Recruit Honor Grad Awarded
"Chesty" Puller's legacy of leadership continues to inspire today's generations of new Marine recruits.
The Marine Corps Association & Foundation awards the "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award to each graduating company at the Parris Island and San Diego Recruit Depots.
LCpl Adam Cardenus of Redlands, California was recognized with the award at the Jan. 18, 2013 Company M graduation for 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego.
The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award is presented to the Marine of each graduating company who demonstrated the highest potential for future leadership and responsibility in the Marine Corps. Approximately 90 recruit training companies graduate each year and one recruit honor graduate is selected from each company.
LtGen Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was the most decorated U.S. Marine in history, and is the only Marine to be awarded five Navy Crosses. He received the nation's second highest military decoration a total of six times, and in addition to the five Navy Crosses he was also awarded the United States Army Distinguished Service Cross.
The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award, other honor graduate awards and awards for all the Marine Corps' formal schools are presented through the MCA&F Marine Excellence Awards Program. Each year MCA&F gives awards to recognize nearly 11,000 deserving Marines and provides about 97 percent of all awards distributed in the Corps outside the USMC awards system.

The "Chesty" Puller Recruit Company Honor Graduate Award.
Photo credit by Ron Lunn
To support Marines and encourage the existence of these MCA&F programs, please participate in our Special 100th Anniversary Campaign. The three-tier donation levels recognize our donors by name in the April editions of Leatherneck and Marine Corps Gazette magazines celebrating the association’s centennial. All contributions are tax-deductible and directly touch the lives of thousands of Marines each year.
Click HERE to visit the donation page and make a contribution today. (https://mca.networkats.com/members_online/members/donations.asp?action=v...)
Member Oorahs!
It is ALWAYS a pleasure to work with a consummate professional such as SgtMaj (Ret.) Frank Pulley. As the company 1stSgt for Hotel Company, MCT, SOI (West), I’ve attended a number of his briefs and one can visually see a positive change in the student’s attention levels as the SgtMaj delivers his presentation. The SgtMaj truly cares about the Marines and the Marine Corps and represents the MCA in an extremely admirable manner. It has been my experience that all Marines (including myself) benefit from the experience of attending a MCA presentation. And regardless of rank or years of experience, Marines should always seek to increase their level of proficiency and knowledge and MCA briefs provide us with that opportunity.
Ma’am,
Just wanted to let you know that I got the sword yesterday with time to spare. It showed up unscathed due to the excellent packing job despite the rough postal process. And most importantly it looks great and the Bahraini’s couldn’t be happier! Thanks again for all of your assistance.
R/S
Major Wayne Phelps
3d LAAD Bn XO
Security Force, Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan
Ms. Pappas,
Congratulations. You are more responsive and informative than any other website contact I can recall. I appreciate that very much. It’s really nice to have someone like you at the MCA “front door.”
Sincerely, Alfred
Louise,
I just wanted to say thanks so much for making sure the uniform got back
to me in time for my commissioning class's photo. It fits me well and I am so excited for commissioning which takes
place in 17 hours! Thank you again!
Very Respectfully,
Ma’am,
I received the shipment of plaques, books and certificates today for
mail call. It was more exciting to me than candy or magazines! Thank
you very much.
Semper Fi,
Jessica,
Thank you so much for taking the extra time and making the extra effort
to ship another hat to me for my husband last week. The second hat
arrived last Thursday... and he was tickled with it. Although it may be
"only a hat" it is a very special hat in many ways. He will always be a
proud Marine dad, and your kindness is very much appreciated.
Thanks for the email; I purchased the two Marine Corps. Cups for my brother who served with the First Marine Div. in Vietnam . He was very pleased with the cups and I was very impressed with the purchase. The online catalog did not do the product the justice it deserved. Thanks again and I am sure you will hear from me in the future.
I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone at the association for sponsoring the Ground Awards Dinner on 3 June at the Crystal City Marriott. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and were tremendously pleased with the hospitality shown to us and the great accommodations. As well, I wanted to thank the association for the DVD of the event that was mailed to me. It is something that I will keep and treasure for the rest of my days. Again, thanks for everything.
Semper Fidelis!
My Name is Sergeant Major Juan. M. Hidalgo, Sergeant Major of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) out of Camp Pendleton, CA. Sergeant Major (Ret.) Frank Pulley is one of my mentors and is someone that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. The MCA and SgtMaj Pulley do a phenomenal job in helping us recognize our Marines and Sailors and they continually demonstrate that they are always more than ready to support; anytime...Anyplace! And on behalf of the entire 13th MEU, I thank you very much!
I want to relay my many thanks to everyone at Marine Corps Association and Military Historical Tours for providing me the opportunity to experience such a wonderful trip to Russia. Had I not won this trip through MCA I may have never taken advantage of such fantastic travels. The group, the Russian Tour guide (Oleg Alexandrov) and Charlie Dunn were wonderful companions during the trip. It will be a memory I will cherish all of my remaing days on this earth.
Again, Many thanks and Semper Fidelis!
Related Content
- Chesty Puller Awardees (Page)
- Marine Corps Association & Foundation: Advancing Leadership and Recognizing Excellence (Article)
- A Legend Come to Life (Page)
- Chesty Puller Statue Dedication Ceremony (Event)
- Chesty Puller (Magazine Page)


