E-4 Rank

Walking through my room, I came across the object on top of my shelf. Such a small piece of metal which acts like a pin has meant so much to me. With it’s black coated paint, I picked up the object I’ve worked for 4 years to receive. It is a pin of the marine rank E-4 that I put in the collar of my uniform. In the Marines, the rank/pay grade of an E-4 is a small unit leader that is responsible for training new marine recruits, being accountable for their section or team that they are in charge of, and fulfilling the standard duty of the military. I received this rank unofficially by attending a cadet program called the FMCC (First Marine Cadet Corp Program) which I started in the beginning of high school at the age of 15. It may not seem like something valuable, but the amount of effort to receive it has made it really valuable for me.

It was my first year of high school and I was nervous to tackle the obstacles that high school may bring upon me. My schedule was almost full but towards the end of it we had the opportunity to go to the club fair and possibly join any club we would want as part of an after school program. One of the most elite programs in the group was the cadet program that is integrated with the school because our principal was a US Marine veteran. It was already pretty difficult to join the program because you had to fit extra time during your school schedule to learn the curriculum and also pass a yearly physical test aside from the one you normally have to take in high school. One of the reasons this program was competitive in our school was because little spots were offered, it was a leadership program, you can use your rank upon graduating high school to enlist in the Marines as an E-2 rank upon finishing the US Marine’s boot camp, and it gave first dibs to special trips or programs or letters of recommendations to them. I was nervous because there was an interview process but at the end of it all I was lucky to be selected as the few to be involved in the program.

Once I was admitted into the program, It was hard to get accustomed to the extra work I had to put into the program. Learning the content of this program required me to stay on Friday’s from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm and added an additional class period from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. The coursework did require a bunch of memorization both content wise and physical movement wise because I had to learn marching drill movements. The process was tough and every year you would get a promotion. Out of all my promotions, The E-4 rank (corporal) was the one that really connected with me the most. This is the rank where I became an NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) which allowed me to become an instructor and teach what I learned to students that are recently joining the program. Teaching to younger students was one of the best experiences ever because everyone who was admitted to the program was so dedicated and eager to learn the content in the program and it made it easier for me to teach them. 

When it was time to graduate and be promoted to the rank of E-4/Corporal, walking up to the stage and receiving that rank was one of the best moments ever for me. That small piece of medal that I pin to the collar of my uniform required so much effort that when I received it, I was proud to wear such an accomplishment. From that day forward, I left the rank in a special case to put on my shelf and when I look at it, all I remember is the moments I spent receiving that rank and the moments after receiving it.