Math teacher Ellen Nosal participated in the Educational Conference of United States Marine Core April 3-6.
Parris Island, a boot camp committed to core values in service to the country, is located in South Carolina. This educaional conference allows teachers, counselors, and coaches, to participate in a three day Marine Corps boot camp. Nosal was selected by SSGT Don Wetzel, and had to go through a document process to get in.
“They were looking for people who were against going into the military, but that is the opposite of how I feel,” Nosal explained.
She was very excited to have an experience such as this one.
“I wanted to see what Parris Island was like, and what it took to make a marine,” Nosal explained. “The coolest part was firing an M14.”
Going to boot camp is a very difficult task for those going into the marines. Nosal found that going to boot camp is one of the toughest things one can do, and only had to go for three days as opposed to 13 weeks for those who actually enter the marines.
“The hardest part was waking up so early,” she said. “Everything started at 6 a.m.; there’s no being late.”
Nosal learned a lot from this experience, and felt as if she had become very close with her troop members.
“I learned how rigorous the Marine Corps really is; they want honor students,” she explained. “The Marine Corps is a family; it is a small family, but your troop becomes your brothers and sisters.”
Forty-four teachers went, but Nosal was the only one from Fauquier County to attend.
“I now understand what it takes to be a marine.” Nosal stated.