Band of Brothers

[thedrifter]

Band of Brothers
Submitted by: 4th Marine Corps District
Story Identification Number: 20037118910
Story by Sgt. Mikey Niman



RECRUITING STATION FREDERICK, MD(July 9, 2003) -- For a man who was almost passed up by military recruiters, GySgt. Jean Corvoisier not only joined the Corps, he has excelled as a Marine and has set the example for his fellow Marines and even his own family. A meritorious promotion and acceptance in to the ranks of career recruiters are the most recent events in a career that began by an unplanned phone call 12 years ago.

Corvoisier was recruited out of Recruiting Sub-station Rockville, Md. almost by accident when he answered the phone in his parents Wheaton, Md home.

?A recruiter called the house looking for my twin brother,? recalled Corvoisier. ?No recruiters ever called for me. I figure it was because they may have mistaken me as a girl because of my first name. The Marines called looking for my younger brother Carlo.?

To the recruiter?s delight, Jean Corvoisier was very interested in getting more information about the Marines. A few days later he was enlisted.

?My brother told me I was an idiot for joining,? marveled Jean. ?Two months later he was signing up for the Marine Corps Reserves.?

Like a lot of people recruted today, Jean?s younger brother was misinformed about the military until he received accurate information from a recruiter, according to him.

?I didn?t realize all of the benefits available,? said Carlo, a 2-year veteran of the Montgomery County Police Department. ?I joined for college money and received a degree in Criminology from the University of Maryland.?

Jean and Carlo, named after their father Jean Carlo Corvoisier are both first-generation Americans and like many first-generation Americans they had to look for options to help them achieve their goals.

?Our parents didn?t really have the income to send my brother to school, so the Marine Corps was an excellent place to get him the money to earn his degree,? said Jean.

Although they both joined the Marines right out of high school, the two brothers joined for different reasons and had different goals.

?I wanted to go to school,? said Carlo. ?My brother wanted to be a cop. We even graduated from different high schools.?

The brothers were in school together until their sophomore year, when they started going to different schools to gain some independence and individuality from each other, according to Carlo, who graduated from Wheaton High.

Jean graduated from Albert Einstein in Silver Spring, Md. and the two shipped to Parris Island, S.C., together where they shared a bunk during recruit training.

At his ceremony for meritorious promotion to gunnery sergeant, Jean told everyone present that throughout his time in the Marine Corps, his brother has been like a hero to him and has been a major source of inspiration.

?Since we are twins, I have been able to go through life and never felt that I am alone ? because of my brother,? said Carlo, who was surprised by his brothers comment. ?He was on active duty. He was a grunt. He went overseas. He has always been my hero.?

Like he has done and continues to do for his Marines, GySgt. Corvoisier has always tried to set the Marine Corps example for and because of his brother.

?Being the older brother, I had always strived to be squad leader or platoon sergeant, said Jean. ?I have always strived to prove anyone wrong who said by joining the Marines, I was making a mistake.?

Gunny Corvoisier continues to motivate and excel. He is currently the Non-Commissioned-Officer-In-Charge of Recruiting Sub-station Frederick, Md.

?I have learned a lot from Gunny Corvoisier,? said Staff Sgt. Herman Washington III, Columbus, OH native referring to his boss in the all-common Marine-abbreviated slang for the rank of gunnery sergeant.

He has taught me a lot of the working aspects of recruiting and prepared me to become a competitive NCOIC.?

Washington will be taking over his own station in August and looks forward to the challenge of competing with one of his recruiting mentors.

?I like to be able to have a positive impact on someone joining the Marines as well as the Marines who work for me, ? said Gunny Corvoisier ?It?s a rewarding feeling to have the ability to help other Marines advance in their careers and knowing I have made a difference in the future of the Marine Corps.?

?By him choosing to become a career recruiter, it not only benefits himself, but it benefits the Marine Corps and all of the Marines around him,? said Carlo. ?He is and always been a model Marine. He will make the Corps a better corps.?


Sempers,

Roger