JAMES BANCROFT 1:02

I went to boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina. My school for Air Support Operations operator was at Twentynine Palms, California. I was then stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina, with the 1st Marine Air Wing, Mass 1. Then I took a duty stationed at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, with Mass 2 Delta Alpha. While I have been to Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hawaii, Guam, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Mombassa, Kenya, Diego Garcia, Perth, Australia and Colombo, Sri Lanka all because I was in the Marine Corps and I went on different deployments.

With what happened with the tsunami a couple of years ago, it was Marine Corps helicopters and navy helicopters that were there first helping these people get their lives back together, bringing in food and water. Without a force like the Marine Corps having the pilots and the aircraft necessary out at sea, and without the manpower behind it, we just couldn’t be a quick reaction force either for a time of conflict or a time of humanitarian aid. There’s definitely a pride in knowing that we get the job done. I can’t deny we get an awful lot of good press but the Marine Corps deserves it.