Sgt. Grit Community

Chandler, OK couple may have made Marine Corps History.   "Who bosses who?" is the question a lot of people ask this young couple who just graduated from boot camp with honors.    In early 2010, Jared Blackwell was talking to his wife Stephanie (married July, 08) about joining the Marine Corps. Jared had always talked about joining the military and shared with Stephanie that he wanted a challenging career with variety that would be productive and told her that he was worried his future in the pipeline business wasn't stable enough. Stephanie was pursuing a degree in physical education from the University of Central Oklahoma, and told Jared she was also unsure about opportunities that would be available to her after graduation.   Meanwhile, to make a long story short, after Jared talked to a recruiter and decided to join the Corps, it didn't take Stephanie long to decide that she was going to join also. Since all women recruits go through boot camp at Parris Island, and Oklahoma males typically to through boot camp at San Diego, Jared was granted a waiver, and on May 10, 2010, they both shipped out for recruit training at Parris Island.   The couple began training; drill, classes, physical training, with all the fun and games that makes Marine Corps boot camp what it is, simply put, the toughest training in the world. During this time, the male and female recruits were allowed no contact. Undergoing the same training made them cross paths a few times per week, but no communication was allowed and they were only able to glance at each other.   On Aug. 6, 2010 the Blackwells graduated from boot camp, possibly making Marine Corps history by being the first married couple to finish boot camp as honor graduates in the same training cycle. Command at Parris Island does not keep records, but said in their opinion, this was the first time this had happened. Any of you old or young Marines out there know of this happening before?    Jared was his platoon honor graduate, and received a promotion to Private First Class, meanwhile Stephanie was her platoon and company honor graduate, and due to her college hours had been promised a promotion to Private First Class after boot camp, but instead was promoted to Lance Corporal. In response to the question, who bosses who? Jared confidently said, she things she is in charge. Stephanie replied, I am in charge!   After infantry training at Camp Lejeune, Stephanie received orders to attend the Defense Language Institute at Monterey, CA, for a course that will last a year and one half. Jared is currently in the Naval Hospital at Balboa, rehabbing from a hip and wrist injury sustained in an accident at Camp Pendleton, and looking forward to rejoining his unit.