Carson City, Nev., native a Marine Corps drill instructor on Parris Island

Sgt. Bruce Best currently serves as a Marine Corps drill instructor with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C. Best joined the Marine Corps in June 1999 and became a drill instructor in March 2013. “I became a drill instructor to … give back to the Marine Corps. We’re the best fighting force out here. We hold our heads high, and that’s what we’re all about. When [the recruits] get to the Crucible and get that pride in themselves … it’s a great feeling to see the transition made,” said Best, 34, a native of Carson City, Nev. About 600 Marine Corps drill instructors shape the approximately 20,000 recruits who come to Parris Island annually into basic United States Marines. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for 50 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps. (Photo by Cpl. Caitlin Brink)