The Marine of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2019 is Lance Cpl. Jose O. RiveraMartinez.
RiveraMartinez is network administrator working for the S-6 Communications Department.
Although he has worked for S-6 for only four months, his work ethic and willingness to learn the job made him an obvious choice to be Marine of the Quarter.
“His overall maturity was evident right away,” SSgt. Ricardo Martinez, S-6 radio chief said. “He hit the ground running and was eager to learn. He comes from El Salvador, so there is still a slight language barrier, but even with that he is still so eager to learn.”The Marine of the Quarter started life in his native Santa Ana, El Salvador, until his parents immigrated to America.
“We came to America legally to get away from the crime and the drug cartels,” the lance corporal explained.
He had considered joining the Corps at age 22, but his mother talked him out of it. “It was a dream of mine since I was little to join the Marines. I used to watch movies and the Marines were in their dress blues and I thought they looked amazing.”
But in June 2017, he took action. “Then three years later I was out running one day,” RiveraMartinez said, “and I saw a retired master gunnery sergeant who lived in the neighborhood. He was always treated with respect. I joined that day and shipped out two weeks later.”
After completing boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, he took his military occupational specialty training at the Communications School at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms, California.
RiveraMartinez arrived at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow in December 2018 and experienced pretty much the same reaction as most active duty personnel do when they get here.
“I was surprised. This place was really unusual. I didn’t see a single car on the streets. I wondered if this was a ghost town,” he said. “I know of Barstow because I live in the (San Fernando) valley so everybody stops in Barstow to use the restroom or to grab a snack on their way to Las Vegas, but I didn’t know there was a Marine base here.”
After being on base a while, RiveraMartinez realized that the saying that MCLBB is in the middle of everywhere is very accurate.
“I’m happy with the location of the base because it takes me only two hours to go home and visit my family in Reseda. I can also run up to Vegas. I went to Big Bear for Christmas. 29 Palms is right there and San Diego is not that far. The base is very strategically located.”
At 28 he is older than the average new Marine, but this has given RiveraMartinez a chance to act as an older brother, even to those of the same rank as his.
“I’m mentoring a couple of Marines who are younger than me,” he said. “I’m trying to get them to go outside more, don’t stick with the video games. There are a lot more things they could be doing.”
That willingness to help out continues to impress Staff Sgt. Martinez. “He volunteers for walking color guard duty,” Martinez noted. “He volunteers for ceremonial duty at funerals, he mentors our other lance corporal and has improved that Marine quite a bit.”
RiveraMartinez plans a career with the Corps, starting with Marine Security Guard once he makes noncommissioned officer status.
He urges those on the fence about joining the military to take action now.
“Don’t put off what they could do today, because before long your time is behind you and you miss your chance.”