March 21, 2014 -- INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – The next generation of Marines attended the Recruiting Substation Independence, Recruiting Station Kansas City Family Night March 12 at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post.
During the two-hour event, parents were able to ask questions about what their son or daughter can expect at recruit training.
Topics covered were what to bring to boot camp, whether or not they will be paid during training and when they can expect to make contact with their recruit.
“Your child will be paid at recruit training, everything will be provided for them and instructions for writing and receiving letters will be sent home within a week of arriving to the depot,” said Staff Sgt. Robert Surozenski, a drill instructor with Support Training Company at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Poolees, who are young men and women waiting to leave for Marine Corps boot camp, might not know what to expect from recruit training, so to have the drill instructors come out and give them a glimpse really helps them understand it a little better, said Sgt. Kenneth Trotter, marketing and public affairs representative, RS Kansas City.
“Boot camp is 70 percent mental and 30 percent physical,” said Sgt. Maj. Johnnie Hughes, sergeant major, Recruiting Station Kansas City. “Your son or daughter will learn what is required of them and will be able to perform that task without hesitation.”
Two drill instructors, one from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and one from MCRD Parris Island came to assist proctoring the pull-up and crunches portion of the Initial Strength Test, and demonstate what the poolees can expect at the depot.
Surozenski and Sgt. Britni Garcia-Green, a drill instructor with 4th Recruit Training Battalion, MCRD Parris Island, S.C., explained to poolees and parents what an average day will be like on their three month journey through the depot.
“Family night gave me a good sample of what we’re going to go through in boot camp,” said Poolee Julian Moreno, a senior at Lee’s Summit High School. “It helped us better understand a daily routine, and what the stress levels might be like with yelling and it really helped me a lot.”
Moreno is scheduled to depart for recruit training with a reconnaissance contract in early June upon graduating from high school.
“I didn’t have many concerns, because I know boot camp is going to be intense,” said Regina Moreno, the mother of Poolee Moreno. “Nothing seems to rattle him and I think he’ll do great.”
Moreno's recruiters feel as confident in his abilities as his mother does.
“He’s a very strong kid that is very involved in school activities and extra-curricular events,” said Master Sgt. Patrick Lavin, SNCOIC, RSS Independence.
During the course of the week, different events were hosted to better prepare the young men and women for their boot camp experience at their respective recruit depots.
On March 14, an all hands female pool function was also held by RS Kansas City at the 9th Marine Corps District headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.
While going through training at either recruit depot, recruits will be held to the highest standard; they will move quickly, with speed, volume and intensity and in term that will help them achieve their greatest potential, Surozenski said.
Family Nights are strategically held once a year in the Recruiting Station’s area of operations in order to better prepare the young men and women at a time when the delayed entry program pool is the largest, according to Master Sgt. Jeffrey Jaeckle, training team, 9th Marine Corps District.