By Marine Cpl. Carl King
When childhood friends Marine Sgt. Gregorio Palacios, Marine Cpl. David Rodriguez and Marine Cpl. Robert “Bobby” Lozano all joined the military together in 2013, they never imagined they would ever all be stationed in the same foreign country together – but that’s exactly what happened.
“We are all currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and it’s great,” Palacios said. “Before Lozano deployed … we hung out every weekend. We never get tired of each other.”
Becoming Best Friends
The three friends grew up together in Los Fresnos, Texas, and met during middle school.
“I was the one that kind of brought the group together,” Palacios said. “I met both Bobby and David in different ways and once we all started to hangout we were inseparable.”
According to Palacios, the three went to Los Fresnos high school together until he moved to another district. Nevertheless, the friends continued to hangout every weekend.
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Serving Together
The Marine Corps was never something the three friends envisioned they would be doing together. In fact, it was a last-minute decision for all three, according to Rodriguez.
“I talked to the recruiter first, and David [Rodriguez] was trying to talk me out of it,” Palacios said. “He told me the Marine Corps was going to brainwash me, and I was like nope I’m going to do it.”
Rodriguez then changed his mind and made the decision the very next day to join the Marine Corps, according to Palacios.
Cpl. Robert Lozano poses. | Photo credit Marine Lance Cpl. Breanna Weisenberger/DIVIDS
“He called me the very next day [to tell me], and I could hear his mother in the background saying ‘Don’t do it’ and he was like 'I’m going to join too, man,'” Palacios said.
Lozano followed in the footsteps of his two best friends and also signed up.
Though they went to recruit training at different times, they all continued to stay in touch with each other.
Eventually, Palacios and Rodriguez both ended up stationed in California for their military occupational specialty schools before heading to Japan to operate in the III Marine Expeditionary Force.
“I already love Okinawa because it is a great place to be stationed and with both of my childhood friends here, it makes it that much better,” Rodriguez said.
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