Courtesy Photo | Sgt. Maj. Ronnie Harrison, sergeant major of Marine Aircraft Group 26, goes through...... read more read more
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AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq — It's 5:30 a.m., and as many Marines are still sleeping in their racks, a thumping sound is heard throughout the headquarters building of Marine Aircraft Group 26 aboard Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. While a Marine steadily lifts two 50 pound dumbbells over his head, the beat of the song echoes throughout a tiny gym. This scene occurs every day, except for Thursdays and Sundays when he takes the day off.
Sgt. Maj. Ronnie Harrison, sergeant major of MAG-26, has been hitting the gym for more than 25 years and was recently crowned Mr. Al Asad during a body building competition July 17, 2009, aboard Al Asad Air Base.
"I've always taken working out, lifting and eating right seriously," said Harrison. "I've never just wanted to do the minimum, because I expect more from myself than that and always want to keep pushing myself."
Harrison first took an interest in consciously working out and working on ways to keep his body performing at its best in his late teenage years.
"I guess I really started paying attention to my body, what I ate and just basically taking care of myself in high school," said Harrison. "I ran track, and being light on your feet helps you run faster, so I wanted to do anything that I could."
During his workouts, Harrison listens to his music media player, which has more than 9,000 songs, which he shuffles through during his workouts.
"I don't even know half the music on there, I just let it play and if I don't like a song, I just skip to the next," said Harrison. "While I'm working out, music is just background noise. Water and chewing gum are what help me truly get through my work outs."
After joining the Corps in 1983, Harrison continued his passion for maintaining a high standard of physical fitness.
Harrison felt that the standard physical fitness requirements of the Marine Corps -- a 3 mile run, pull-ups and 100 crunches -- wasn't enough for him, he wanted to push himself further.
"I really got involved with weight training and running long distances because I didn't want to just do the minimum," said Harrison. "I always want a challenge because it's then that you really see what you're made of. Anyone can achieve the minimum, but when you keep pushing yourself and making new goals, you become stronger...physically and mentally."
From 1989-1992, Harrison returned to Parris Island where his Marine Corps career began. During his first platoon of fresh recruits, Harrison made a necessary and highly rewarding. One young recruit had failed his initial strength test and was about to be dropped from the platoon.
"It was my first platoon where I was the senior and I felt like I could actually make a difference with this young recruit," said Harrison. "As drill instructors, we all took an oath that these recruits were enlisted in our care and would train them to the best of our ability; so I felt that when I took that creed, it was my obligation to honor it. How could I honor it, if I dropped this recruit even before we started training?"
By the end of the cycle, the recruit had made a complete 180, being able to complete the physical fitness test and even pushed out 19 pull ups. Without Harrison's dedication, who knows if that recruit would have improved as much as he did.
"That recruit pushed himself, and I never gave up on him," said Harrison. "Sure, it was a challenge, and I could have easily dropped him, but if everyone was able to max the PFT and get 300, then there would be no challenge. It's when you're approached with a challenge that you truly see what you're made of -- as an individual and a leader."
It wasn't until 1995 that after watching a friend compete in a body building competition did Harrison consider taking his weight training to the next level by competing in a contest.
In 1996, Harrison entered his first body building competition aboard Okinawa, Japan, but he did not do as well as he had hoped.
"I had rookie written all over my face," laughed Harrison. "After turning the wrong direction when the judges asked me to do a quarter turn right, I just felt doomed after that. It was like I lost all my confidence in just a few seconds."
The day following the competition, Harrison flew back to the states to report to his next duty station. At the Naval Academy, he served as a senior enlisted advisor from 1996-1999. During his time there, Harrison influenced and encouraged his students to push themselves physically and mentally.
Returning to his days on the drill field, Harrison remembered all those recruits he encouraged and pushed. One cadet clearly stands out to Harrison.
"I'll never forget this cadet, he had so much heart and wanted to pass the test," said Harrison. "Instead of going home for the summer, he stayed back to train, and I looked at him and said if you have that much dedication, I'll be right here to push you even further."
After a few weeks of training during early mornings and late nights with Harrison, the cadet was able to easily pass his physical test.
"I like to see people push themselves and move to another level, to excel past where they thought they could achieve," said Harrison. "When that cadet passed his test, it was a very proud moment for not just him, but myself as well."
Many of Harrison's cadets still keep in touch with him and agree that his inspiration and leadership style are one for others to emulate. For Capt. Kielly Andrews, a judge advocate at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and a former cadet of Harrison's, she remembers Harrison fondly for assisting her in getting back into shape after she broke her arm.
"Sgt. Maj. Harrison always puts forth 120 percent of himself into everything he does," said Andrews. "He wasn't going to give up on me, and most importantly, he wasn't going to let me give up on me. Most of our workouts lasted two hours, if not longer ... but it worked and in the end, my times were more than competitive for the Marine selection board, and I owe a lot of that to him."
Although Harrison enjoys giving Marines advice about weightlifting, body building or nutrition, he prefers working out alone.
"I'm my best partner," said Harrison. "I know when I'll be there-mentally and physically. I can totally focus on working out during those one hour blocks I'm in the gym with no distractions."
The next few years are certain for Harrison, he'll continue to impact his Marines as much as he can, and look forward to life after the Corps.
"I've enjoyed my time in the Corps, but I'm also preparing myself for the end, because there is life after all of this," said Harrison. "It will be bittersweet when I do retire, because I've enjoyed teaching and leading Marines."
After the Corps, Harrison plans to get his personal trainers license and use his Bachelors Management Studies degree from the University of Maryland to open up his own gym. He'd like to promote his own programs for people to use in order to help change their lives and their way of thinking about fitness.
"I know there are a lot of different programs out there, and I just hope that mine will impact people in a way that they feel like they can do it on their own, and then go out and teach others," said Harrison.
Whether it's mentoring young Marines with career decisions or giving them advice about weight lifting, Harrison is always there to be a source of encouragement and believes each individual has something to offer.
"Within the grid square, we all have a piece of the puzzle," said Harrison. "No one has your smile, your personality -- we're all unique and there isn't another person like you. You cannot be replaced. As Marines we sometimes have a hard time letting down that guard or perception of who we must be in this uniform."
"My goal, as always, is to touch Marines' lives in any way that I can, whether that be through mentorship with Marine Corps issues, life issues or body building."
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2009 06:33 |
| Story ID: | 37200 |
| Location: | AL ASAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 833 |
| Downloads: | 224 |
This work, Physical Training: Way of life for sergeant major, by SSgt Jennifer Poole, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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