SAN DIEGO --
When it comes to recruit training, just completing it is tough enough. But takes a special person to stand up and take the responsibility to lead his platoon.
Lance Cpl. James M. Cates, Platoon 3245, Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, took charge of his platoon as soon as he got the chance early in recruit training.
Cates is a native of Prior Lake, Minn., where he attended Prior Lake High School and he began thinking about the Marine Corps during his sophomore year when he saw a Marine Corps recruiter visited at his school.
Cates explains that serving in the military has always been in his mind because he has family members who have also served.
“I saw my cousins and my uncle and the discipline and brotherhood they learned and received from the military, and it was something that I always wanted,” said Cates.
He enlisted on June 17, 2014, and left for recruit training on Nov. 3, joining Lima Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion.
“When I first arrived to the depot, I was in shock, just like everyone one is supposed to be,” said 19-year-old Cates. “I was excited and nervous but also anticipating what was to come.”
During his first weeks of training, Cates explains he just observed and took mental notes to try and get a grasp of recruit training. He had no intentions of being guide.
On training day 18, the platoon’s guide was fired, and the drill instructors were looking for a new recruit to stand up and lead.
“When we asked the recruits who they wanted to vote as guide they all said Cates,” said Staff Sgt, Sean E. Dix, drill instructor. “He had strong leadership skills, and he was always helping out the rest of recruits in the platoon even though he didn’t have to.”
Dix explained the position of guide is the highest level of responsibility that one can have as a recruit. A guide is expected to lead by example, have strong leadership skills and, at the same time, perform as a recruit.
To his drill instructors and fellow recruits, that was what Cates demonstrated consistently.
“My first few days as guide were tough,” said the young Marine. “I had a lot to work on if I wanted to be successful. You just always need to be on the top of your game and be very perseverant when it comes to picking up things fast.”
Cates explained being guide makes the recruit a key component to your platoon’s successes. The drill instructors put more trust in the guide, but he has to find the difference between delegating authority and delegating responsibilities.
“That was my biggest problem,” said Cates. “I thought delegating meant giving people things to do, but at the end of the day, it’s still your responsibility as guide.”
Cates’ leadership skills increased throughout training and taking on the guide position doubled when he needed to do as a recruit.
“I taught the recruits a lot,” said Cates. “Whenever we had free time I would start study circles to reiterate the next thing in recruit training. It helped the recruits, but it also helped me because as I was learning as I was teaching.”
While in recruit training, recruits are required to undergo a series of graded written and physical tests. If they do not pass, they are not allowed to continue with their platoon.
Cates will be graduating recruit training with Lima Company, not just as his platoon honorman but as the company honorman. He competed against guides from the rest of the company’s platoons and was selected as the highest performer.
Following graduation, Cates will take on the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, Calif., to pursue a career as an infantryman and plans on learning as much as he can from the Marine Corps while he is enlisted.
“When I first arrived at training, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I sat back and watched,” said Cates. “Observe and learn before you go in. Go in fast and hard because you’ll be in for a hell of a ride.”