San Diego -- When he felt a tweak in his knee during a training exercise, Lance Cpl. Calvin J. Gutierrez, Platoon 2101, Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, had no idea the severity of the injury.
For eight days he tried to push through the swelling and pain. But when his drill instructors noticed him limping through training, they made an appointment for him to be evaluated by doctors.
Gutierrez said he tried to push through the injury because he didn’t want to be set back in training, or worse, be considered a quitter.
Upon evaluation, it was found he had a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and needed surgery. As if that wasn’t a big enough set back, the expected time for recovery could take six to nine months.
“I was shocked,” said Gutierrez. “I didn’t want to believe it. I felt like I let my family down.”
After the surgery, doctors told him it would be three months before he could walk smoothly.
“I was walking pretty well in a week,” said the 19-year-old proudly.
Gutierrez explained although the journey to get back into recruit training was difficult, it was his little sister and mother who motivated him through the recovery process.
He said his sister wrote to him almost every day, and added that he wanted to succeed in order to set a good example for her.
“I’ve been like a father figure since our dad left,” said the El Monte, Calif. native. “Quitting wasn’t an option for me because it would have shown my sister it’s ok to quit when things get rough, that it’s ok to take the easy route.”
Utilizing exercises such as leg lifting, squatting and swimming, Gutierrez successfully worked himself back into shape.
After seven months of rehabilitation, his knee was ready, and Gutierrez was placed back into recruit training.
On his second day with his platoon, he took the leadership position of guide and kept it through the remainder of training.
Drill instructors noted his character, heart and power to motivate the platoon as factors that made him a good leader.
“I’m actually amazed at how well he performs. It’s not the physical aspect, it’s his mental,” said Staff Sgt. Alfredo M. Turiano, drill instructor, Platoon 2101. “He’s able to motivate the others by getting up and moving fast. I’m not sure what he says, but they see the knee brace and try and keep up with him.”
Turiano injured his knee in officer candidate school and knows the patience needed to recover from a serious injury.
He said his rehabilitation took one year and used that experience to advise Gutierrez.
“I told him, ‘you don’t want to reinjure yourself. You have to know your body and when you feel that limit you have to hold back, and no one is going to think less of you for that,’” said Turiano.
Turiano commended Gutierrez on his commitment in becoming a Marine.
“He has a lot of heart. To stick around this long… he’s been around longer than some of the drill instructors I’ve worked with, and he still has that drive to be a Marine,” said Turiano. “I have to say he’s earned every bit of that eagle, globe and anchor.”
Beginning after graduation today, Gutierrez says he is going to catch up on all the family time he has missed and enjoy some soccer.
“I’m just so happy to see my family after 10 months,” said Gutierrez. “It feels great to know I am going to see them as a Marine and show them I was able to be guide and be one of the top Marines in the company.”