Meeting a Marine Recruiter - Transcript

Staff Sgt. Christopher Mattis: We, as Marines, we look for people with the higher standards. The Marine Corps will not lower their standards just to meet an applicant. You have to raise your expectations as an applicant in order to become a United States Marine.

Sgt. Shawn Campbell: When I first meet somebody, basically it's just trying to get to know them to understand what they're actually looking for.

Gunnery Sgt. Corey Brown: Once we conclude what we call an interview with that young man or woman, then the recruiter comes out to the house and actually sit down and talk to Mom and Dad and really kind of solidify what the young man or woman wants to do.

Well, we go about it in one way, and one way only, and that's just being honest with the parents about, you know, what the Marine Corps is about.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Mattis: When you're on the course of them waiting to go to Recruit Training, you're mentoring them. Every week we meet up as recruiters to recruit, with the poolees to actually educate them, teach them more about our way of life as being Marines. And that's a special bond that we share as recruiter to recruitee.

Sgt. Shawn Campbell: As time goes on, they're a little bit more apt, and they understand a lot more about what happens in the Marine Corps. It's more of a family relationship bond that I have with them that they know that they're a part of the family.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Mattis: You are that influence. You are the Marine Corps to that person, and it just feels good to know that you're impacting that young man or young woman's life in starting a new career or a new way of life for that person.

Gunnery Sgt. Corey Brown: When a young man or woman that we prepare to go to Recruit Training goes through Recruit Training and is successful and comes back and shakes your hand and says, "You know, I've learned, Gunnery Sgt. Brown, I appreciate everything you've done for me." And that's a great feeling for me.

Staff Sgt. Christopher Mattis: My job is actually to teach you our way of life as Marines, and for you to just understand what it's like to be a Marine — the determination that you have, you are the one that's actually going to make the commitment to become a United States Marine. At the end of the day, you will have total control of your own career and your own destiny.