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Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
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Interesting Fact: Radford’s biggest goal in life is to become the President of the United States. His first step in achieving his goal is serving in the Marine Corps as a Legal Service Specialist.

Photo by Cpl. Ali Azimi

What I've Learned: Blake Radford

30 Jan 2014 | Lance Cpl. Alejandro Bedoya Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Interesting Fact: Radford’s biggest goal in life is to become the President of the United States. His first step in achieving his goal is serving in the Marine Corps as a Legal Service Specialist.

I lived in Hudson, Fla., since I was about six years old. The city is both coastal and rural so you get a little bit of everything. I lived on the coastal side while I was there and I really enjoyed it.

Growing up, I played just about every sport. Baseball and swimming were definitely my favorite. I played baseball for the majority of my time in school but swimming was a hobby and still is.

I love swimming because it gives me a feeling of being free and it will calm me down. Many people like to run when stressed out but I think jumping in the pool and swimming a couple of laps is a perfect cure for stress.

Swimming is also a great workout. Running a mile is kind of routine for most Marines but I guarantee if you ask those same Marines to go out and swim a mile, they will most likely have a tougher time.

Another big thing in my life when I was growing up was (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) and volunteering. It was Army ROTC but I loved it. I thought I was going to join the Army throughout high school.

Not trying to be cocky or anything, but I was one of the best cadets in my high school ROTC when it came to awards and ribbons. I strived to be the best I could because no matter the situation, I want to come out on top.

We would volunteer for Toys for Tots, Relay for Life, and any other opportunities we could get to. I started out only volunteering with my ROTC class but then I fell in love with it and started doing it on my own time.

There was one time we raised enough money to get a six-year-old kid an Xbox. I don’t think I have ever seen somebody so happy to receive a gift. His mom could do nothing but cry and thank us for giving him a wonderful Christmas. For us, it is an hour or two out of our day but for those kids, it is something they will remember for their whole life. That is the reason I try to go out and spend some of my time giving to the less fortunate.

Joining the Marine Corps was kind of a last minute thing. Like I said, I always saw myself joining the Army but I just love being challenged and what better challenge is there than trying to become a Marine?

The Army recruiters would always try and remind me how fast I would pick up rank but what is the point of that besides pay. Rank should not be handed out to anyone, it should be earned with experience and hard work.

Another thing I always knew I was going to do, besides joining the military, is becoming a lawyer. Law has always caught my eye. When you think of law, you usually think of people doing something wrong and cops tracking them down and throwing them in jail, but there is so much more to it. I would love to stand in front of an audience of people and try to convince them that I am right.

While in high school, I participated in a thing called Teen Court. The teen court is exactly what it sounds like. It is a court where teens are being charged with minor crimes and getting punished. It gave me a chance to play the role of a lawyer but was not as serious as the real thing. It was an amazing time and I never lost a case while I was there.

Law is also going to help me accomplish my biggest goal, becoming the President.

I decided I wanted to be President my freshman year of high school. We had a character day so I dressed up as Barack Obama. That same day, I got voted the President of my government class.
The route I want to take to reach my goal is to finish my first (enlistment) with the Marine Corps, go to school and get my law degree, then re-enlist in the Marine Corps as an officer and a lawyer for the Marine Corps. Once I get out of the Marine Corps I will run for public office back home. I will go for state legislator first. After that, I would run for governor. Once I reached governor, the next step would be to run for President.

I will accomplish my goal and become the President of the United States.

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms