Photo By Staff Sgt. Brittney Vella | U.S. Marine 1st Sgt. Sigrid Rivera, Service Company first sergeant, Headquarters...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii - 1st Sgt. Sigrid Rivera, Service Company first sergeant, Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, gazed up after completing the course, her face soaked in sweat, her eyes stinging and every muscle in her body aching. Despite the pain, she could see Gunnery Sgt. William Callen, the operations chief of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Center of Excellence in Quantico, Va., approaching, carrying a new, black belt with four red tabs.
“You can put this on right now,” he said, as he presented her with her hard-earned achievement.
Rivera could not help but grin from ear to ear, and suddenly, the pain no longer mattered. After 14 years of dedicated training, she is now the first female in Marine Corps Martial Arts Program history to attain a fourth-degree black belt.
Rivera, a West Palm Beach, Fla., native, earned her fourth-degree black belt, at the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 30, 2015. Earning this rank puts her among the nine fourth-degree black belts currently in the Marine Corps. Her fortitude has been well noticed since she became an instructor trainer in 2009.
Callen, who is traveling to each Marine Corps installation to test out Marines on second through fourth-degree black belts, said Rivera immediately proved her commitment to the program by her determination, enthusiasm and esprit de corps.
“Every time I have trained with her, she walks in and leaves with a smile on her face,” Callen said, who was also her instructor when she earned her first-degree black belt. “No matter how hard she gets hit or how bad she is hurting, her smile is always there.”
There are many requirements to advance to the fourth degree level. A candidate must be a third-degree black belt for at least two years, accumulate a minimum of 300-hours of community service, conduct 480 training hours, write a 4,000-word martial arts culture study, plus receive a referral from their command.
Three Marines tested with Callen that day in hopes of earning their fourth red tab. Rivera was one of two who succeeded during this testing period.
MCMAP is intended to enhance the transformation from civilian to Marine by developing a Marine’s ethos in a progressive manner throughout their career.
“The most difficult part about MCMAP is actually the easiest part in a way,” Rivera said. “We call it being an ‘eternal student,’ which means that it is our responsibility to continuously learn from everyone around us. (We must) sustain the transformation, be humble and receptive (and continue) learning everyday.”
Rivera’s positive attitude, experience in the program and love for the Marine Corps has made her an ideal advocate for the program, Callen said. He added, to a certain extent, Rivera is the type of person who sometimes has to be protected from herself. She has a strong desire to be the best and strives to excel at everything she does.
“She’s everything we teach instructor trainers to be,” said Callen, who is a fourth-degree black belt. “Plus, as a woman, she shows us what (Marines) can do with determination and the right attitude.”
Callen, who is a first-hand witness to Rivera’s progression through the program, has become a big mentor to her.
“It was a very humbling moment receiving Gunny's belt,” Rivera said. “He was there when I received my first-degree black belt. (His presence created) an emotional moment (where) hard work (bears) the fruits of its labor. It was humbling and emotional because the program has been a big part of my career. I had the privilege of being trained once again by Callen, a warrior that I truly look up to and consider a mentor. Receiving the belt was not only humbling but also inspiring at the same time.”
Now that Rivera has earned her fourth tab, she advanced as far as she can go. Although there is also fifth and sixth-degree black belt, they’re billets at the MACE, which she isn't eligible to fulfill because of her career path.
Rivera now plans to begin integration training with her company, continue helping School of Infantry-West Detachment Hawaii and to continue her journey as an “eternal student”
“I’m still in disbelief that (the testing) is over,” Rivera said. “I always want to learn, not just for myself, but to pass on to other Marines (as well). I really believe in the program and I want to share my knowledge.”
The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program directly supports the mission of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, which is to provide programs and services in direct support of units, individuals and families in order to enhance and sustain combat readiness for all operating forces and tenant organizations aboard MCB Hawaii.
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2015 23:30 |
| Story ID: | 172291 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, HI, US |
| Hometown: | WEST PALM BEACH, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 12,132 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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