Aspiring Marines Put to the Test in Beckley - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Aspiring Marines Put to the Test in Beckley

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Aspiring Marines were put to the test at Woodrow Wilson High School Saturday.

It was their last chance to improve their physical fitness score before heading off to the legendary Parris Island boot camp off the coast of South Carolina.   

Everything their trainer Sgt. Brandon Hyden has taught them over the past year has been to prepare them for this moment.

"Boot-camp is going to be pretty hard. There's nothing easy about boot camp. If it were easy, everybody would do it," said Hyden.

Dakota Dougherty is one of the many recruits who has been transformed by the past year.  On Saturday, he isn't looking back.

"I have mixed feelings, nervousness, anticipation. I've been waiting fro this for 11 months. Now I just want to get it over with."

Gunner Sgt. Joe Lewis parted with his recruits Saturday after offering them one last piece of advice.

"You must have heart. You got to want to be successful and make that happen for yourself," Lewis concluded.

The first round of recruits leave for boot-camp on Friday, with a second round departing in July.