San Diego -- Discipline starts at home and for Pvt. Daniel R. Toman, there’s no better person to learn from but his father, a former Marine sergeant.
Toman, Platoon 3201, Company I, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, admired his father and followed his footsteps in the Marine Corps.
“My dad always had strict discipline, I remember I was never late anywhere,” said Toman. “I was always 15 minutes early to school.”
A popular phrase in the Corps is “If you are on time, you are late.”
Toman also learned about brotherhood and camaraderie.
“If he ever ran into a Marine, he treated them like he knew them,” said 20-year-old Toman.
His father’s pride resonated with Toman and he became inspired to join the Marine Corps.
“I always wanted to join because I wanted to be like my dad, the man I looked up to,” said Toman.
Toman recalled during his childhood, his father stood up to a gang of bikers who were harassing a family and forced the bikers to leave, ending the altercation.
Toman said, courage and bravery is something he admired from his father and made him more realize the meaning of the phrase Once a Marine; Always a Marine.
“My father has a strong sense of belonging whenever he saw something about the Marine Corps anywhere,” said Toman. “You could see him glow, the unbelievable pride that radiated from him.”
However, Toman had long struggled with weight issues which initially prevented him from enlistment. Toman worked hard and spent two years getting in shape and dropped 66 pounds. He exercised daily at his local Young Men’s Christian Association in order to enlist and ship off to recruit training.
His father developed an alcohol problem which led to differences in opinion and verbal altercations.
“We got into arguments because (with his alcohol problem) he was not himself,” said Toman.
Toman explained he became more motivated to prove he was worthy to become a Marine, and hopefully help his father come back to his old self when he sees him as a Marine.
“I always tried to do everything to make him proud,” said Toman.
Toman did not tell his father he would join the Marine Corps. According to Toman, he was afraid to tell him because of the lingering possibility of failure.
“He had a hard time at the beginning of training,” said Staff Sgt. Hector Jimenez, a Los Angeles native. “Becoming a Marine like his father, kept him from quitting.”
For Toman, becoming the best Marine possible was more than self-rewarding. One of his strengths was his shooting ability. He scored 325 points out of 350 possible during rifle qualification to become one of the best shooters of his company.
“I really wanted to push myself and see how far I could make it,” said Toman.
Toman explained, his father has sobered-up and that their relationship has improved. However, his family was not able to make it to graduation but they are waiting for him to get home. Toman is looking forward to seeing his father and his reaction when he finally sees him for the first time as a Marine.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better father,” said Toman. “I want to see his face when I show up wearing my dress blue uniform and I know he will say, ‘I’m proud of you.’”