Photo By Lance Cpl. Brenna Ritchie | A U.S. Marine Corps poolee from Recruiting Station Richmond crawls under his fellow...... read more read more
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One by one, cars began filling up the parking lot. Every car was full of people, each wearing bright red shirts emblazoned with the Eagle, Globe and Anchor. They ran around frantically, trying to find the leaders wearing camouflage among them. What were they doing? Why were they here?
Recruiting Station Richmond hosts an annual state-wide pool function, providing the Recruiting Sub-Stations an opportunity for poolees in the Delayed Entry Program to train together and compete against each other before shipping out to recruit training with one goal: winning the trophy. This year, the event was on Saturday, April 12th at Butler Stadium on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
The day began early, with each RSS arriving, getting accountability, and forming up on the bright green turf, centered around the Marine Corps seal in the center of the football field. Nine of the 11 RSSs in RS Richmond were in attendance, but only one would walk away with the RS Richmond Statewide Cup. They all awaited their RS sergeant major’s command.
“Recruiting Station Richmond,” Sgt. Maj. Peter Vargo’s voice rang out clearly. “Attention!”
A quiet yet unified rustle sounded through the air as arms came down to their sides and heels came together at a perfect 45-degree angle. Each RSS reported in, and eventually, all attendees were called to form a school circle around Vargo and Maj. Grant McCloskey, the RS commanding officer. They gave the sequence of events for the day and a safety brief. The first task at hand was the Initial Strength Test.
Before any poolee can leave for recruit training, a requirement is to pass a fitness test. The IST consists of a maximum set of pull-ups or push-ups, a maximum timed plank, and a 1.5-mile run.
There were three uniforms of the day; a black Marine shirt for the recruiters and staff, a red shirt for poolees, and a white shirt for guests and those who had not officially joined the DEP. In a blur of shirt colors, they again became organized, but this time, they were filed in lines behind a row of pull-up bars.
“Poolee Courtney James, RSS Chesapeake requesting permission to mount the bar,” she said as the poles towered over her. With permission, James, the guide and leader amongst her peers, lifted her chin above the bar as many times as her arms would allow. Everyone in line behind her followed her example as shouts of motivation rang out, surpassing the height of the bars, rallying each person to pull harder.
Once every attendee completed their pull-ups or push-ups, they were directed to line up in two columns, facing each other. Poolees and guests alike were instructed on the proper form when conducting a plank. Recruiters loomed above them, clipboards and rosters in hand, calling out times as bodies gave out and touched the ground.
As all of the members finished with their plank, each RSS moved to the run portion of the IST. A mile and a half was all that the poolees had left to complete, then they’d be finished with their test. Their recruiters and staff members ran with them, providing encouragement and setting the pace.
Station by station, Marines and poolees migrated away from the IST route and returned to the stadium. It was time for head-to-head competitions to prove who was the best. “Build a House,” where the team is in the front-leaning rest position, and the last person crawls through the human tunnel, and it repeats over a 20-meter distance, with an emphasis on speed. Ammo can lifts, where each RSS needed to complete a total of 500 lifts between the RSS while timed. The Drill Instructors event, where two drill instructors from Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, taught poolees basic commands they’d become familiar with at recruit training. Finally, the Tug of War event.
A giant circle formed around the center of the field as every attendee fell into place. Everyone wanted a chance to see the display of strength. The rope was laid across the EGA, and a hush fell over the crowd, nervous energy filling the air. Who would go first? Who would take home the trophy?
Two RSSs were called forward, six of their strongest and most confident poolees volunteering to line up, alternating on each side of the rope. Sgt. Maj. Vargo held the whistle in his right fist, shaking it as he explained the rules. When he said ‘push up,’ the participants were to get into position and shout ‘Marine Corps’ as loudly as they could. Once he blew the whistle, they’d scramble to get up and begin pulling the rope. At the center, a green belt hung, marking the point where one RSS would overtake the other.
Round after round, an RSS was knocked out of the bracket. Eventually, the competition dwindled to a showdown between RSS Richmond South and RSS Virginia Beach. The crowd never stopped cheering even as the starting whistle faded to a whisper amongst the shouts and yells.
Slowly, the belt at the center dragged to one side, the poolees of RSS Richmond South tugging in unison. RSS Virginia Beach dug its heels into the ground, leaning in with all of its might to suspend its defeat. Once again, the whistle blew, sounding the end of the match. The onlookers surged forward, collapsing in on the victors, jumping and screaming in triumph.
The cheers subsided, and the RSSs were called into formation, similar to the one that had begun the day. Sgt. Maj. Vargo introduced the awards at stake. Top Female Athlete, awarded to Poolee Courtney James, RSS Chesapeake. Top Male Athlete, awarded to Poolee Heath Bowker, RSS Roanoke. The John Basilone Award, awarded to Poolee Samuel Shifflett, RSS Charlottesville. The winner of the RS Richmond Statewide Cup, RSS Richmond South.
As this year’s Statewide Pool Function came to a close, the spirit of competition and camaraderie was evident among all participants. Handshakes and high-fives were shared. Although the trophy had been claimed, the event served as a powerful motivator for the remainder of the RS. The trophy would be back up for grabs next year, which was plenty of time to train harder to claim the next title, before earning the most prestigious of them all -- Marine.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.18.2025 09:28 |
| Story ID: | 495492 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | GLOUCESTER, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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