Umbdenstock graduates boot camp

Pvt. Jerry Umbdenstock of Thermopolis was one of 527 male recruits who graduated from boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Calif., on October 30. Boot camp consisted of thirteen weeks of basic training in navigation, fire movements, weapon precision and drills to instill discipline.

Umbdenstock, a 2015 graduate of Hot Springs County High School, said that one big surprise at boot camp was that there were over three hundred Texans and one recruit from Cuba in basic training with him. Another surprise was living in barracks without private rooms. He stated that basic training is "to teach mission accomplishment through leadership."

Umbdenstock summarized his basic training in this brief statement "The Marine Corps trains you to be a good Marine while in service and to be better citizen for when you leave the service. Once a Marine, always a Marine."

The Marine Corps celebrated its 240th anniversary on November 10 of this year. Umbdenstock said that when the Marine Corps was founded in Ton Tavern in 1775 in Philadelphia, PA, the purpose was "To protect and to defend our country and its freedoms while making allies, which helps promote world peace." He maintains that the purpose of the Marines hasn't change in all those years.

Umbdenstock's mother, Jeri Jeanne, and his grandfather, Jerry, were able to attend the graduation ceremonies. Her impression of the graduation ceremony was, "It was inspiring and moving to see all those boys going through training as Marines and coming out as men. It was exciting to see Jerry graduate from something he set out to do and to accomplish one of his goals."

The young private leaves Thermopolis, December 1, to begin infantry training at Camp Pendleton in California for about 9 weeks.