Troop 140 Alumni UpdatePFC Hellaby, son of Paula and Joseph Hellaby recently completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. Mark successfully completed 12 weeks of training designed to challenge new Marine recruits both physically and mentally.
Mark and his fellow recruits began their training each day at 4 a.m., by running three miles and performing calisthenics. In addition to the physical conditioning program, Mark spent numerous hours in classroom and field assignments, which included learning first aid, uniform regulations, combat water survival, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat and assorted weapons training. They performed close order drill and operated as a small infantry unit during field training.
Mark also received instructions on the Marine Corps' core values --- honor, courage and commitment, and what the words mean in guiding personal and professional conduct. Mark and fellow recruits ended the training phase with the Crucible, a 54 hour ordeal of intense field training exercises that tests every recruit mentally and physically. Mark graduated from Parris Island on March 27, 2009.
He is currently at Camp Geiger for 4 weeks of MCT (Marine combat training). On May 12th he will graduate and go directly to his MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland where he will take classes to be a Towed Artillery Systems Technician.
Mark is a 2008 graduate of Wheatland Chili and a Troop 140 Eagle Scout.
