Marine Corps Recruit Overcomes Major Obstacles to Achieve Dream

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO, Calif. — U.S. Marine Corps Pvt. Carlos Paz-Sosa, recruited out of Recruiting Station Riverside, faced significant challenges on his journey to becoming a Marine. Struggling with his weight throughout his childhood, Paz-Sosa made the pivotal decision during his senior year of high school to transform his life and pursue a career in the Marine Corps. This goal required him to lose over 100 pounds.

“It took about a year,” said Paz-Sosa, now a Marine with India Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment. “It took a lot of going to the gym and eating healthy. My mom makes good food, so portion control was probably the hardest part.”

With the support of his recruiter and his family, Paz-Sosa embarked on this challenging journey. His family recognized the positive impact the Marine Corps could have on his life. Seeing his determination and progress, they provided unwavering support.

“My mom was really supportive,” Paz-Sosa stated. “She said, ‘If this is what you want to do, go ahead.’ My brother definitely talked some smack at first, but once I started to make progress, he began to support me, which was a really good feeling.”

On July 12, 2024, Paz-Sosa graduated from recruit training. His journey through boot camp was marked by literal and figurative uphill battles, but those around him noticed a significant transformation.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Douglas Perez, his Senior Drill Instructor, observed the change in Paz-Sosa. “When Pvt. Paz-Sosa first got to the platoon, he was very timid,” Perez stated. “He didn’t communicate well. As time progressed, there was a giant change. He became more vocal with the platoon. If he saw somebody mess up, he’d go fix them; and he kept losing weight throughout training. His transformation was pretty noticeable.”

Paz-Sosa formed strong bonds during recruit training, particularly with Pvt. Lincoln Jameson, his rack mate throughout boot camp. “We would give each other a hard time here and there, but at the end of the day, we are now Marines and probably best friends for life,” said Paz-Sosa.

Paz-Sosa also found joy in helping his fellow recruits. “Some of the recruits needed more help than I did, and helping them felt really good. It was a heartwarming experience to help them become Marines. The entire experience was definitely worth it – look where we are now.”

His mother, Maria Sosa, expressed immense pride in seeing her son after three months. “When I first saw him, I said, ‘I love you. I’m so proud of you,’” Maria explained.

His recruiter, U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Aubrey Larsen, was impressed by Paz-Sosa’s transformation and determination. “When I first saw him, I was like, ‘Where’s the other half of you?’” Larsen exclaimed. “He had lost so much weight before he left and even more while he was in training. I asked him, ‘Did you believe you were going to make it?’ and he said, ‘Yes. The whole time.’”

Larsen also reflected on Paz-Sosa’s thoughtfulness during recruit training. “Something that stood out to me was a letter in which he wrote every single poolee,” Larsen stated. “He wrote catered letters for all of them. Every letter was so personal. He wrote about 15 of them; it was incredible.”

As he concludes recruit training, Paz-Sosa carries with him the knowledge and experience of accomplishing a hard-won goal. His journey from struggling with weight to becoming a Marine exemplifies resiliency and camaraderie, reminding us that the path to achieving one’s goals is paved with hard work, determination, and the support of loved ones.