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FORT INDIANTOWN GAP -- The poolies stood in line, palms clasped behind their backs, elbows out, talking among themselves, when Gunnery Sgt. Richard Worden said, "Here they come."
The teenage poolies got quiet.
"Don't turn around," Worden said.
Staff Sgt. James Ballard, a drill sergeant, stepped through the lines just before noon Saturday. As he passed, the poolies tried to hide their emotions by scowling or by showing a blank face or, in a few cases, God help them, by smiling.
"I AM YOUR DRILL SERGEANT, YOU WILL ADDRESS ME, OR ANY OTHER MARINE OR ANY OTHER PERSON YOU ENCOUNTER WITH FULL RESPECT. THE ONLY WORDS YOU WILL SAY IS 'YES SIR,' 'NO SIR' OR 'AYE SIR,' DO YOU UNDERSTAND!"
"Yes sir," the poolies yelled.
"AGAIN!"
"Yes sir."
"AGAIN!"
The poolies' screams became taut and reverberated across the training ground. Once they had that down, Ballard had them on their faces, then back up, then doing push-ups, then back up, then running, then back in line, then on their backs, then up, then down again.
"Yes sir."
They weren't even Corps property yet.
Ballard's charges were mostly high-school recruits in the deferred enlistment program. Many will leave for basic training this summer after graduation, but some, still juniors, have another year before they can officially join.
Almost 700 recruits from central Pennsylvania were at the fort for the annual event.
Once a recruit joins the deferred enlistment program, he or she joins a pool that trains together. About 45 recruits from York County's three pools -- York, Hanover and Red Lion -- made the trip Saturday to get a feel for Marine discipline and what they can expect at basic training.
They did fitness work, ran an obstacle, learned Marine history and learned a few basics of martial arts.
Those in the deferred enlistment program have until they leave for boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., to decide whether they want to enlist. Saturday's workout and the weekly pool meetings
It also gives those who aren't committed to being a Marine a chance to say "not for me."
Don Smuck of Wrightsville starts boot camp June 30, a year after joining Red Lion's pool. Ballard stood in front of him as he gave his opening orders.
"It's scary," Smuck said. "It's more about mental preparation, mental toughness. I think I'm pretty well prepared for that, but I don't think you can be totally prepared."
Later, Renee Sigel of Carlisle stood off on the side and took digital pictures of two Marines demonstrating how to disarm an enemy.
Her daughter Brittany Sigel, a senior at Carlisle High School, was among the poolies looking on.
Renee Sigel, an Air Force veteran, had a hard time when her daughter said she wanted to enlist, she said, "because of what's going on over there."
She was among about a dozen parents who went Saturday to ask drill instructors what their children will eat at Parris Island, what sheets they will be able to sleep in once they leave boot camp and who will be there when they buy their first cars.
In their answers, Renee found comfort. Her daughter would be trained and taken care of.
"What I saw on the faces of all these kids -- and to me they're all kids -- were smiles," Sigel said. "This is really what they want to do."
jfrantz@ydr.com; 771-2062
RECRUITING NUMBERS
The Marines' Harrisburg recruiting station, which covers central Pennsylvania, sent 998 recruits into the Corps last year and is on pace for more this year, Cpl. Jesse Stence said.
Recruiting is also up in York County, said Gunnery Sgt. Richard Worden, who is in charge of the county. Last year, they exceeded their goals by 18 percent, and only two of those recruits did not finish boot camp, Worden said.
