Rct. Esther B. Kwon, Platoon 4026, Oscar Company, 4th

Rct. Esther B. Kwon, Platoon 4026, Oscar Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, reads a letter during her free time May 25, 2016, on Parris Island, S.C. Each day, recruits receive one hour of free time, which is restricted to inside the barracks, to read and write letters, unwind and prepare equipment for the next day. Kwon, 18, from Los Angeles, is scheduled to graduate Aug. 5, 2016. Parris Island has been the site of Marine Corps recruit training since Nov. 1, 1915. Today, approximately 19,000 recruits come to Parris Island annually for the chance to become United States Marines by enduring 12 weeks of rigorous, transformative training. Parris Island is home to entry-level enlisted training for approximately 49 percent of males and 100 percent of females in the Marine Corps. (Photo by Cpl. Vanessa Austin)