A-Frame
Sgt. C.S. Martin
3068 M Company
1995
While in boot camp I was no stud, but I wasn’t a slouch either. Every challenge I faced came to me with relative ease and I was succeeding with high marks on everything that was thrown my way until the day came when I had to face the A-frame. Now, growing up, I was athletic and relatively fearless but I had what my mother called “a healthy fear of heights”. If I didn’t have to jump off of it, I wasn’t going to. So, I attacked the A-frame like I had everything else that had been thrown at me and was cruising until I reached the top. I reached out to grab that rope and it hit me, I have to swing off of this thing with one hand and then grab the rope with the other to slide down. Confidence lost!!
I have never had much faith in my upper body strength and here was an obstacle that required almost all hand strength in order for me to get my body in position to complete this task. I completely froze. Looking down I see D.I. Sgt. Ortiz. Standing at only 5’3’’ but built like the Hulk with a strong New York accent, he was a little intimidating to this ole southern boy to say the least. He starts yell up at me to “get off my obstacle, Maaartin!” Still frozen, I just clung to that wood for dear life. He yells at me again and I respond that, “this recruit can’t”. As soon as I said it, I knew I had just sealed my doom.
Well, like Donkey Kong, Sgt. Ortiz grabs my rope and the one on the other side and climbs up to me. I am fearing for my life at this point because here he comes right at me. As he reaches the top, he lets go of my rope and holds himself up with one hand on the other and points a finger at my face and yells again for me to “get off his obstacle!” I told him that I couldn’t and in a very hushed tone he tells me something that I have used in my life ever since that day. He said, “you’re not going to let yourself fall”. Well, this hit me like a ton of bricks. He’s right I’m not going to let myself fall. These simple words filled me with the confidence that I needed in order to finish the task and to move on to the next obstacle.
Drill Instructors are hard on us for a reason. We have to learn how to survive in the face of adversity however, like every great leader I have known, they know when to dial it back in order to reach a young man in need of encouragement and a boost of inner confidence. I have used this life lesson throughout my life and whenever the situation has called on it, I have shared those very words with whomever needed to hear them. I have come to learn that it applies to more areas of our lives than just looking down at the ground from high up. His words have been applied every time I have been faced with what I thought was a seemingly insurmountable obstacle in my life. I’m not going to let myself fall. This crosses my mind on a very regular basis and it has boosted my confidence in myself every day.
I came away from Parris Island a U.S. Marine but more importantly I came away a better man. I know I can come across a little hard at times, ask my wife, but I am honest to a fault and always willing to stand up for what I believe in. I am also willing to dial it down in order to teach those life lessons and to help reach those that need it. This has all become a part of who I am and it’s in thanks to the leadership of my Drill Instructors and the trainings and experiences that I had during my time in the Marine Corps.
Semper Fidelis,
Sgt. C.S. Martin
2nd BN 3rd Marines
1995-1999