MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON -- Lance Cpl. William E. Lottering isn’t your typical Marine.
He attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, and left Camp Pendleton’s School of Infantry a meritorious lance corporal. Now a 27-year-old SAW gunner with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Lottering is slightly older than his peers. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Oceanside and are the proud parents of an 8-month-old daughter.
All of this sounds pretty typical, but it’s only part of the story.
Lottering was born and raised in Johannesburg, a provincial capital in the eastern portion of South Africa. He worked as a security official in the crime-stricken city, an experience he said he’ll never forget.
“There was a lot of violence in Johannesburg – hijacking, robberies – somedays we had up to 10 (hijacking) calls,” said Lottering. “You could stand outside your house at night and hear people shooting AK-47s.”
Lottering eventually traded the sound of an AK-47 for that of an M-16, but joining the U.S. armed forces wasn’t as easy as he’d thought.
In June 2003, Lottering flew from South Africa to New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and decided on looking into the Navy Seals, but several obstacles stood in his way, one of which being the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude (ASVAB) test.
“I failed it pretty bad the first time I took it,” laughed Lottering. “I think I (scored) a 17.”
Refusing to give up, he studied ASVAB practice material and resolved to give it another shot, only to be confronted by another roadblock. He couldn’t enlist without a green card.
“I missed the cutoff by one day,” said Lottering, his thick South African accent lamenting the fact that had he walked into the recruiting office one day sooner, his working visa and government-issued ID would have been enough to join.
Undeterred, he took a job in San Antonio with a small moving company. After two years of manual labor, Lottering received his green card and approached a Marine recruiter.
“I really liked everything he described to me,” said Lottering. “Marines had brotherhood, camaraderie and better uniforms (than the other services), much better.”
On Oct. 17, 2005, he attended boot camp and graduated three months later. He said graduation was one of the proudest days of his life, second only to the birth of his daughter.
Now a full-fledged Marine with his major obstacles behind him, Lottering “loves” being a part of 3rd Platoon, Company G, and “wouldn’t change it for anything else.” Unfortunately, one small problem lingers.
“It’s really hard for people to understand me the first time we meet,” Lottering said, his smile indicating that he’s fully aware of his thick accent. “They still make fun of me now and then.”
Marines who serve with him agree he’s a valuable asset to the platoon and the company.
“Everybody knows him because of his accent, but he’s also a well-rounded individual you can really depend on,” said Lance Cpl. Oscar Barroso, a 19-year-old team leader with 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon.
Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Albright has been platoon sergeant about a month but has already noticed Lottering’s contribution to the platoon.
“He’s a very solid lance corporal, and his age brings a lot of real-world experience,” said Albright. “He has a different perspective on everything, different from the Marines right out of high school.”
Part of what Lottering brings to the plate might come from his age and life experiences, but anyone who takes the time to speak with him will also notice his positive outlook and appreciative nature.
“I’ve gained more during my three years in the United States than my entire life in Africa,” said Lottering, referring to his marriage and the birth of his daughter.
“Whatever you take, you have to give back,” he added. “I can repay my debt by fighting, and I’m fighting for the greatest country in the world.”
In January 2007, Company G is scheduled to deploy to Okinawa, Japan, as an attachment to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Lottering looks forward to the additional training, but he anxiously awaits his first combat deployment.
“Nobody wants to go to war, but it’s kind of like being a doctor,” Lottering explained. “A doctor goes to school for seven years, but if he never gets the chance to operate, what’s the point?”
“The same is true in the Marine Corps,” he continued. “I want to do what I’m trained to do, and that’s being a grunt.”
Being a grunt, however, is rarely easy. The rigorous training schedule and frequent deployments often take infantry Marines away from their families for extended periods of time. Fully aware of this, Lottering’s top priority is maximizing his time off.
“Every available opportunity I have to spend with my wife and little girl I’m taking,” he said. “I simply try to make the most of every moment.”
Lottering is unsure about his future plans, but his ambitious goals may pave the way for a very successful career in the Marine Corps.
“I tell everyone I’m trying to pick up corporal before my two-year mark, but my ultimate goal is to pick up sergeant in four years. Once that happens, chances are really good that I’ll reenlist.”