Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego -- It takes a special kind of mental toughness and determination when a recruit’s motivation to earn the title Marine is for his father, a Marine, a firefighter, a wounded warrior who has sacrificed so much in the line of duty.
For Pfc. Forest D. Dowling, Platoon 3271, Company M, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, his father’s life experience and tragedy provided him the inspiration and motivation to become a United States Marine.
His father, Houston Fire Captain Bill Dowling, has spent almost a year recovering from his injury after responding to a deadly fire May 31, 2013 to see Dowling graduate, making a special event for the father and son.
His father lost both legs and suffered a brain injury due to a Southwest Inn fire that left four other firefighters dead.
Growing up, Dowling, a Tomball, Texas native, and his father were close and did mostly everything together. If Dowling needed anything he would call his father who was always there for him, he explained.
Dowling was born while his dad was deployed to Somalia with I Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Restore Hope, 1995.
“My father is the main reason I decided to sign the dotted line and become a Marine,” said 19-year-old Dowling. “He was a Marine and always wanted me to become a Marine as well, so it’s what I set out to do.”
Dowling attended the Texas Challenge Academy School after transferring from Klein Oak High School to graduate early. He successfully received his diploma early, but was not sent to recruit training for almost a year.
“At one point I thought about joining the Air Force after talking with my grandfather, who served in the Air Force,” said Dowling. “My uncle, who served in the Marine Corps, soon changed my mind after talking to me. He told me he wanted me to become a United States Marine and placed an Eagle, Globe and Anchor in my hand.”
With his mind made up, Dowling was excited to share the decision with his father.
“The day I finally enlisted into the Marine Corps my father took me out to dinner and was excited that I made the decision to become a Marine,” said Dowling. “It wasn’t very long after that day he got hurt in a fire accident.”
When Dowling was younger, he would worry about his father getting hurt, but after his father served a successful 14 years of firefighting service, the fear of his father getting injured went away. The day Dowling got the phone call of the accident; it shocked him in disbelief.
Dowling went to a Wounded Warriors function where they gave his father an Action Track Chair due to his injury. The chair is designed to be an all-terrain utility wheel chair. It is battery operated and can travel through snow, woods and water terrain.
“There was an engineer in the Army who also came to the function. He lost his legs in the Army after being hit by an improvised explosive device,” said Dowling. “It really helped meeting him because it gave me hope that my dad will get better.”
Dowling knows his father’s recovery process is going to be long, but he believes his father will make a great recovery, he explains.
“After the accident happened, he hasn’t been able to speak well,” said Dowling. “I got the opportunity to speak with my mom since I’ve been here at recruit training, and I could hear people in the background trying to work on his speech. The only things I’ve heard him say since the accident happened are our names, and I can hear him try to say I love you.”
When Dowling made it to recruit training, it was his father that kept him motivated through it all.
“When I’m running three miles I think of my dad, and it pushes me to keep surpassing the pain and just put forth the effort,” said Dowling. “My father was a good runner, but he doesn’t have his legs today so I know I’ve got to run for him and that is what helps me push through the physical and mental exhaustion.”
While in recruit training, Dowling’s focus and determination was apparent.
“He shows a lot of initiative, if we need a volunteer for anything that will help the platoon he’s usually one of the first hands to go up,” said Kennedy, a Killeen, Texas, native. “He’s not afraid of stepping up to something new and applying it.”
This isn’t the easiest thing he’s done, but he’s very motivated to becoming a Marine. Anything he struggles with he thinks back to his dad and how much he inspires him, explained Dowling.
“When I wake up every morning, it’s my dad that motivates me to hit the ground running,” said Dowling. “The only thing going through my head is the fact he can’t do this anymore, so I’ve got to push myself not only for me but for him as well.”
While in the Marine Corps Dowling plans to get his emergency medical technician certification. He plans to one day become a fireman and continue to walk the same path as his father.