Plant City native Justin Galeno graduated Oct. 11, from the U.S. Marines boot camp. He is visiting his family in Plant City, until he ships out Oct. 21, to his next duty station, Jacksonville, N.C.
“This is the proudest moment of my life … to know that I filled the big boots, just like I set my mind to do,” Galeno said.
Galeno left for bootcamp July 15.
“Nothing prepared me for all of this,” his mother, Noemi Pabon, said. “It is the most challenging thing to do as a mom — to release your child to the military, but (it comes with an) amazing feeling of pride that no words can describe.”