Spending his days where the buffalo roam and antelope play is a dream come true for one former Marine.
Retired Capt. Frank R. Hernandez, deputy game warden, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, continues to protect the base community after serving 24 years in the Marine Corps.
“Many people ask me what my job is, and I like to quote one of my law-enforcement instructors, ‘to protect the resources from the people, the people from the resources and the people from the people,’” said Hernandez.
The Los Angeles native enlisted at the age of 17 and began his military career at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in 1968.
For the next three years, Hernandez was assigned to the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion and was later deployed to Vietnam.
In 1970, the dedicated Marine attended Drill Instructor School at MCRD San Diego. He subsequently served as a drill instructor for Company L, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, for an additional three years.
Hernandez continued this unique trend of success throughout his entire military career.
After spending nearly a quarter of a
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