Once a Reject, He Shows Grit to the Corps

Michael S. Pigeon ended a long journey Friday in San Diego when he graduated from Marine Corps boot camp as a private first class. It marked the culmination of a determined six-month struggle for the 18-year-old to become a Marine.

Pigeon was scheduled to begin basic training July 9 after joining the Marine Corps’ Delayed Entry Program. But he was 4 pounds over the 246-pound weight limit set for his 6-foot-3 frame and also was unable to do the three pull-ups required by the Marines initial strength test. So his recruiter pushed back his entry date to August.

Come August, though, Pigeon still failed the strength test and was still overweight. His recruiter essentially told him to forget about the Marines.

But Pigeon was determined and relentless.

He sneaked out a window of his parents’ Detroit home and, for the next two weeks, hitchhiked and walked 2,300 miles to Santa Clara in Northern California, where his aunt then drove him to the outskirts of San Diego, Pigeon said.

From there he walked downtown, where he bumped into Staff Sgt. Tyrone Crawford, a Marine recruiter. After hearing his story, Crawford took Pigeon to the San Diego recruiting station and verified his story.

Although he lacked money for air fare, Pigeon said that was only part of the reason he walked and hitched rides.

“I felt that if I just hopped on a bus, drove a car or found money for the plane that wouldn’t have shown the Marine Corps any motivation at all,” he said. “I felt that I had to show them some type of motivation.”

Pigeon estimates he walked about 300 of the 2,300 miles, sleeping in buildings under construction or anywhere he could along the way. “My feet got chewed up pretty bad,” Pigeon said. “It was an interesting trip . . . a lot of great people out there.”

Pigeon’s resolve so impressed the Marine Corps that he was allowed to enter boot camp, Lt. Tony Wells said. He began recruit training Aug. 27.

Although the usual recruit spends about 12 weeks in boot camp, Pigeon’s “been here longer,” Wells said. “He spent six weeks in a physical conditioning platoon getting into shape” before beginning his 12 weeks training.

“One of the problems he was having was that his upper body strength was just so weak he could not execute any pull-ups at all,” said Staff Sgt. Trinidad Sablan, Pigeon’s drill instructor. “He’s fit to meet Marine Corps standards, but he still needs a lot of work.”

Marine recruits are required to do at least three pull-ups, 80 sit-ups in two minutes and run three miles in 27 minutes or less, Sablan said.

Pigeon said he came down with pneumonia during training, and doctors told him he had become anemic from losing so much weight so fast.

Now a sleek and physically fit 195 pounder, Pigeon said he has mentally prepared himself for the possibility of serving in the Middle East if necessary. “It’s my job,” he said. “If I have to go, I’ll go.”

Although about 1,000 family members and friends congratulated the 450 young men who became Marines Friday at the Marine Crops Recruit Depot, the media were interested only in Pigeon.

He patiently fielded question after question from the press, right up until an hour or so before his scheduled flight to Detroit to see his family.

After taking 10 days leave, Pigeon will report to Camp Pendleton for infantry training.

Despite all the obstacles, Pigeon said he made the trip “to have the feeling I have right now. To put on these eagle, globe and anchors. To be part of the brotherhood,” he said.

“And I feel a part of it right now,” he said, smiling.