17-year-old Rio Rancho Marine awarded Chesty Puller Award

RIO RANCHO — Not only did 17-year-old Johnny Acee graduate from U.S. Marine Corps basic training Nov. 26, but he graduated No. 1 in his class of 584 recruits and earned the Chesty Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award.

The Chesty Puller Award is an honor given to a Marine recruit at boot camp who demonstrates the highest potential for leadership and responsibility within their graduating company.

“I definitely feel fulfilled from the accomplishment but also excited for what’s next,” Acee said. “There is so much honor and tradition in any of the armed forces, especially the Marine Corps.”

The award is named after Lt. Gen. Lewis “Chesty” Burwell Puller, a decorated Marine who served in World War II, the Korean War and other campaigns. It is awarded by the Marine Corps Association & Foundation.

“Me and my dad, anytime we would go in the mall [Cottonwood], they’d have the recruiting station there, and we would go in there and talk to the Marines: ask if we could get a poster or I would just say, ‘In eight years, I am going to come down and join,’” Acee said.

According to Johnny, he wanted to join the Marines since he was in elementary school. At the age of 15, he was a regular at the Marine recruiting office and made it known that he wanted to be a Marine.

From that time on, he attended every PT session and worked out with other recruits who were getting ready to go to boot camp. Eventually, he would lead those workout sessions.

Part of Johnny’s training — just like for every Marine — included the famed “Crucible,” which is a 54-hour test that Marine Corps recruits must complete to officially become a Marine.

“You’re hiking over 50 miles: little sleep, little food and what not ... during the Crucible, there’s a lot of different events that you’ll go through, and one of the events I got to be a leader in was called the ‘Basilone Hill,’” Acee said.

Basilone’s Hill or (Basilone’s Challenge) is a physically demanding part of the Crucible where Marine recruits run up a steep hill while carrying heavy ammunition cans. It is named after Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, a highly decorated Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal. Basilone died in Iwo Jima at the age of 28.

“We are doing bounding or buddy rushing up the hill, but the drill instructor, they start to call out where we make mistakes. Maybe we ran too early or maybe we didn’t suppress good enough. They just started having our buddies lay down on the floor and act like a causality, and we had to carry them up this hill ... it’s tough, but it’s awesome to get to the top with your brother,” Acee said.

Besides winning the prestigious award, the young Rio Rancho native was also promoted to E3 lance corporal, another rare accomplishment for a teenager.

“There is no feeling like it, to belong to something that’s greater than yourself, “ Acee said. “Anyone that is maybe interested or looking into it, I would say, there’s really no down sides to it. There are so many benefits, there’s so many opportunities, and you’ll really discover your ‘why’ while you’re in training.”

If you are interested in joining the U.S. Marine Corp or have any questions, the closest office to Rio Rancho is in the Cottonwood area at 3611 NM-528, Albuquerque. Staff Sgt. Nathaniel J. Perry, a Marine Corps representative, can also be reached at Nathaniel.Perry@marines.usmc.mil or at 505-850-8111.