“To our knowledge and to his recruiter, he is the only guy from Middlesboro that joined the Marine Corps (that year). The rest joined the Army or the National Guard. No one wants to join the Marines because it is the hardest,” says Robin Gambrel.
The young Marine had a hard time joining the military, as he had been on an inhaler since the age of 12.
“We had a doctor saying that he was clear. He decided he would go into the Army. He was supposed to go to Knoxville for a pulmonary test on April 9. We got a letter April 8 saying he had failed. His dad wrote the Congressman, Senator, the Governor. We got letters back saying they were sorry,” says Gambrel’s mother.
She says Allen was in college at the University of Kentucky when a Marine recruiter said if he could be at his office the next day, he would take him for a physical. Allen passed the physical and immediately signed up, she added, as being in the military had been his dream since the seventh grade.
After he enlisted hiis mother asked him, “What if you get killed?” She says his response was, “they (other young Americans) are over there fighting and I am no better than they are.”
His mother says that as far as boot camp goes Allen said it was the hardest thing he had to do but he he wouldn’t change it for the world,” and that if he had to do it again he would.
Currently Allen, who is a corporal, is a rear gunner, and operates a .248, is often part of convoys traveling in Iraq, and works with the Iraqi military.
“He gets along real good with the Iraqi military,” says his mother.
After boot camp, Allen started working in electrical motors, and later became a driver for a general. He was then reassigned as a gunner, and now wants to become a gunner’s sergarent.
A two year veteran of the Marines, he tells his family that he plans to re-enlist. Howver he is also planning for his civilian career, as he is taking college classes online through Kansas State.
Gambrel’s mother also says he has become an unofficial recruiter for the Marines, and has gotten three people from Harrogate tell hom that they are going to go into the military when they graduate high school.
The Gambrel family is trying to get Christmas gifts for their son, as well as his buddies in Iraq, and are asking for local residents help. They do caution anyone who wishes to send packages not to include anything that is breakable. Write or send a package write to Cpl. Gambrel at CPL Gambrel Allen, 5th Anglio Det A/HQMT, Unit 38552, FPO AP, 96606-8552
C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.
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