At 0900 on April 5th, 2025, more than 250 young men and women about to ship out to recruit training, known as Poolees, and Marines gathered to conduct an annual pool function hosted by Marine Corps Recruiting Station Charlotte at South Iredell High School in Statesville, North Carolina. The pool function is designed to ensure that all future Marines are physically and mentally prepared for the rigorous training that they will encounter upon their arrival at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot, Parris Island. Each poolee comes to these pool functions with different areas they seek to improve. For some, focus more on their physical fitness and for others their mental stamina. On average, Recruiting Station Charlotte ships approximately 50 poolees a month to attend recruit training on the path to earn the coveted title of United States Marine. Recruiting Station Charlotte not only uses pool functions to hone their poolee’s minds and bodies for the challenges they will face in the future. But also, as a place where a lifetime of brotherhood and sisterhood starts, for the Marine Corps and camaraderie go hand-in-hand. Drill instructors, who came from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, provided a little taste of what the Island had in store for the future Marines. And the dedication it would take to complete the journey ahead. “The biggest challenge that I overcame was the drill instructors, and remembering it is mostly mental that they are there to make me better,” said Devin Armstrong, a poolee from Recruiting Substation Rock Hill, South Carolina. Part of the pool function was a competition where the Recruiting Substations that make up Recruiting Station Charlotte would go head-to-head against each other to earn the title of Charlotte’s top station. “The initial strength test was my favorite event seeing I like more of a physical challenge, also with everyone pushing each other I was able to beat my best time on the run portion” said Renee Browning , a poolee from Recruiting Substation Rock Hill, South Carolina. As the day came to an end Recruiting Substation Greenville was named victorious and this year’s annual pool function winner. Message to the poolees, “Everything you do give maximum effort you only get to do recruit training one time and make sure looking back you have no regrets,” said Sgt. Maj. Brian Downing, Sergeant Major of Recruiting Station Charlotte.

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SPRINGFIELD, TENN. - At just six years old, Michelle Jacinto was fighting for her life. Diagnosed with leukemia while visiting family in Mexico, she endured years of chemotherapy, hospital stays, and a battle that tested her strength in ways most children never experience. Now, at 17, she’s preparing for an entirely different challenge—earning the title of United States Marine. Jacinto, a high school senior from Springfield, Tennessee, enlisted in the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program last December. The DEP allows future Marines, known as poolees, to train and prepare for boot camp while finishing school. This step marks Jacinto's culmination of years of resilience and determination. “I was very young when I had cancer, but I remember how much I had to fight,” Jacinto said. “That fight made me who I am today, and it’s why I know I can make it through Marine Corps boot camp.” Growing up, Jacinto never really considered a military career. She had no family members in the armed forces, and her original plan was to save money and attend college. But when she saw an opportunity to better her future, she took it. “I wanted something more,” she explained. “The Marine Corps offers me structure, education, and self-confidence, and honestly, I was drawn to the dress blues—there’s just something about them.” Her journey to enlistment wasn’t without obstacles. As a cancer survivor, Jacinto needed a medical waiver to be granted approval for military service. Initially, she didn’t think her past illness would be an issue, but after her first visit to Military Entrance Processing Station, she learned she had to provide extensive medical documentation. “I was nervous, but I didn’t let it stop me,” Jacinto said. “I had already beaten cancer—this was just one more hurdle.” After months of waiting, she finally received the news she had been longing for: she was medically cleared to join the Marine Corps. The day she took the oath of enlistment was emotional, marking the official start of her journey to becoming a Marine. Her family, especially her mother, are excited and nervous about her decision. “She’s proud of me, but she’s also worried,” Jacinto admitted. “It’s a big change, but she knows this is what I want.” Since joining the DEP, Jacinto has been attending physical training sessions with fellow poolees, building the strength and endurance she’ll need for boot camp. She acknowledges that fitness has been one of her biggest challenges but embraces the struggle, knowing it will only make her stronger. “It’s tough, but I feel so accomplished after every workout,” she said. “If I keep pushing myself, I know I’ll be ready.” Jacinto is set to ship off to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on May 27—just ten days after her high school graduation. While the thought of boot camp makes her nervous, she is eager to meet new people and challenge herself in ways she never has before. “I’m most excited to meet people from all over,” she said. “Everyone comes from different backgrounds, and we’ll all be in this together.” Looking ahead, Jacinto hopes to serve in Marine Corps communications and use the military’s education benefits to earn a college degree. She also has personal goals—gaining more confidence and becoming the strongest version of herself, both physically and mentally. “I never thought I’d be here,” she reflected. “But everything I’ve been through has led me to this moment. And I know I’m ready.” From a childhood spent battling leukemia to standing on the brink of becoming a United States Marine, Michelle Jacinto is proof that nothing can stop a determined spirit. Soon, she will embark on her next fight—the fight to earn the title: United States Marine.

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U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Channel O. Barrow had always known that his little brother, James

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