MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A classroom used by the Train the Trainer School aboard Camp Johnson has been dedicated to a long-serving employee who has helped instruct thousands of Marines and civilians, Jan. 21.
Carl B. Wilson, a retired gunnery sergeant, spent 20 years in the military, served two tours as a drill instructor and worked at the Drill Instructor School aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island before retiring. He was later hired as a senior consultant for a web-based application that supports training.
“Upon his retirement in 1988, he began working as a contract support employee at Camp Johnson,” said Ken Wolf, the executive deputy of the Train the Trainer School, Training and Education Command. “He’s been instrumental in providing support to all of (Training and Education Command’s) formal learning centers, as well as supporting the historic transformation of the school.”
Wilson hard work has had such a great influence on the school that a plaque now adorns the wall where he once taught Marines and civilians.
“I’m proud of all the work he’s done,” said Michael Perry, the director for Navy-Marine and Wounded Warrior Division, Info-Reliance Corporation. “With everything he’s done, he’s always focused on the Marines.”
Friends and co-workers alike all spoke of the dedication Wilson has for service members. For him, coming to work is not another check in the box, but another day to try and make Marines’ lives a bit better.
“Although I work for a contracted company, my loyalty lies with the Marines,” said Wilson. “It’s about giving back.”
Now, the Train the Trainer School has dedicated one of their newly refurbished classrooms to Wilson, a person who even after retiring from the Corps, continues to support the Marine Corps mission.
“I couldn’t have thought of a better person to rededicate this classroom to,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Hobbs, the director for the Train the Trainer School, TECOM. “Not only that, but I tell young guys who feel removed from history about Wilson. He’s our connection to Marine Corps history, and is a reminder that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves.
After the dedication ceremony was conducted, friends gathered around and many joked about his age, including himself. On several screens throughout the classroom that was dedicated to him were images of a caveman teaching others about animals. This was one of many references to his age.
“Another joke is about the 11 general orders,” said Wilson. “People say that I’m so old that when I was in the military there were only three general orders.”
Such is written another small yet important part of Marine Corps history, a testament to Wilson’s many achievements and inspiration for all who step into his classroom.