The Marine
Justin L. Sharratt has always known he wanted to serve in the military. We have pictures of him as a three-year-old boy in camouflage pants with his G.I. Joe toys and Battleship game. He has shown dedication and pride by being a part of the Navy Sea Cadet program and Boy Scouts. Almost every family vacation included a visit to a military fort, monument, or museum in honor of our troops. This curiosity did not fade over the years. In August 2002, one week before his 18th birthday, Justin enlisted in the delayed entry program with the United States Marine Corps. He chose this elite military force because he wanted to be the best of the best. His days of playing his guitar, working on computers, and kicking around a soccer ball were over. From that day on, everything he did revolved around his career with the Marines.
Upon graduating from Penn High School in June 2003, Justin left for boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruiter Depot (MCRD) in San Diego, CA. Throughout the duration of his training he sent home letters to our family, telling us about his experiences, with a newfound excitement written with each word.
Our family flew out to attend his graduation from boot camp in October 2003. When he left our home in Granger, IN a mere three months before, Justin was an underweight kid with baggy jeans and a hooded sweatshirt; none of us recognized the muscular, mature young Marine that embraced us in a hug after the ceremony. With a family celebration following his induction into the Marines Corps, Justin was stationed at Camp Pendleton to attend SOI (School of Infantry).
He knew he would one day be sent to fight a war; however, no one anticipated the day we received a phone call from Justin, saying he will be deployed to Iraq for a seven month tour in June 2004. With fear in our hearts, our brother, son, grandson, and hero left behind all that he knew to fight a war thousands of miles away. During his time away he missed birthdays, holidays, and family events. Life was not the same without having him with us. We sent packages, mailed letters, and emailed notes trying to keep him up-to-date with his life at home. During his time in Iraq he fought the enemy with bravery and respect. He lost friends to war, shed 20 pounds from working from sun up to sundown, and became a man. He was welcomed home in traditional military style, with his proud family waiting for him at Camp Pendleton in January 2005. We celebrated his homecoming and missed holidays with smiles spread across our faces.
Justin returned home for leave, and then was back at Camp Pendleton, training for another deployment to Iraq. Watching him leave the second time was harder than the first. We received less letters and phone calls, but more emails, filled with his plans for the future. We sent packages every week, trying to keep his morale up in such a hellish environment. One of the more memorable moments of this deployment was when we asked him what he wanted for Christmas. Most of the Marine families were sending iPods, computers, and portable DVD players; Justin asked for black socks and canned goods.
With strain surrounding Haditha, the city he was stationed at, our family was shocked when we received a phone call on April 6, 2006, hours prior to our flight to California to welcome home our Marine. He said not to worry, there was an investigation and everything is fine.
Eight months later we were standing outside of the media center at Camp Pendleton, holding hands and defending our hero, who is being charged with murder.
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