What I’ve Learned: Cristopher Riehl

Courtesy Photo | Cpl. Cristopher Riehl, Main Battle Tank Repairer/Technician, 1st Tank Battalion, plans on going through the MARSOC training and if he is accepted then he is going to reenlist with them. Riehl wants to be a breecher, the Marine in the front who goes into the buildings first.  

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, UNITED STATES

07.27.2017

Courtesy Story

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center

>I was raised in Manheim, PA, by Collean and Ken Riehl. I’m 22 years old and the youngest of three boys. Manheim held farm shows where people would bring farm animals and machinery to show off. They have some of the best milkshakes I’ve ever had; they always ran out of milkshakes since everyone wanted some.
>My mom worked as a chef for 30 years, so whenever my parents couldn’t find a babysitter she would take us to the restaurant. We helped with things around the kitchen such as cleaning dishes and the sweeping.
>I grew up wanting to be like my father because he is the toughest man I know. Ever since I can remember he has always been a hard worker. After I get out of the corps I plan on working with my father as a handyman with him.
>My oldest brother, Eric, works at an auto repair shop, and Greg, my second oldest brother, is a cop. My brothers and I grew up loving adventures, which more than often ended up with us getting in trouble or giving my mother a heart attack. We had a jungle gym with a slide and one time we watered it down and made like a ski way. I was small so I didn’t stop at the bottom I kept going, I was about to hit my dad’s car but at the last second I ducked down and went under it. Mom made us all go back inside, we nearly gave her a heart attack.
>When I was younger we made an extension over the garage so we could jump onto our trampoline. Whenever it snowed we would jump of the extension onto the trampoline and into a large pile of snow.
>Before the Marine Corps I worked with my oldest brother at an auto repair shop. Since most of the people who worked at the shop were much older than me, I was considered the gopher of the shop. Being the gopher I was in charge of inventory and all the menial tasks no one wanted to take care of.
>The thing I love most about the Corps is the brotherhood. You can go up to anyone and make friends with them.
>I plan on going through the MARSOC training and if I’m accepted then I’m going to reenlist with them. I want to be a breecher, the Marine in the front who goes into the buildings first.
>Some advice for young Marines is that being a good Marine is not hard, you know what you signed up for, so do it. You go to physical training early in the morning, you work for a couple of hours and then you get off and do whatever you want for the rest of the day.
>Everyone gets dealt different cards in life, you either learn to deal with it, get out of the situation or find the positive in it. Take time to count your blessings and know that your life could be a lot worse. If you have a roof over your head, food in your gut and a place to lay your head at night, then there’s not much to complain about, a simple life is a better life.

• Date Taken: 07.27.2017
• Date Posted: 07.27.2017 12:14
• Story ID: 242782
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, US