Marine passes ‘Idol’ audition

The U.S. Marines may have another Gomer Pyle on their hands.

Lance Cpl. Joshua Gracin, assigned to the 1st Maintenance Battalion of the 1st Force Service Support Group located at Camp Pendleton, has made it to the first stage of competition on Fox’s “American Idol,” impressing judges with his rendition of “All or Nothing at All.”

Marine Corps officials say that although they support Gracin’s participation on the series, he is not being given special treatment or exempted from deployment. He and other members of his unit were scheduled to stay behind at Camp Pendleton to provide stateside support amid the military buildup in the Middle East, they said.

Greg Braxton