U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jason L. Morris, Commanding General for Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, and the Western Recruiting Region, and veterans with Alpha Company, First Battalion, First Marine Division, take a group photo at MCRD San Diego, June 24, 2022. - U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jason L. Morris, Commanding General for Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego, and the Western Recruiting Region, and veterans with Alpha Company, First Battalion, First Marine Division, take a group photo at MCRD San Diego, June 24, 2022. Three of the veterans were recognized with the Bronze Star Award fifty-four years after their valiant actions in the war. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Grace Kindred)

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Being thrown into an emergency can be frightening and confusing, especially when a person’s life is at risk. That is something U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Thomas Zandate, a recruiter out of Recruiting Substation Pomona, Recruiting Station Riverside, 12th Marine Corps District, can tell you firsthand when he noticed a man in need of medical attention. On February 20, 2020, Zandate’s heroic actions saved a man’s life in a parking lot off of Rio Rancho Rd. in Pomona, Calif. - RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Being thrown into an emergency can be frightening and confusing, especially when a person’s life is at risk. That is something U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Thomas Zandate, a recruiter out of Recruiting Substation Pomona, Recruiting Station Riverside, 12th Marine Corps District, can tell you firsthand when he noticed a man in need of medical attention. On February 20, 2020, Zandate’s heroic actions saved a man’s life in a parking lot off of Rio Rancho Rd. in Pomona, Calif. That Thursday afternoon was like any other for the Marines at RSS Pomona, talking to individuals about the Marine Corps and discussing their goals and aspirations. Zandate was on his way back to the RSS to speak to Manuel Corrales, an individual that is aspiring to become a Marine. Corrales was waiting outside the office when Zandate arrived. “I went on to continue chest compressions,” said Zandate. “This had to be going on for maybe four or five minutes then about halfway through one of my repetitions the nurse starts checking his pulse and saying, ‘we’re losing him, his eyes are turning blue and black we might lose him, they’re going to call it.’ “By call it, she meant the first responders were going it call it, she said just stop and that they’re going to call it. I was about halfway through my compressions and in my head, I just knew I had to do 30, so I kept doing them, and towards the end, his mouth was moving and it sounded like a snore. That’s when I continued the chest compressions until the snore became a breath. I told him to focus on my voice and focus on your breathing, don’t worry about anything else.” “He was blue and his pupils were dilated but then all of a sudden, he was breathing,” said Corrales. “If Zandate wasn’t there, that man could have died. He was in the right place at the right time and his training kicked in.” Read the full story below. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/363891/remembering-breathe?fbclid=IwAR1IWbE57y

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIF. -- Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego hosted a Multi-Cultural day to celebrate the contributions of the different cultures in the United States and the military at the MCRD Command Museum, September 27, 2018. - MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, CALIF. -- Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego hosted a Multi-Cultural day to celebrate the contributions of the different cultures in the United States and the military at the MCRD Command Museum, September 27, 2018. Marines and civilians set up booths and exhibits to display the numerous cultures of people who are serving in the military. “Some key parts of the event are to educate, promote resources, and unify our diverse workforce here at MCRD,” said Yesenia Rodriguez, equal employment opportunity specialist, MCRD San Diego. “We want everyone to come together, all the diverse individuals to come together as one.” The exhibits on display highlighted different groups, such as the African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Pacific Islander, National American Indian and Caribbean American heritages. “All of our representatives and resources are coming from the community as well as our work forces,” said Rodriguez. “They are volunteers who come out here and support the event, celebrate, and share their backgrounds so people can learn about different cultures.” There were speakers who talked about their experiences with different cultures. “My first taste of diversity was in the seventh grade when I went to an inner city school in downtown Louisville,” said Colonel Jim G. Gruny, Chief of Staff, MCRD San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region. “For the first time in my life I was the minority, I’m the guy who is a little uncomfortable about things, and I’ll tell you, when you are a seventh grader it is kind of a scary experience.” The main purpose of the event was to promote and educate the work forces on MCRD San Diego on diversity and celebrate the backgrounds of each culture. “The last time we had something like this was back in 2013,” said Rodriguez. “We are looking to try to continue on and have a multicultural event every year.”

Private First Class Justin P. Rainey, Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, carries a fellow recruit during the Crucible at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 5. Following recruit training, Rainey will report to the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and then the Infantry Training Battalion to become an infantryman. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego. - Private First Class Justin P. Rainey, Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, carries a fellow recruit during the Crucible at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 5. Following recruit training, Rainey will report to the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., and then the Infantry Training Battalion to become an infantryman. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego.

Recruit Seth Steele, Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, stands at attention at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 28. Steele served as a squad leader in Platoon 2150 after going through trial training. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego. Golf company is scheduled to graduate Dec. 9. - Recruit Seth Steele, Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, stands at attention at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Nov. 28. Steele served as a squad leader in Platoon 2150 after going through trial training. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego. Golf company is scheduled to graduate Dec. 9.

Lance Cpl. Justyn K. Jones, Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, stands outside his squad bay at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Nov. 16. Following recruit training, Jones will report to the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., to become an infantryman. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego. - Lance Cpl. Justyn K. Jones, Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, stands outside his squad bay at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Nov. 16. Following recruit training, Jones will report to the School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., to become an infantryman. Annually, more than 17,000 males recruited from the Western Recruiting Region are trained at MCRD San Diego.