Photo By Sgt. Miguel Ruiz | United States Marines Lance Corporal Timothy Hernandez poses for a photo outside of...... read more read more
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The final confidence-building obstacle course in the Marine Combat Training Course at Camp Pendleton, California, is anything but a walk in the park for any would-be Marine.
But Timothy Hernandez and his battle buddy were determined to make a mockery of the obstacle course’s “difficulty” by racing each other to the finish line.
“We told our instructor, ‘Hey we’re going to race.’ And then we go!” said Hernandez. “He and I are right next to each other the whole time. We were full of adrenaline.”
The pair catapulted themselves over the top of walls, barrel-rolled under low lying obstacles, and sprinted towards a pair of hanging, 20-feet ropes, marking the final leg of the race. Hernandez scaled the rope with ease as he claimed victory.
Hernandez said he began to descend from the top of the rope when his boot slipped off and lost traction with the rope. Fifteen feet from the ground and exhausted from the race, he lost his grip with the rope and fell straight to the ground, falling forward onto his chest.
He felt no pain until emergency responders flipped him over onto his back, and he looked downward at his ankle, in a most unnatural position.
Hernandez said he suffered a devastating injury moments after successfully completing MCT.
Doctors said he’d have to stay at Camp Pendleton, though, for another 10 months to recover from his injury before flying to Fort Meade to begin occupational training as a public affairs specialist at the Defense Information School in January 2018.
Faced with the option to separate from the military with a medical discharge, Hernandez refused and pushed on to rehabilitate himself and complete the training.
Unfortunately for Hernandez, this injury was not the first setback he faced during initial Marine training.
Some months prior, at Marine Corps Recruit Training in San Diego, Hernandez had been diagnosed with shin splints in the first week of training.
Hernandez said doctors performed X-rays on his legs and determined he was at risk for obtaining stress fractures. As a precaution, he was placed in a medical rehabilitation platoon.
He spent four months in the MRP before he returned to training with a new company on its fifth day of the official training schedule.
Hernandez completed recruit training, four months behind schedule, and flew to Camp Pendleton for Marine Combat Training where he was forced to wait another 10 months to complete his training.
“They gave me the option of being medically discharged or to complete my contract,” said Hernandez. “I chose the latter to complete my contract.”
During his time recovering from ankle surgery, Hernandez’ morale took a downward turn.
“I was at a point where I thought this is not where I’m meant to be,” Hernandez said. “I was in a dark spot and thought I should have taken the discharge.”
Slowly but surely Hernandez became optimistic about the situation. “Every time I went to see my surgeon she would tell me, ‘Wow this is recovering a lot faster than I expected,’” Hernandez said.
Despite his negative emotions, Hernandez chose to persevere and reminded himself that his situation was only temporary. He would recover and continue his journey to become a Marine.
“One day I talked to my staff sergeant, and he said, ‘Hey you’re getting your orders today. And you leave tomorrow,’” Hernandez said. “I was like ‘Whoa!’ And became overwhelmed with excitement!”
After 12 months spent in MRPs, Hernandez finally left Camp Pendleton. He began his first day of the Basic Public Affairs Specialist Course Jan. 29 at the Defense Information School at Fort Meade.
For other service members struggling to cope with similar situations, Hernandez said it is important to determine why you decided to join the military and allow that to help build your mental toughness.
“It’s about wanting to do this,” Hernandez said. “There are people who have no choice but to be medically separated and those are some of the people who wanted to do this the most.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 08.30.2018 08:55 |
| Story ID: | 282984 |
| Location: | AUSTIN, TX, US |
| Hometown: | FORT WORTH, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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