Photo By Sgt. Ryan Pulliam | U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph M. Adams, left, a watch commander with the Marine...... read more read more
HOUSTON, Texas – Britney Moyeda is no stranger to adversity. As she donned her U.S. Marine Corps dress uniform in her recruiting office, she recalled the journey life has brought her thus far.
“Everything’s possible as long as you don’t give up on yourself,” said Moyeda, a native of Houston, Texas. “I’m a Marine today because I didn’t let myself down.”
Before she came to earn the title, Moyeda endured a long, tumultuous process trying to enlist as a young cancer survivor; however, by wanting to make those around her proud, she never quit.
Diagnosed with leukemia at 12 years old, Moyeda spent the first two months of her cancer journey in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy.
“I lost my hair five times, [but] I didn’t really care about the hair,” recalled Moyeda. After four years of cancer treatment, on Nov. 20, 2020, she entered remission.
One night, shortly after beating cancer, Moyeda and her mother spoke about everything that took place the past few years. It was then that Moyeda told her mother she wanted to be a Marine. To her, she beat cancer for a reason, and that reason was to become a United States Marine.
“Moyeda came into my office very early to her appointment time,” said U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Joseph M. Adams, her then recruiter from Recruiting Sub Station Pearland, Recruiting Station Houston. “I was the only Marine in the office and had two others that came in before her. She waited over an hour before I was able to give her my full attention.”
Adams recognized her emotional intelligence and strong outlook on her life through her initial interview. She wanted to be the best version of herself because she knew that would be the greatest way to help her family and those around her.
When the topic of medical history came up in the conversation, Adams crossed into uncharted territory for him as a recruiter.
“I never sugar-coated anything to her,” said Adams. “I told her there was a chance that it would take months, possibly years for us to even get an answer on if she would qualify to even go to bootcamp.”
“I talked with [Adams] because I wanted to become a Marine,” Moyeda lamented. “The strive to become one was my reason and I wanted to be someone from my family to look up to.”
From there, Moyeda showcased her resolve by proactively compiling all of her medical paperwork throughout her life and submitting them to Adams.
According to Adams, it amassed over 2000 pages submitted to the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, the agency authorized to medically qualify persons to enlist within the Marine Corps. RSS Pearland checked for updates every month, all the while Moyeda attended physical training every single week with the office.
She witnessed new people come each week; some people quit; and others left for San Diego, only to return 13 weeks later having earned the title. Then, after over a year being a guest to the recruiting office, Adams met Moyeda at her family’s residence to inform her she was qualified to become a Marine.
“She endured the passing of time with zero information on if she would even qualify,” recalled Adams. “These trying times are what allowed [Moyeda] and I to get close and have many heart-to-heart conversations.”
The bond both Moyeda and Adams developed made an immeasurable impression on each other. But they eventually had to part ways: Adams changed duty stations and Moyeda arrived at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif. shortly thereafter.
“When I had the time to think, which was at church, I would write down quotes he would say in the back of my bible,” said Moyeda, speaking on her experiences during recruit training. “[Adams] used to tell me that: ‘it only seems impossible until it’s done.’”
Eventually, after completing 13 weeks of recruit training, as she marched with her platoon on graduation day, she wasn’t expecting to see her recruiter.
“I didn’t know [Adams] was coming;” she said. “He didn’t write me or call me during the entire boot camp experience, but when they called the dismissal that was the first person I saw. I honestly cried; I was so happy.”
“Everything she has had to go through in life is unfathomable to most and would be unbearable to almost all,” said Adams, “but it is because of what she’s had to go through that has made her the incredible person she is today. I am happy I was able to facilitate in getting her to where she is today, but really, she did it all on her own.”
Moyeda, now a private first class, is currently stationed at Camp Johnson, N.C. where she is attending her military occupational specialty school in ground supply. Adams is a watch commander with the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Provost Marshal’s Office, Marine Corps Installations West.
-30-
| Date Taken: | 12.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.12.2024 18:06 |
| Story ID: | 486450 |
| Location: | HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | HOUSTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 429 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From cancer survivor to United States Marine, by Sgt Ryan Pulliam, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
