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Faith and determination lead the way for local Marine Corps boot camp graduates Privates Nycorian Allen and Donte Fulmore.

Sergeant Josiah Gates said the 13-week boot camp is the most rigorous of all the military branches.

“They go through basic drill and are waking up every morning at four o’clock and are at it until eight o’clock at night. At the very end, they participate in a culminating event called The Crucible, which is a three-day event, where they must compete a nine-mile hike with about 80 pounds on their back,” Gates said.  “They end up in Parris Island, where they come up to a sign that says, “We make Marines” at the very end of it. There they are given their new globe and anchor and officially become Marines from that point on.”

Gates said to have two new graduates of the program feels rewarding.

“Allen was the person I recruited into the Marine Corps. Seeing him going from where he was before to the young Marine now, it’s a good feeling,” Gates said. “Fulmore came into my office and sought out information for himself. I didn’t have to reach out to him. He said he’s always wanted to be a Marine, and I’m glad we were able to make that happen.”

Allen said his experience in the boot camp was hard but fun.

“It shaped me up to be someone I wasn’t before I joined. It challenged you, and it’s overcoming those obstacles that make you proud and want to do more and be more,” Allen said. “It was a proud feeling to finish, and I am thankful to my drill instructors for what they put me through. They gave me a lot of advice and a lot more experience than I’ve ever had and because of that I’m able to do more with it.”

Fulmore said for him the experience for him was hard to adapt to.

“Over time, it got better, and it made you want to be better than the rest in your platoon, be a better person, get recommendations from the drill instructors and go higher in the chain of command,” Fulmore said.  “They made it like that for a reason but at the end of the day, it’s all brotherly love. I’m thankful for the discipline they make you have. It’s not something that a lot of people have out in the civilian world, and it helps you better yourself as a whole.”

As the duo now wear their new titles with pride, they plan to take a few lessons with them.

“I decided to join because I have a lot of family in the Army and Navy but never in the Marine Corps. I wanted to be different, and I heard it was the hardest, so I challenged myself to become one,” Fulmore said.  “Now that I’ve graduated, I plan to take initiative from the boot camp because I feel like that can go a long way in life.”

Allen said becoming a Marine has been a dream of his since he was three years old. Now that he is a Marine, he plans to take the discipline he learned with him as he progresses.

“I have wanted to do this ever since I was a little kid. Most people don’t remember what their dreams are when they’re three, but for the longest time my dream or to be in the Marines. It feels it feels amazing that I was able to make this happen and how I was able to make my family proud,” Allen said. “Discipline will take you further into life and help get you places. It definitely took me a lot farther than I ever thought I could.”