Personal Narrative: Devil Pups

After a three-hour bus ride, surrounded by strangers, I arrived at Camp Pendleton. With no expectations, I assumed Devil Pups would be just another leadership camp. As I stepped off the bus immediately trapped by three drill instructors screaming in my face, I knew I had made a grave mistake. From the moment I stepped foot on Camp Pendleton, I knew my life would never be the same. Devil Pups was initiated due to a group of teenagers who in the 1950's burned down the American flag. The camp's mission is to instill patriotic values in young teenagers through hardship and challenges. Devil Pups would be the biggest challenge I had ever faced to date. Upon arrival, I felt as though I didn't belong or an outcast, lacking the physical strength so many others had. From the first PFT (Physical Fitness Test), I knew I had my …show more content…
From Devil Pups, I learned how to face adversity and persevere even when you want to quit. Because of the Devil Pups program, I know that I can do anything in life no matter the challenge. As Corporal Manzo would say, "Pain is just weakness leaving the body." This summer was a sequence of memorable events that I believe has changed me for the better. The Devil Pups motto “Growth Through Challenge” really encompasses the significance of life. It teaches us that to achieve success in any endeavor requires failure, but that is a part of the process. As I received my challenge coin on top of Ole Smokey, watching the sunset I knew the man I wanted to be. The person I am today is the culmination of the sweat, blood, tears, and time I put into Devil Pups. That timid uncertain kid no longer exists, only an ambitious and courageous young man ready to take on the world. Now I want to show the world what I can do through my passion of Medicine, so I can help those who aren’t able to help themselves. This is my story thank you for taking the time to read