Photo By Staff Sgt. Ryan Ohare | Lance Cpl. Aaron W. Hall, who has dedicated more than four years to boxing, aspires to...... read more read more
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By Lance Cpl. Jessica Aranda
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs
AL ASAD, Iraq – In preparation for deployment, Marines fill green sea bags to the maximum capacity, shoving in issued gear and personal items. However, one Marine attached to Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), left room for more than just the bare necessities...a pair of boxing gloves.
With four years of boxing under his belt and aspirations of becoming a part of the Marine Corps Boxing Team, Lance Cpl. Aaron W. Hall chose not to leave his favorite pastime behind.
As a child, the Corona, Calif., native watched boxing on television with his father. After showing a growing interest in the sport, Hall's mother enrolled him in his first boxing class at age 15.
The athletically-built teenager continued training at a local martial arts studio, until his trainer quit to join the Marine Corps.
"My first trainer, Danny Daniels, taught me everything I know and every move I do," said Hall. "I try my hardest to emulate exactly how he fought and taught me to fight. I even try to teach others exactly how he taught me."
For the remainder of his high-school years, Hall continued to box at various gyms and with his friends. As graduation approached, the influence from Daniels and interest in the Marine Corps Boxing Team sent him to the recruiting office.
"Ultimately, boxing is what made me join the Marine Corps," said Hall, who enlisted in 2006. "I liked the image the Marines portrayed, I knew about the boxing team, and I thought it would be great to integrate the two."
The exhausting feeling after a match or training session compares to nothing else, explained the 19-year-old. The 5-foot-10-inch middleweight dedicates one to two hours per day to cardio, endurance exercises and improving his technique through repetition drills.
"Each day, my goal is to work myself harder than the day before," said Hall. "I work hard to get in better shape, because I know it will pay off."
The embark clerk arrives at the gym each night to perfect his jabs, hooks and uppercuts during sparring sessions with other members of the squadron.
"Hall shows great potential," said Sgt. Adrian Moreno, a former recreational-league boxer, trainer and MWHS-3 (Fwd.) supply clerk. "I'm sure that with time and more training, he will be a force to reckon with."
Hall plans on competing for a spot on the Marine Corps Boxing Team when he returns to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. at the conclusion of his deployment.
He possesses the right amount of determination to achieve his goal for the Marine Corps Boxing Team, said Capt. Tracy Klopp, MWHS-3 (Fwd.) executive officer and logistics officer-in-charge.
"He's a hard worker professionally, and I have no doubt he takes that work ethic into his boxing."
| Date Taken: | 03.01.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2008 01:08 |
| Story ID: | 17017 |
| Location: | AL ASAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 93 |
| Downloads: | 67 |
This work, Packing a punch: Marine brings hobby to Iraq, by Cpl Jessica Aranda, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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