Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego -- Growing up without a stable home could lead to a rough life. For one Marine, the adversity of that situation forced him to make difficult decisions to better his life and himself.
Private First Class Cody F. Shepard, Fox Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, used his struggles in life to push him to join the Marine Corps in pursuit of stability and brotherhood.
Shepard grew up in Phoenix where he lived with his parents and his brother.
“Before I was six years old, I can’t remember a lot,” said Shepard. “My parents separated, and it resulted in my brother and me being in the care of Child Protective Services until I was released back to my mom. My brother was not allowed to come back home with us.”
He describes his life as difficult, not always having a place to stay or food to eat. He did not live in a structured home, had very few rules and almost no supervision at a young age.
“It was difficult living where I was living. I wasn’t the best child. I taught myself how to survive because no one else was going to help me,” said the 18-year-old Marine. “I lived in the ghetto, Southside Phoenix, it was a very dangerous and run down community.”
Years later, Shepard’s mother asked him if he would be interested in going to live with his aunt in hopes of giving him what she believed he was missing.
“I was about 10 when I moved in with my aunt,” said Shepard. “I had to learn everything. I didn’t know manners, how to act, how to react to certain situations, and my aunt helped me a lot. She gave me the world, as before her I had nothing. I lived on the streets and lived house to house with people I didn’t even know.”
He had no contact with his father during the time that he spent on his own. He had no knowledge of where he lived or what he did.
“I hadn’t seen my father in six years,” said Shepard. “One day he just showed up at my aunt’s house. I don’t even know how to explain it. It was awesome to finally be able to see my dad.”
After reuniting with his father at the age of 12, he wanted nothing more than to live and be with him again.
“I would constantly go to my dad’s house, which was right around the corner,” said Shepard. “After I begged enough, I was finally able to live with my dad,and honestly it was a culture shock.”
The private first class explains how it was difficult for him to adjust from being the only child in a house to a member of an actual family with brothers and sisters.
“We fought a lot,” said Shepard. “From 13 to just before I turned 18, it was a constant battle at home. It was still a lot better than being on my own.”
Shepard played football at Cortez High School in Phoenix, and it was there he joined the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, which he described as “eye opening.”
“I made a lot of friends my first year of high school,” said Sheppard. “After my freshman year, my parents got better paying jobs in Payson, Ariz., so I had to switch schools. I transferred to Payson High School, and the first year was difficult. I didn’t know anybody. I started at a place where everyone liked me and ended up at a place where nobody knew me.”
Shepard started thinking about the Marine Corps in his first year of high school because one of his NJROTC instructors was a retired Marine Corps gunnery sergeant. He would often bring Marines into the school and have them run the physical training sessions. Shepard knew that being a Marine was what he truly wanted.
“I’ve always had a passion to be a United States Marine,” said Shepard. “Throughout high school, I kept my grades up and participated in sports to stay in shape.”
When it came time to enlist in the Marine Corps, Shepard excitedly left Payson and headed to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
He proved himself to his drill instructors and was immediately selected to be a squad leader and eventually moved up to being the guide, the highest leadership position a recruit can hold while in training. He maintained his leadership role and graduated as guide for his platoon.
Following recruit training, Shepard will move on to the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, Calif., where he will go through Marine Combat Training. Upon completion of MCT, he will pursue his military occupational specialty in avionics. He plans on making a career out of the Marine Corps and staying in as long as he can.