MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Kaneohe Bay -- If you ask a group of Marines where they keep their Honor, Courage and Commitment Card, what do you think they would say? Would it be in their wallet? Their pocket? Would they even know?
Gunnery Sgt. Donald L. Arbuckle, the former diving amphibious chief at 4th Force Reconnaissance Company here, always has an answer: he keeps his card close to his heart, both literally and figuratively, as he bears it proudly pinned on the inside of his utility blouse.
"I'm a Marine, I've always wanted to be and I will be until the day I die," he said. "The first thing that guides me in my life is the Corps' values of honor, courage and commitment."
Arbuckle was the diving amphibious chief for more than two and a half years, and was responsible for procuring, issuing and managing all diving equipment, and the training and managing of all diving personnel in 4th Force Recon.
"We ensure that all the equipment is safe for the Marines and Sailors to use," said Arbuckle. "We do all the maintenance on the equipment and stand quarterly, semiannual, and annual inspections."
Arbuckle knows the ins and outs of all open-circuit and closed-circuit scuba equipment, as well as every pump system held in the scuba locker. He trained personnel in dive techniques and physics, and dive medicine and search techniques. His unit is responsible for many pier and hull searches as well as recoveries of human remains in nearby areas.
"This may not be a glorious job, but it is the hardest job I've ever had in the Marine Corps," said Arbuckle. "I have two commands to answer to - the Navy branch, which has very strict guidelines, and the Marine Corps Maintenance Program, which is a completely different animal. When you add all the different facets and responsibilities under my belt, it adds up to an extremely busy schedule. But I enjoy it," he emphasized. "This is a big part of who I am."
Arbuckle was designated as the platoon sergeant of 2nd Platoon when 4th Force Recon was activated for Operation Iraqi Freedom. He took charge of training reconnaissance Marine candidates for any situations they might encounter.
"That is what is really fun, the field, when you are out there with Marines," he said. "I had the honor of training these young Marines and molding them to better support their mission with 4th Force Recon."
Arbuckle also ran a two-week basic diving course that prepared Marines before they went to the Marine Combat Dive Course.
With 17 years in the Marine Corps, Arbuckle has enjoyed diverse responsibilities since getting married and starting a family before joining the Corps at 21.
"I became wrapped in family life after high school, but after four years of making ends meet, I decided I wanted to be part of an elite team, and be one of 'The Few. The Proud.'
"There have only been a couple of things handed to me - everything else I have had to fight and struggle to get," he explained. "I wanted to be part of a tighter band of brothers and do exciting things, and I found that in reconnaissance.
"I've worked with the Singapore Seals, the Thai Recon Marines, the Green Berets and even the Navy Seals. It made it interesting," he explained.
Arbuckle leaves for his next assignment as an instructor at the School of Infantry West aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., soon. He's said he's excited about the opportunity to mold Marines.
"I get to teach and influence young Marines just like I originally wanted to," he said. "I can teach these warriors and prepare them for the conflicts they will face in the future."