Military recruits prior to departure to recruit training, are encouraged to begin the process of physical fitness and conditioning months prior to the departure date. These courageous, young men and women have volunteered to join the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Army, Air Force, or Coast Guard during the current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, some of these recruits come from households that lack the financial means to provide basic running shoes that would enable them to start an effective training program.

In the past, recruiters have pooled enough money from their personal budgets to purchase a few pairs of shoes for the most needy recruits. These recruiters donate from their families’ budgets to assist these courageous recruits, even though the military pay scale is far below a typical civilian pay scale. I have personally witnessed recruits attempting to complete a 1.5 mile training run in shoes that would likely be disposed of by many household. When I inquired about the shoes, one recruit answered “This is the only pair of shoes I have sir”.