Photo By Lance Cpl. Javarre Glanton | Recruit Andrew Sanctis, Platoon 3010, Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion,...... read more read more
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PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. — A Marine from Platoon 3010, Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, will graduate recruit training today, older and more experienced than many of his peers.
Pfc. Andrew Sanctis felt ready. He set off for recruit training at the age of 27 with numerous skills that he used to help him earn the title of Marine.
“I wanted to go into the military because of the opportunities it would open up for me,” said Sanctis, of Dayton, Ohio. “If I was going to go the military route, I wanted to be a part of the elite group – the Marines.”
Before he enlisted, he was a martial arts instructor while earning his bachelor’s degree. He began learning martial arts during college and obtained a black belt in jiujitsu and judo.
Through martial arts training and teaching, he said he gained patience, bearing, physical endurance and mental stamina.
“He’s definitely very mature,” said Staff Sgt. Javier Corcino, Sanctis’ senior drill instructor. “He’s been very focused since he got here.”
Although he loves teaching and martial arts, he said his passion is law enforcement, which is why he enlisted into the Corps to become a military policeman.
“I’ve always had an interest in law enforcement and police work,” he said. “I dropped out of the [officer candidate program] because I wanted to do this for the job, not the money.”
Sanctis turned down the opportunity to become a commissioned officer because the job he wanted was not guaranteed, said Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Schroeder, a recruiter from Dayton and his first contact with an enlisted recruiter.
“He came in and said he wanted to do the officer [program] later because if he was going to be an officer, he should be enlisted first,” Schroeder said. “That way, he would know what it was like to be enlisted and be able to make good judgment calls as an officer.”
Because of his leadership skills, age and focus, he became an obvious person whom others in his platoon could turn to for help, Corcino said.
“Everyone has something to offer,” Sanctis said. “Even though I’m 10 years older than the majority of the platoon, I still take in what the others are saying and doing.”
Corcino said he would definitely be his go-to-guy if he ever had the opportunity to work for him after recruit training because he knows what it takes to get the mission accomplished.
“He’s going to be very successful in the Marine Corps,” Corcino said. “He’s the type of person who sees things through to the end.”
| Date Taken: | 02.09.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2012 13:22 |
| Story ID: | 83589 |
| Location: | PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 215 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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