 He left high school to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve on January 3, 1968, and was discharged on January 7, 1968, to enlist in the Regular Marine Corps.He completed recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California on March 14, 1968.Transferred to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, he underwent individual combat training with Company L, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment, followed by basic infantry training which he completed in May 1968.