Cleveland, OH -- Every month, recruiting stations across the Marine Corps welcome new young men and women into the Delayed Entry Program. The program serves to prepare those men and women for recruit training.
“The Delayed Entry Program is basically a program that utilizes the holding time a person has between when they make the commitment to become and Marine and when they actually ship to recruit training,” said Staff Sgt. Greg Markley, the Recruiting Station Cleveland program specialist. “It is during this time that (recruiting) stations motivate and prepare their poolees both mentally and physically for the rigors of recruit training.”
It is not uncommon for a poolee to spend upwards of six months in the DEP, and that amount of time can prove to be a very helpful thing for those that may need time to get better adjusted to the military way of life or progress their physical fitness.
To ensure that the future Marines of America are as prepared as they can be, the DEP has weekly meetings with their recruiters to ensure they are continuously making strides to prepare for recruit training.
“We are able to monitor and evaluate each young man or woman’s mental and physical status weekly because while in the DEP, they attend weekly functions,” said Sgt. Maj. Sean Spatar, the sergeant major of RS Cleveland. “If a poolee needs to work on the physical aspect (pull-ups, crunches, running, strength), we will set up an action plan to get them there. On the mental side, we have guided discussions, provide them Marine Corps Recruit Depot videos, speak to them about the phases of recruit training and are very transparent as to what exactly they can expect at recruit training.”
A pool can be used by the recruiters to build the camaraderie, physical fitness and knowledge of the Marine Corps while also emphasizing the importance of working together.
“As mentors, recruiters develop a team mentality within their poolees,” said Markley. “They do not want anyone to fail, and it shows in the way they work to keep each other motivated.”
The Marine Corps is committed to filling its ranks with America’s best and brightest. That commitment begins the moment someone decides that they want to be a Marine, and the men and women of Recruiting Station Cleveland work tirelessly to see that through.
“At the end of the day it is about making sure that these great Americans that have made the decision to be a Marine have every opportunity to excel in recruit training and beyond,” said Spatar. “We owe them that because they are the future of our Corps. The Delayed Entry Program helps us accomplish that.”