Like Father Like Son at US Navy Recruit Training Command

Seaman Raul Vega Rodriguez, a 40-year-old father of three, graduated from basic training while his youngest son, 18-year-old Seaman Recruit Kendrick Raul Vega Sanabria, also a recruit in Navy boot camp, watched from the bleachers July 14, at Midway Ceremonial Drill Hall at Recruit Training Command (RTC).

“I wanted to join a long time ago,” Rodriguez said. “The opportunity came up and I just wanted to do it – show my kids that I can do it. That’s something for them, they see me and they might say, ‘You know what, if Dad could do it at that age, I can do it too.’”

His son, Sanabria, inspired by his father, decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and even called the same recruiter.

“Since I was a kid I always wanted to be in the military; there’s nothing else,” said Sanabria. “It comes from my dad. He’s always taught me how to be a leader and never give up.”

Sanabria said his dad has always wanted to join the Navy and that’s been his inspiration since arriving at RTC.

“He’s always taught me how to have discipline when you don’t feel like doing things, just keep doing it,” said Sanabria. “At boot camp it’s hard, but it’s easy at the same time. Sometimes you feel like going back home where you can see family, but you stay here for a purpose, just always remember that purpose.”

While Sanabria could not sit with his family because he’s still in his first week of training, he was able to give his father a hug and see his mother and sister. Because Rodriguez joined the Navy Reserves, he will go home to Puerto Rico after eight weeks of Aviation Maintenance Administrationman “A” school in Meridian, Mississippi. However, his son enlisted as active duty and is in the Seaman Professional Apprenticeship Career Track and will continue training in Great Lakes, before continuing to the active fleet.

Boot camp is approximately 10 weeks and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness and lessons in Navy heritage and core values, Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp. For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc