Lance Corporal David Trousdale

Beaumont, TX

My journey to becoming a Marine started when I was freshman in high school, back in 1986. I had decided to join the school's NJROTC unit in order to escape P.E. I thought it would be an easy class. To my amazement, it was not as easy as I thought it would be, but it turned out the military lifestyle was one that agreed with me. It instilled in me discipline and mental as well as physical strength. My ROTC instructor was a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant who had earned the Navy Cross. Hearing his story, and seeing the Marine Corps spirit lived through him, I decided I wanted to be a Marine myself. Upon graduating from high school in June of 1990 I soon found myself 17 days later on the famous "yellow footprints" in San Diego. After a grueling 13 weeks, I had earned the right to call myself "Marine." I served with the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion for the 4 years of my enlistment. During that time, I learned the meaning of the words "patriotism", "honor", "commitment", and also "brotherhood." If not for the Corps, I would not be the man I am today. Semper Fidelis! Lance Corporal David Trousdale