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The Marine Corps is a warfighting organization, and training warriors takes a special breed of Marines. For Gunnery Sgt. Alfredo Torres, a Senior Drill Instructor with Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, he's made training recruits his life’s mission.
An infantry Marine by trade, Torres has endured numerous combat deployments throughout the world. In 2010 Torres was with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, nicknamed the Darkhorse. During that deployment, he was one of 300 Marines wounded in action. It has been ten years since that deployment to Afghanistan, although Torres has never forgotten the lessons learned in those combat missions.
"The Marine Corps is a warfighting organization," said Torres. "At the end of the day, I'm here because somebody trained me to that mindset," said Torres. "Now, as the Senior Drill Instructor (SDI) for platoon 1071, Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, I will continue to train the recruits to that mindset," said Torres.
Being a drill instructor was an 11-year-old dream, that dream was answered in June of 2020, when Torres reported to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, for drill instructor school. Graduating that September, he began his first 3-month cycle in December.
As a new drill instructor at MCRD San Diego, he immediately proved himself, and was made a senior drill instructor, after his first cycle. . Torres accredits much of his success as a drill instructor to his time as an infantry Marine, where his experience overseas, gave him a unique perspective.
"We are going to be serving with these kids in 2-3 years after we take off our campaign covers, so I want to be able to trust that Marine in the foxhole next to me to do his job well," said Torres. "Everything we do in recruit training applies back to combat."
Torres has graduated back-to-back honor platoons \, and this is not by chance. "Every day, you have to empty the tank, push 100% the entire day, and if you don't, then that day was a failure," said Torres. Being a drill instructor is more than just a job to Torres- training recruits is one of the most meaningful opportunities he has had in the Marine Corps. "I'm giving the recruits my everything, because I never want them to make the same mistakes I have."
As a senior drill instructor aboard MCRD SD, Torres continues to graduate platoons of Marines and he feels nothing but pride. "Every single meal I've missed, every hour of sleep I've missed, my feet hurting, not having a life outside of the Marine Corps… everything is worth it at that point," said Torres. "I can't think of a better feeling than handing a new Marine their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor."
It all starts with Friday pick-up when the recruits meet their drill instructors for the first time. So Friday, June 25, 2021, the recruits of platoon 1071, Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, met their drill instructors and SDI Gunnery Sgt. Torres.
In the next three months, Torres will again remind himself, why he and his team do what they do. It is because, the question on GySgt Torres' mind remains the same- how will they remember you?
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2021 18:10 |
| Story ID: | 399935 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 212 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Infantry Marine Making Marines, by Sgt Zachary Beatty, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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