U.S. Marine from Warwick recognized as honor graduate
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. The first two Puller Awards were presented to the company honor graduates of Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, and Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, upon their graduation of recruit training at the Peatross Parade Deck on March 30.
The Puller Award was created by the Marine Corps Association & Foundation as another way to honor the achievements of recruits who stood out in training.
Brig. Gen. Lori Reynolds, commanding general of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region, awarded Pfc. Brian Rogan, from Platoon 1018 and native of Warwick N.Y., and Pfc. Jacqueline Kinman, from Platoon 4009 and native of Crittenden, Ky., the award after the graduation ceremony.
With the advent of the initial issue (of uniform items) including the dress blue uniform, we started giving the honor graduates a plaque, said John Keenan, professional development director for the Marine Corps Association & Foundation.
Ed Usher,a retired colonel who is now president of the association, said the plaque didnt do the honor graduates proper justice for their hard work throughout recruit training.
The intent was to create a family heirloom that an honor graduates descendents can look upon and understand the value of their ancestors hard work, Keenan said.
The association consulted with the San Diego and Parris Island recruit depots and decided that a statue of the famous Marine, Lt. Gen. Lewis Chesty Puller, was a proper award.
We had a sculptor and former Marine, Mark Byrd, get in touch with Pullers living descendents and begin work on a lifelike statue of Puller, Keenan said.
The statuette is made of bronze and is approximately a foot tall. Keenan said he said he hopes that the award will remind the new Marines of their hard work and the pride they have instilled in them from recruit training for years to come.
Getting this award pretty much means everything to me, said Rogan. It is beyond an honor to be given something with even just his name on it, let alone be made in his likeness.
Editors note: This story was written by Lance Cpl. Michael Rogers and made available by the DVIDS, which stands for Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System provided by the U.S. Department of Defense.