Photo By Lance Cpl. Kenneth Johnson | U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Jordan Lavigne with India Company, 3rd Recruit Training...... read more read more
Subscribe
Hiking back from the Crucible, Jordan Lavigne was emotional. He said during the entire nine-mile hike he thought to himself how proud he was for all the things he had endured over the previous three months at recruit training.
When he arrived at the Peatross Parade Field, he got in formation with his platoon and was prepared to receive his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor from his senior drill instructor Staff Sgt. Gary Barker. But when they called him to attention, it was his father, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Steven Lavigne, who stood in front of him.
Steven presented Jordan with his original Eagle, Globe, and Anchor that was awarded to him following his completion of the Crucible in 2006.
“I was flabbergasted,” said Jordan. “It caught me off guard for a second and the emotions hit me. I started crying.”
Steven joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2006. He was a 22-year-old single father of two, who felt that he wasn't progressing in life as quickly as he'd planned. As a result, he felt that he needed to make a change in order to support his growing family.
Steven enlisted as a finance technician and after 14 years as an enlisted Marine commissioned as a warrant officer in 2020.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Jordan decided to enlist as an administrative specialist stepping onto the yellow footprints in late April.
Walking away after presenting Jordan with the EGA, Steven said he was moved by the emotion of the event.
“I could feel it, I could see the tears, the emotion from him,” said Steven. “I felt it deep in my soul. The EGA it’s not just a symbol of our nation or our commitment to serve. For me, it is a family heirloom.”
(U.S. Marine Corps photos and story by Lance Cpl. Kenneth Johnson)
| Date Taken: | 07.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2024 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 476739 |
| Location: | PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Continuing The Legacy, by LCpl Kenneth Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
