LCpl Joshua I. Ray, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was recognized with the award at the May 31, 2013, M Company graduation for 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
LCpl Joshua I. Ray, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was recognized with the award at the May 31, 2013, M Company graduation for 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
LCpl Joshua I. Ray, center, is the recipient of the "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award and is pictured with his Senior Drill Instructor GySgt Agustin Juradosegovia, left, and his recruiter SSgt Memora Tan, right.
Photo credit by LCpl Hayden K. Howard-Browne.
13 JUNE 2013:"Chesty" Puller's legacy of leadership continues to inspire today's generations of new Marine recruits.
The Marine Corps Association & Foundation provides the "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award for each graduating company at the Parris Island and San Diego Recruit Depots.
LCpl Joshua I. Ray, from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., was recognized with the award at the May 31, 2013, M Company graduation for 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award is presented to the Marine of each graduating company who demonstrated the highest potential for future leadership and responsibility in the Marine Corps. Approximately 90 recruit training companies graduate each year and one recruit honor graduate is selected from each company.
LtGen Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was one of the most decorated U.S. Marines in history, and is the only Marine to be awarded five Navy Crosses. He received the nation's second highest military decoration a total of six times, and in addition to the five Navy Crosses he was also awarded the United States Army Distinguished Service Cross.
The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award, other honor graduate awards and awards for all the Marine Corps' formal schools are presented through the MCA&F Marine Excellence Awards Program. Each year MCA&F gives awards to recognize nearly 11,000 deserving Marines and provides about 97 percent of all awards distributed in the Corps outside the USMC awards system.
The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award.
Photo credit by Ron Lunn