MARINE COPRS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Two days before Independence Day in the summer of 1996, yet another group of young Americans stood silent on the all too famous yellow footprints at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C.
Two of those recruits were Delbarton, W.Va., native, Ben Dillon and Brian Hahne from Toledo, Ohio. New to each other and new to the Corps, neither of the two could have ever imagined how alike their paths would be.
April 2, 2003, seven years after their first taste of the Corps, Dillon and Hahne shared another memorable moment in their military careers when they were both promoted meritoriously to the rank of staff sergeant.
Dillon, who is the career planner for Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, and Hahne, Station Judge Advocate legal assistance chief, crossed paths for the first time since boot camp when Dillon visited the SJA.
"We were both stationed here and didn't know it until he just happened to stop in the office one day," said Hahne. "It was great to see each other again."
Dillon described another strange twist of fate for the two.
"We also found out that one of our drill instructors is actually stationed here as well," said Dillon. "You can never get away from those guys!"
Warrant Officer Todd Tarker, Station recovery officer-in-charge, recalled his memories of the two being in his very first platoon as a drill instructor at MCRD Parris Island.
"Dillon was the guide so he got the worst of it, and Hahne tried to keep quiet so I didn't get a chance to give him as much attention as I would have liked," said Tarker. "That's probably why he works where he does though. He knows what to say and when!"
Although the Marine Corps was a first for both of them, military service was already a part of Dillon's life.
"I was in the Navy prior to joining the Corps," said Dillon. "I have no regrets about coming in to the Marines. There's never been a question in my mind that I wasn't going career."
Hahne said that he couldn?t agree more.
"I knew after about one or two years that I was going to stay in," said Hahne. "Besides the fact that I can retire at the age of 38, the lifestyle itself is just me."
With Dillon being a member of the air wing and Hahne a Station Marine, both were able to win their respective meritorious boards for Iwakuni.
After that, Hahne went on to win Okinawa and ultimately the overall for Marine Corps Bases Japan. Whereas, Dillon conquered the competition through his squadron, wing and then finally the III Marine Expeditionary Force slot.
With such an accomplishment of meritorious staff sergeant under their belts, Dillon and Hahne say they share yet another common goal - meritorious gunnery sergeant.
"At this pace we hope to reach gunny in under 10 years of service," they said.