The stories you hear while training on the grueling 52 mile obstacle course were the kind that made the hairs on your neck stand up. You have 48 hours to finish and you have nothing but a day's worth of rations, two liters of water and two hours of sleep. The only indicators of progress are the medals of honor you receive for completing each section. It was team building after all, and that little encouragement helped me and others stay motivated despite the sand in my eyes, blisters on my feet, and dehydration headaches. The finish line was a mountain aptly named The Reaper. I'm proud to say he didn't beat me or my teammates. When we finally reached the summit, our first sergeant was waiting for us and told us he was proud to call us Marines. The eagle, globe, and anchor pin meant a lot, but they were nothing compared to those words. I had done it. We had done it. We are Marines. Emotion overwhelmed everything