Brothers in Arms, Cousins by Blood

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. – For two cousins, the journey to earning the title of United States Marine is more than a personal challenge. It’s a chance to carry on their fathers' legacy, one that brought them to the same training company. With both of their fathers having served in the Corps, Pfc. Caleb Campbell and Pvt. Hunter Campbell grew up connected by a shared heritage. Now, training together in Echo Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, they can follow in their fathers’ footsteps while forging their own paths.

Both Caleb and Hunter enlisted for their own reasons, with their fathers strongly influencing their decisions. Caleb’s father, Joshua Campbell, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2001 as a Field Radio Operator. He was stationed in Okinawa for most of his career, where he met his wife and where Caleb was born. He deployed to Thailand and spent his final year of service at Camp Lejeune.

Hunter’s father, Zachary Campbell, also enlisted in 2005 as a Field Radio Operator. He was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms, California, where he spent his career, and deployed to Iraq.

For years before enlisting, becoming a Marine was all Hunter wanted. He looked up to his father, Zachary, and wanted to follow in his footsteps. Although Zachary wanted to offer Hunter other options, his heart was already set on becoming a Marine.

“I was actually trying to talk him out of it,” said Zachary. “Not because I don’t like the Marine Corps; I love the Marine Corps. I just wanted to make sure his heart was actually set on it, and it was.”

While Hunter was set on joining, Caleb was already in college, where he played baseball for two years. He poked at the idea for a bit, and finally, after his second year, Caleb came home and told his father, “I’m joining the Marine Corps. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

His decision came down to wanting a better future for himself, inspired by his father and uncle.

“I view my father as a great dad, a great husband, and a great family man,” said Caleb. “I think he has the Marine Corps to thank for that, so it's a big reason why I joined.”

Caleb and Hunter were in the same company but did not join at the same time or plan to train together. Hunter entered the Delayed Entry Program at Marine Corps Recruiting Station Prattville, Alabama, in 2025, with a projected ship date in August 2026. Caleb enlisted at Marine Corps Recruiting Station Florence, Alabama, where he was projected to leave in September under an Intelligence contract; however, he decided to leave sooner under a reconnaissance contract and shipped to Parris Island on the same day as his cousin. The cousins, living about 200 miles apart, reunited in the same company, completely by chance.

“He had been planning on joining for a while, and it came up quickly for me,” said Caleb. “So we had our conversations like, ‘Oh, it would be pretty cool if we ended up going at the same time,’ but nothing was ever planned.”

Although Caleb and Hunter were both in Echo Company, they were in different platoons: Caleb in platoon 2077 and Hunter in 2076. Being in separate platoons made it easier for the cousins to get through boot camp, since none of their drill instructors saw a resemblance between them or knew they were cousins. To them, it was enough to see each other and know they were doing well throughout their cycle.

“Being in different platoons, seeing each other and barely interacting with each other was more than enough for me,” said Caleb. “I felt good knowing that he’s here, he’s thriving, he’s doing his thing, and I’m hoping he’s seeing me doing it as well.”

On the final day of the Crucible, Caleb and Hunter passed under the “We Make Marines” sign and earned their Eagle, Globe, and Anchors at the Iwo Jima Monument while their families watched. Upon officially earning the title of United States Marine, the cousins reunited with their fathers and fully embraced the legacy. Both Zachary and Joshua were honored to witness their sons become Marines together.

“The amount of pride you have, you just can’t describe it,” said Joshua. “Of course it was emotional seeing both of them, and for both of them to go through it together, it just couldn't have been better.”

Both cousins graduated on November 6th, 2026, and their family gets to see them come home as Marines and spend time telling their boot camp stories. Caleb and Hunter will continue on their own paths as Marines, and their fathers couldn't be prouder of the continuing legacy.

“We both know what it means to earn the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. We understand the traditions, the sacrifices, the pride, and the lifelong brotherhood that accompany the title of Marine,” said Zachary. “Now our sons have chosen to pursue that same brotherhood, not because they were required to, but because they wanted to earn it for themselves. There is something incredibly meaningful about knowing that the two boys we watched grow up are now enduring the same transformation that shaped us as young men.”

(U.S. Marine Corps Story by Lance Cpl. Ayden Cassano)

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