Photo By Lance Cpl. Jerrick J. Griffin | Maj. Steven W. Hodge, 38, from Oklahoma City, started his career in 1991 at Oklahoma...... read more read more
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Marine Corps careers start for various reasons. Some start because individuals want to serve their country or to have a steady career. Whatever their reasons are, they all share the common goal of becoming a Marine.
Maj. Steven W. Hodge started his Marine Corps career in a totally different way.
Hodge's career started in 1991 at Oklahoma State University when he played college football. One of his fellow teammates recommended him to the officer selection officer.
"I went through college on a grant from the government," said the Oklahoma City native. "I was thinking that since the government has been so good to me, the least I could do is give three and a half to four years of my time back."
18 years have passed since that day, and Hodge is still serving in the Marine Corps. He is currently the tactical readiness training director for the1st Marine Logistics Group.
"I'm here to give the Marines the tools they need to survive in combat," Hodge said. "Here in 1st MLG, logistics is its primary job. We're here to provide the training needed to make sure these Marines are ready for deployment."
Leading and training Marines is his primary job, but Hodge, 38, stated playing football and lifting weights are some of his favorite hobbies.
Some of the techniques of leading and following on the football field have carried over with him in his career.
Now that he's a leader of Marines, he passes some of the knowledge given to him while he was starting his Marine Corps career.
He stated that retired Maj. Reginald Thomas and Brig. Gen. Ronald Baczkowski were some of the Marines earlier on in his career who helped him become the person he is today. Those Marines were his advisors during his career who mentored him on what to do and what not to do as a leader.
"I took some of the methods of leadership I received from my leaders," Hodge said. "Now I use those and develop some of my own methods so that the Marines under me can have something to pass on when they become leaders."
With people becoming Marines at a fast pace, Hodge said that every one of them should enjoy being a Marine.
"Being a Marine is the greatest thing, and young Marines should enjoy it while it lasts because you can't be [an active duty] Marine forever."
Hodge said he enjoys the time he has served in the Marine Corps and plans to retire in the next couple of years.
| Date Taken: | 08.14.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 08.18.2009 17:37 |
| Story ID: | 37665 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 356 |
| Downloads: | 171 |
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