Funeral service of General Alfred M. Gray Jr., 29th Commandant of the Marine Corps. General Gray is laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on July 29, 2024. He passed away on March 20, 2024.

Smith was in the front of the formation and was shocked when Weant and Kovach stood in front of him. “Out of the corner of my eye I saw them. I thought ‘there is no way that’s them,” said Smith. “They pointed at me and smiled, and I almost broke down in tears.” When Weant and Kovach joined the Marines, the ceremony had not been implemented, but that does not mean it had any less of an emotional impact. “When they platoon marched in William was in the front and when he saw us I saw a little smile appear on his face, and he stood taller and straighter,” said Weant. “It gave him a little boost of energy and pride—and God you could see the pride in him.” Normally the handover of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor is an honor reserved for the drill instructors of the platoon but in exceptional circumstances exemptions are made. Weant was the one to give Smith his EGA, an incredible emotional moment for the both of them. “Being the one to hand him his EGA, I had a hard time composing myself,” said Weant. It filled me with pride, it was incredible. Standing right next to Weant was his best friend Kovach who had one brief message for Smith. “I did everything in my power to try and hold in my emotions, but I couldn’t hold it in so I teared up, said Kovach. “I looked right in his eyes and said one thing, ‘Wear it well.’” Smith graduated recruit training on May, 31 and has hopes of following in his grandfather’s footsteps—by serving as an infantryman in 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. NEWS INFO