Clinton Ford remembers the fear, but after his friend mentioned the benefits of becoming a Marine, Ford decided to enlist.

“I felt scared, it was something that very few people do, and I had never been away from home before,” Ford said.

Although he feared the worse, Ford set goals for himself before hand. He was prepared and ready to become a Marine.

“Starting this new adventure was great, but I had no idea what to expect. I had great expectations for what might come my way,” ford said.

Although Ford never thought about joining the military, he was excited about the idea.

“Once the idea was there, I went all the way with it,” Ford said.

Ford had to support and maintain aircrafts for daily operation, manage marines in daily activities and support the Marine Corps to the best of his abilities. Throughout these responsibilities, Ford feels he learned a valuable lesson.

“Being a Marine is one of greatest things anyone can do; to be called a Marine is up there,” Ford said.

Before he left, his family was concerned but felt this was the right decision for him. They believed this job would give him a great way to start his life.

“My family loved the fact that I went into the military, and even more that I chose the Marines. Still to this day, while I was still in the military, the overall perspective hasn’t changed. There were family members worried of course but all were proud,” Ford said.

Through his experience, Ford learned a different way of looking at life. He knows being a Marine is what gave him the inspiration to improve himself.

“It made me have a higher standard in life, to hold my head high, to keep my life on the good track. With all the lessons that the marines had taught me, it is to make life easier and have purpose,” Ford said.

 “I am no longer in the marines, but I wish day after day that I still was. There is no way the government could call me back, but for some reason that there would be a reason, I wouldn’t mind,” Ford said.