Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryanne Williams | U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Mariah Bahe (left), a supply clerk with Weapons and Field...... read more read more
SAN DIEGO, Ariz. – Joe Deleon is no stranger to the U.S. Marine Corps. He enlisted in April 1981 and arrived on the yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in August that same year. He served over twelve years on active duty as a scout sniper, reaching the rank of sergeant before leaving active service in 1993. He now teaches Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps classes at Chinle High School, Chinle Ariz.
Every year, he mentors dozens of students who consider the military for a career. He’s seen his fair share of Army, Navy, and Air Force graduates, though his utmost pride is in those students he guided to the Marines. This year, he got to see how his mentorship impacted two such students at Educator’s Workshop, a program hosted by Marine Corps Recruiting Command to show educators and influencers how their students transform from recruit to Marine.
Lance Cpl. Mariah Bahe was very shy and reserved when she first met Mr. Deleon. With his encouragement and support, he became a close mentor.
“He made me build myself up,” says Bahe. “He supported me through all four years (in his class) and built my confidence up.”
Bahe had plans to go to college and pursue boxing, a passion of hers. However, Deleon saw something in his student that made him pitch the possibility of a career in the Marine Corps.
“Her competitive nature and athleticism contributed to the ‘Marine Corps image.’ She had the right attitude, spirit, demeanor – she embraced Esprit de Corps.”
Following her high school graduation, she enlisted in the Marine Corps. In November of 2022, she stepped on the same yellow footprints as her teacher did over forty years ago. She now serves as a supply warehouse clerk with Weapons and Field Training Battalion in Camp Pendleton, where she was able to step away for a moment to reunite with the teacher that inspired her journey.
Lance Cpl. Shantelle Smiley, another one of Deleon’s students, knew she wanted to pursue a military career. She originally planned to join a different branch but was swayed toward the Marine Corps by Deleon.
“The way he talked about the Marine Corps was what piqued my interest,” said Smiley. “It felt like more of a challenge – I wanted to be one of ‘the fewer, the prouder.’”
Deleon cemented himself as her mentor by motivating her to become the best version of herself. He catered his teaching to each of his students, minding their preferred path in life and bolstering those desires.
“No matter what you wanted to do in your life, whether it was college or military or just joining the workforce, (Mr. Deleon) put those interests first. He wanted all of us to explore the world. It was these characteristics about him that further drew me in to being a Marine.”
Lance Cpl. Smiley enlisted in July 2024 and attended bootcamp at MCRD San Diego as well. She now serves as a 5831 correctional specialist with Headquarters and Service Battalion on Camp Pendleton. Though she couldn’t step away to see Deleon, they shared a quick phone call while he was in town.
“It’s hard to sum it up – I’m extremely proud of them,” says Deleon. “They are some of few, I can say, that are my successors.”
Educator’s Workshop not only gave Joe Deleon the opportunity to reconnect with his former students but also showed him how the Marine Corps has evolved since he served. Armed now with current knowledge and experiences, he feels even more ready to guide the next generations of Marines.
“A few things have changed, but the heart of the Corps is the same. This time around, I learned more about the opportunities for a college education when you enlist and how many more jobs there are. These are things I want to share with my students.”
Educator’s workshop is an essential program used to inspire, challenge, and inform today’s educators and influencers. Attendees got to meet with Marines diverse in rank, job, and experience to understand what opportunities are available. They participated in physical training events like the modified Combat Fitness Test and the Twelve Stalls Obstacle Courses. They witnessed demonstrations from a Military Police working dog, Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructors, and Marine Corps Water Survival Instructors. They explored a static aircraft display at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Throughout it all, attendees got a deep dive into the Marine Corps from the perspective of the newest Marines to the ones twenty years strong. The tools they take away from this experience will undoubtedly jumpstart impactful careers for many of their students.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2025 15:51 |
| Story ID: | 500341 |
| Location: | OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | CHINLE, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, A Full Circle Moment at Educator's Workshop, by SSgt Ryanne Williams, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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