage known as knob year. At that time, students perform their academic studies in an environment driven by the discipline commonly associated with boot camp.
“It’s nine months of running, jumping, shouting – but it’s non-branch specific,” Pinckney said.
Leadership positions are earned as one progresses through the school and becomes more experienced. Pinckney graduated a battalion staff cadet captain. He was responsible for 500 students, with 26 directly under his command.
“It pushes your body and mind to the limits and teaches you about leadership,” Pinckney said.
Pinckney’s fellow Citadel graduates went on to become second lieutenants, but he felt compelled to experience the enlisted side to better understand the Marines he someday hopes to lead as a prior-enlisted officer.
Regardless of his background, recruit training at Parris Island proved to be a worthy challenge for Pinckney.
“He was shy at first. He knew what to expect, so he didn’t want to put it out there and he held back a lot,” Cruz said. “His hardest challenge was not to hide. You can’t be a leader hiding in the shadows. He has all the potential to be a good Marine and a good leader of Marines.”
Once Cruz caught onto Pinckney’s attempts to “fly under the radar,” Pinckney was challenged to step up his abilities. He began mentoring his peers freely. He exercised with recruits who had trouble with the physical fitness test, assisted those with personal problems and even assisted the squad leaders and guide to become more effective leaders.
Pinckney learned it was most important for him to be a good follower and respond to orders quickly and effectively in order to set the example for others.
“Recruits followed him even though he didn’t have the title of squad leader because he’s a straightforward individual, older and always seeks to help somebody out,” Cruz said.
One of the biggest differences to Marine Corps recruit training and The Citadel is that everything done at boot camp is for a specific reason, Pinckney said. Everything done at The Citadel is meant to challenge the students, but is often more arbitrary.
Reforming to the role of recruit all over again created a challenge for the young man who had grown accustomed to receiving salutes from his subordinate cadets.
“To go through it again – to be separated from friends and family – I left the real world and it was like starting over again mentally,” he said.
Through the training, he also learned lessons from his drill instructors, which no classroom could teach – sacrifice and commitment.
Pinckney said his drill instructors hid it well, but he would see them come in dead tired, but still yelling louder and running faster than any of their recruits.
“The drill instructors really care,” Pinckney said. “They show us what it’s like to sacrifice – to make us better.”
As Pinckney and the rest of Mike Company prepared for their hike to the Crucible, and earned the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, he shared his most important Corps-taught lesson.
“The biggest thing I learned is why Marines do what they do. It’s not necessarily to obey orders – it’s not necessarily because the war is just – we do it for each other,” Pinckney said. “The things we do affect one another. Everything I do affects someone else, so that’s my reason to do it to the best of my ability.”
With that mindset, Pinckney has left an impact with his platoon and drill instructors.
“I don’t know much about The Citadel, so I can’t really say it’s because of that, but I’m pretty sure it played a major role in how good of recruit he was,” Cruz said. “He comes from a strong family who might have been skeptical about his decision to become an enlisted Marine. But that’s what he wanted, and he doesn’t regret it all.”