He never thought his time aboard the depot would be almost double of his platoonmates, but one Marine used obstacles and struggles to his advantage and finished training on top.

Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Pinocci, Bravo Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, used an injury to push himself to the end and thought about quitting as an option.

                In January 2016, Pinocci travelled from his home town of Novato, Calif., to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego to be a part of Hotel Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion.

                During his initial strength test, Pinocci endured a hip injury on the run portion of the test but decided to push himself and continue to try to train with his platoon.

                “As the days went on, my hip started to hurt more and more,” said Pinocci. “My drill instructors noticed me because I was one of the fastest recruits in the beginning, but the pain was too much and I started to limp and straggle behind the other recruits during physical training.”

                When his injury was diagnosed as a hip fracture, he was dropped from Hotel Company and placed in the Medical Rehabilitation Platoon for two and a half months.

                “At first I was so demotivated,” said Pinocci. “I used the time in MRP to study knowledge, strengthen my upper body and get back to training as fast as I could.”

                Prior to arriving at recruit training, Pinocci explained how he worked extremely hard to prepare for it.

                “I ran four to five times a week and studied everything I could to prepare myself for recruit training,” said the young Marine. “When my injury happened, I knew that I was not going to quit. I couldn’t go back to my family and friends knowing that I didn’t make it. I had to make it.”

                In April, Pinocci was cleared by medical staff and was released to Bravo Company to resume his training and was lucky enough to receive some extra motivation to take to training with him.

                “Hotel Company graduated the day I went back to training and the day prior, my family came to the depot and spent family day with me, which helped a lot,” said Pinocci. “It definitely gave me the extra boost I needed to give the rest of training everything I had.”

                His first day back in training, Pinocci felt like he had an upper hand because of how long he had been in the recruit mind-set.

                “I knew how to be a recruit, which was something I feel I had an easier time with when I was back in training,” said Pinocci. “After all of the time I put in studying knowledge and working on myself, I felt like it was benefitting me immediately.”

                He was quickly noticed by his new senior drill instructor, Sgt. William Robinson.

                “He was extremely motivated to be back into training,” said Robinson. “I noticed his maturity and the way he conducted himself as a recruit. He knew what he was here to do and was ready to tackle any challenge thrown his way.”

                Pinocci was chosen to be the guide of his platoon, which is the highest leadership position a recruit can hold while in training.

                As the training cycle progressed, Pinocci helped the rest of his platoon by talking to them and keeping their motivation up as much as he could.

                “He knew when it was time to help and when it was time to train,” said Robinson. “I noticed him on a daily basis helping his fellow recruits and motivating them when they needed it.”

                Robinson explained how Pinocci knew his place and stayed humble throughout training, which is a hard quality to get in recruits, especially nearing the end of training.

                At the Eagle, Globe and Anchor ceremony, Pinocci couldn’t explain the feeling of finally becoming a Marine and realized that everything he had to endure to earn the title was worth it.

                “It wasn’t an easy road,” said Pinocci. “I feel like it meant more for me because of my injury and how long it took me to finally achieve it.”

                Pinocci remained guide for the entirety of recruit training and was chosen out of every platoon to represent Bravo Company at graduation as the company honor man. He explained he gives a lot of credit to his senior drill instructor.

                “Sgt. Robinson put in a lot of work and helped me gain a lot of leadership qualities that I will take with me after recruit training,” said Pinocci. “I thank him for the things he teaches me and for all the time he put in working with me.”               

                Following graduation, Pinocci will spend 10 days with his family and then move on to the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., to learn his military occupational specialty as an infantryman. He plans on making a career out of the Corps and learning everything he can through his experiences.

                “Coming to recruit training before he got to me, he was equal to his peers,” said Robinson. “What he did with what he learned,  and all of effort he put in to improving himself, made him who he is today.”