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On a cloudy February morning, a convoy of plain, white buses rolled to a stop in front of building 623. Receiving had begun. Recruit Abigail Ragland, a new recruit with Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, ran off the bus to the yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego (MCRDSD), to begin training with the first integrated company in its history. Ragland initially put off enlisting in the Marine Corps in order to complete college with hopes of becoming a paramedic, however the spread of COVID-19 prevented her from being able to complete all of the requirements. With this delay in mind, she decided enough was enough, and made her way to her local recruiting office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Soon after, she was introduced to many of the challenges that she, as well as the rest of platoon 3241, would be faced with. For Ragland, one of the hurdles she noticed early on was the feeling of seclusion from being at a formally all male recruit depot.
“The other recruits and I don’t have a female platoon to look up to and think, ‘that will be us in a couple weeks,’” said Rct. Abigail Ragland.
Although Ragland felt a sense of seclusion, MCRDSD is not unfamiliar territory to her family. December 4, 2020, Pvt. Justin Ragland graduated from MCRDSD with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, and March 23, 2021, Rct. Nathan Ragland, arrived with Hotel Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. Within a year’s time, the Ragland family will have had three siblings arrive and depart from the gates of MCRDSD. Entering as Civilians and leaving as newly made United States Marines.
Despite the challenges faced by Abigail Ragland and the rest of platoon 3241, they have not let it hinder their success. The platoon obtained the highest score in the initial and final Physical Fitness Test, Combat Fitness Test, as well as Final Drill.
Upon graduation, Ragland will continue to the School of Infantry to attend Marine Combat Training before beginning her military occupational specialty training to become an Aircrew Marine, with hopes of eventually becoming a pilot. For Ragland, graduating from MCRDSD will be an amazing accomplishment to look back on, however all that matters to her is earning the title of United States Marine.
“My only goal is to become a Marine. Where it happens doesn’t matter to me,” said Ragland.
Just this past Thursday, Lima Company completed the culminating event of the 54-hour-long Crucible, the Reaper, and earned the title of United States Marine. For the first time ever in MCRDSD history, male, and female recruits received their Eagle, Globe, and Anchors together at the top of the Reaper as one Company.
| Date Taken: | 04.26.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.26.2021 18:44 |
| Story ID: | 394823 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Recruit Abigail Ragland, by Sgt Zachary Beatty, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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