Fightertown Marines Help to Educate the Educators

Story by Lance Cpl. Elyssa Quesada
Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

BEAUFORT, S.C. – Fightertown is hosting educators from various places throughout the east coast in hopes of clarifying the mission of the Marine Corps.

Groups of teachers and other school employees will visit different places and squadrons aboard the Air Station and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island during each visit as part of the annual educators workshop.

The groups are able to witness recruits at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island going through all three phases of recruit training, to include the crucible, pugil sticks and the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.

“Hopefully the individuals we invited take back another option for their students as an alternate career choice after school,” said Staff Sgt. David Drafton, the public affairs chief of 6th Marine Corps District.

While aboard the Air Station, they will visit squadrons for a tour of static displays, a mission brief and tour of the flightline.

The knowledge the educators get will be taken back with them to their schools. There, they will be able to give an informed opinion to their students about recruit training and what life as a Marine is like, Drafton explained.

“It is our goal to have the educators leave with confidence in recommending any branch of service,” said 2nd Lt. Jennifer Giles, a public affairs officer at 6th Marine Corps District. “We hope that they leave feeling knowledgable in the transformation that people make from a recruit to a Marine.”

The workshop is valuable to the Marine Corps, because it takes educators with limited knowledge of the Corps and gives them the opportunity to witness the transformation for themselves.

“It is a great experience for educators to learn what the Marine Corps has to offer young people as a career path,” Giles said. “It gives us an opportunity to dispel any false pretenses they think are associated with the military.”

The effect these educators will have cannot be measured. The workshop will give them a better understanding of the Marine Corps and military service in order to assist them as they advise their students on potential career paths.