Photo By Lance Cpl. Jacob Hutchinson | A U.S. Marine Corps chief drill instructor with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training...... read more read more
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Recruit Aidee Calero, a native of San Diego, Calif., harbored dreams of becoming a Marine, inspired by her interactions with Marines she had met in her hometown. She was excited to start her new journey after arriving to the depot; however, her journey faced an unexpected hurdle when she broke her foot during the initial days of training.
Calero embarked on her boot camp journey Sept. 18, 2023, initially assigned to Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. Following her injury, she was placed in a medical rehabilitation platoon until deemed fit to resume recruit training. Unexpectedly for her, the 12-week recovery would turn out to be a lesson in mental resilience.
"The thought of not making it was the hardest challenge I faced while recovering from my injury," Calero remarked.
Now part of Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Calero remains determined to achieve her goal, though still months away from completion. Throughout this week of training, Calero will test her resolve through various exercises such as pugil sticks, body sparring, and an obstacle course. In the upcoming weeks, as Mike Company transitions their training to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., they will delve into combat-related skills crucial for their military careers.
Returning to training with a different company presented its own set of challenges yet Calero is already overcoming them as her platoon's guide.
"One of the challenges I've encountered is taking more initiative," Calero noted. "Learning to be assertive has been difficult, and acting without explicit permission has been even harder, given the potential consequences of misjudgment."
Drawing from her past experiences and the physical challenges overcome during her recovery period, Calero stated, "I don't feel like there is anything I can't overcome. My fear of heights will be my biggest challenge when we do the obstacle course.”
These lessons learned and memories forged here at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego will serve as pivotal reflection points for Calero as she embarks on her journey as a future Marine.
| Date Taken: | 01.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2024 13:40 |
| Story ID: | 463335 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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