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Four Siblings Share Same Marine Corps Tradition
(March 17, 2010) |
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Corporals Juan Sanchez, a powerline mechanic, and Karla Ortiz, maintainance administrative clerk with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, stand behind the "Black Knights" logo, March 3. They joined at different times but have ended up in the same squadron. |
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. (3/12/2010 - MCN) —
Many Marines belong to a long lineage of family members who
served in the military, but in one family, four siblings
started the tradition themselves. Cpl. Juan Sanchez, a powerline mechanic with Marine Fighter
Attack Squadron 314, joined the Marine Corps in 2006, and
within two years his three siblings followed the same path.
Cpl. Karla Ortiz, a maintenance administrative clerk with
VMFA-314, was the first sibling to join later in 2006.
Juan's twin, Sgt. Jesus Sanchez, joined in 2007 and is
currently stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C.
The last brother to join was Lance Cpl. Jose Sanchez, who
joined in late 2008 and is also stationed at MCB Camp
Lejeune N.C.
Although they joined for different reasons at |
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different times, they all have not only adapted to the change, but
thrived in it. |
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“We've all taken different paths and had different
experiences,” said Sanchez. “But the Marine Corps has been
good to all of us.”
Even though they relate to each other through their Marine
Corps ties, it has been hard for all four siblings to see
each other on a consistent basis.
This past Christmas though, they had the opportunity to go
back to their hometown of Houston for a long-awaited family
reunion.
“It was the first time in four years that we saw each other
because either someone was deployed overseas, in training or
somewhere else,” said Sanchez. “It was a good feeling to see
everyone together and how everybody progressed.”
Both Sanchez and Ortiz attribute their success in their
lives and in the Corps to their parents, who are natives of
Coahuila, Mexico. Their parents taught them strong values
and encouraged them to be more than good samaritans
throughout their childhood, which has helped them ascend in
the ranks of the Corps.
Not only have the Marines progressed in their professional
careers, all four siblings have married and are now proud
parents. Sanchez says that his children already want to
follow in his footsteps by joining the Corps.
“My kids talk about the Marine Corps all the time,” said
Sanchez, who had two sons, five and a three. “My kids are
already MCMAP [Marine Corps Marital Arts Program] trained so
they are ready.”
Each of the siblings has gone in different directions in
their Marine Corps careers. They are set apart by different
duty stations and experiences, but will always be together
both in blood and in the Corps. They hope this tradition
will carry on and their sons and daughters will follow the
first-generation Marines' footsteps. | |
Article and photo by USMC Cpl. Manuel F. Guerrero
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Copyright 2010
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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