by Lance Cpl. Jacob Richardson
Recruit Finn Brannan, with Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Richardson)
On April 29, 2023, a recruit from London was among the latest from a cycle of United States Marine Corps recruits, with Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, who earned their Eagle, Globe, and Anchors and officially became United States Marines. The young men and women had endured 11 weeks of food and sleep deprivation, intense physical training, and a thorough indoctrination into the Marine Corps and its way of life. The recruits had come to Parris Island from all over the nation. Some had even come from outside the nation.
One such recruit, now Marine, is 24-year-old U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Finn Brannan. Originally from London, England, he has earned his place amongst the ranks of America’s finest fighting force.
“I grew up in a very small village in the middle of nowhere,” Brannan said. “I moved to Connecticut when I was 12, so moving from a farming village to a suburban town in the U.S. was a big shift.”
Brannan and his family moved to the U.S. after his father accepted a new job opportunity in New York. He currently has a green card and does not yet possess dual citizenship, which meant there were extra steps to complete before he could join the Marine Corps.
“I had a background check, a security clearance check, which I think everyone goes through, but there were a couple extra questions just about my citizenship and my loyalty to the U.S.,” Brannan explained.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, individuals who have honorably served in the U.S. military for at least one year and meet the other prerequisites are eligible to apply for naturalization.
Recruits with Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, perform weapons maintenance during the Crucible. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Richardson)
“I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to serve in the military,” Brannan said. “I talked to some of my dad’s friends who served in the Marine Corps and they had such amazing things to say, so they kind of sold me on this really cool experience that they had. And so I thought, ‘I’ve got to get some of that.’”
Brannan’s father served in the British Army. For his son, there was only ever one option.
“It was always the Marine Corps,” Brannan said. Fortunately, his dad didn’t give him much pushback, for his service choice or for the country he chose to serve.
“My parents were very supportive,” Brannan said, without hesitation. “They’ve known this is something I’ve always wanted to do. So they’ve been proud of me and supported me through every step.”
As is the case with everyone brave enough to step on the yellow footprints, Brannan resembles the rest of his platoon members with the notorious shaved head, athletic stature, the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform, etc. It isn’t until he speaks that you’d realize he’s from the island across the pond. His drill instructors and fellow recruits-turned-Marines didn’t give him any flak for being British, though he did receive a couple of nicknames.
“Nothing bad, no bad names,” said Brannan, with a smile. “I’ve been called Captain Price and King George. Can’t get upset about it.” Captain Price, a British SAS operator, is one of the main characters in the Call of Duty franchise, and King George was the king of Great Britain when America fought for and won its independence.
Recruit Finn Brannan, with Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, patrols a roadway with his platoon during the Crucible. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Richardson)
When asked about his memorable experiences from recruit training, he was quick to respond.
“The gas chamber is definitely one, ” Brannan recalled. “That was fun. It wasn’t fun, it was just sort of a very painful experience. The rifle range was really fun. The rappel tower, I thought I would hate that, and I loved it, it was great. I’d gladly do it again. I enjoyed the PT. I really liked BWT, I had a great time. It’s been really cool, like, seeing all the obstacle courses that you see in TV or movies and things like that, and getting to actually go through them.”
Although he still has to complete the final weeks of recruit training, he says it has so far been “a great experience.” Great, but challenging, as everyone who’s been through Marine Corps recruit training can attest. Brannan had friends tell him about it, but you don’t know what it’s like until you go through it yourself.
“It’s definitely a little tougher than I thought it would be,” Brannan admitted. “I thought it would be tough, but mentally it’s harder than I thought it would be. No matter how much you try to prepare yourself mentally, it’s tough.”
Brannan’s drill instructors recognized his capabilities, and made him one of their platoon’s squad leaders. In this position of leadership, he had added responsibilities and hardships placed upon him. For Brannan, one of the hardest parts of recruit training was something all recruits deal with. “Being so shut off from society was definitely a bit of a shock at first,” Brannan said.
“I definitely cried the first time I got a letter. I’m not embarrassed to say that, I’m the kind of person who went out, before this, when I was driving to work, I listened to the radio just to keep up with what’s going on in the world, and not knowing what’s happening outside the squad bay was a bit of a shock.”
While he may not have been connected to the outside world, he forged new connections with the men in his platoon and spoke highly of the “brotherhood of everyone in the squad bay.” “We have quite a few international recruits, Marines now,” Brannan mused. “It was nice getting to know different people from all different walks of life.” In the end, it was all worth it. He’s one of the nation’s newest Marines, and said it feels “amazing.” “It still doesn’t feel quite real, yet,” Brannan said.
Recruit Finn Brannan, with Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, crawls through mud and watery terrain during the Crucible (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Richardson)
That’s something most Marines, former and active, can relate to. The overpowering swell of emotions that comes after the crucible is over and you go through the EGA ceremony, officially earning the title of Marine, is one of the most powerful and enduring feelings any Marine will ever experience.
Brannan’s occupational field is 03, meaning he will be in the infantry. After recruit training, he will attend the School of Infantry, while non-infantry-Marines will attend Marine Combat Training. After he completes his entry level training, the world is wide open for the Corps’ Londoner.
“I just want to get out there and see and do as much as I can,” Brannan said. “I have so many options ahead of me that it’s kind of hard to pick one.”
