Alpha Company’s honorman explains his ways

Being the best isn’t all about strength, its being able to handle situations better than your peers and having the will power and motivation to rise above the opposition.

            Lance Cpl. Cresencio Ramirez, company honorman, Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, had a vision to become the greatest recruit of his company even before stepping on the yellow footprints.

            “Ever since I heard about what the honorman was, I knew that was what I wanted,” said Ramirez. “I wanted nothing other than to be the best for myself and to be an example for my family.”

            The young Marine grew up in Glendale, Ariz., where he attended Glendale High School. He played a variety of sports including wrestling, baseball and football and was always the competitive type.

            “I love competition,” said Ramirez. “I always want to push myself and be the best.”

            Ramirez explained that his family struggles financially trying to make ends meet, which is why he turned to the military.

            “I joined the Marine Corps first and foremost because they are the best,” said the lance corporal. “I wanted to give back to the country that gave my family and I a lot as I grew older.”

            When he was a freshman in high school, Ramirez explained that he got into contact with a recruiter, but he was too young to start the process. However, when he turned 17, and with his parents support, he immediately called the recruiter and enlisted into the Corps.

            “When I first arrived in the Delayed Entry Program, I wasn’t the strongest or the best,” said Ramirez. “I worked as hard as I could on everything, and by the time I shipped off to recruit training, I was among the top performers in my recruiting station.”

            He explained that he worked on his run time and his pull-ups almost every day and simply strived to be the best out of his peers.

            “When I was a poolee, one of my peers was talking to me and told me that he was going to be the guide and I had no idea what that was,” said Ramirez. “When I found out what it consisted of, I went back to him and said ‘no, I am’.”

            From that point on, Ramirez had a vision to not only become the best out of his peers but to prove himself and to his younger siblings that he had enough spirit in him to be a leader and an example.

            “I am the oldest one out of my siblings,” said Ramirez. “I want them to see what they can potentially do when they grow up, and most of all, I want my family to be proud of me.”

            Ramirez wasted no time finding his way to becoming platoon guide, the highest postion a recruit can achieve while in recruit training. As he was appointed the position the first day he met his drill instructors.

            Throughout recruit training, Ramirez was not only a leader to his fellow recruits, but also a mentor.

            “When recruits in my platoon would get a bad letter from home or something bothered them, they would come straight to me,” said Ramirez. “I not only helped my fellow recruits, but also cared about them and their well-being.”

            Ramirez explained how being guide wasn’t easy, but looking back at it, it was worth it.

            “You sacrifice a lot of small freedoms you get as a recruit,” said Ramirez. “I had to east last, sleep less and be the best at everything we did, but I wouldn’t take it back for anything. All of the late nights I spent studying is worth everything now.”

            Ramirez has some words of wisdom to share with future recruits who may have the same vision he did.

            “To all those who may be in the same position as me, I want to let them know what the best thing to do is stay humble, don’t bring your recruits down and simply empathize with them,” said Ramirez. Also know when it’s time to work and when it’s time to take a minute to yourself. The last thing is to strive to be the best, never come in second.

            Following recruit training, Ramirez will move on to the School of Infantry to pursue his path as an infantryman. He is unsure how long his Marine Corps career will last, but is excited to repay the country for all it has done for him and his family. He plans to apply all the disciplines he learns during his enlisted time to his life after the Marine Corps.