Journal of a ‘60s California Farm Worker, Part 5 (Last)The five essays are pieces of my life, each one capturing a chapter in my journey from a young migrant laborer to a United States Marine. The final essay brings me into the United States Marine Corps, where the discipline, endurance, and teamwork I had learned in the fields became the foundation for my military service. We landed, loaded onto buses, and rolled into the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD). The yellow footprints, perfectly spaced for the position of attention, were the first of a thousand small reminders that in the Corps, precision was everything. We learned to run everywhere, to answer instantly with “Sir, yes sir!” or “Sir, no, sir!” Meals were ten-minute sprints with a tray in hand, and every mistake brought extra push-ups, rifle physical training (PT), or a trip to the sand pit.