MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- A 21-year Marine veteran has taken his love of the Marine Corps and transformed it into a successful business telling the Marine Corps story.
Ron Tucker, executive producer of Good-to-Go Video, has been creating videos specifically dedicated to the Marine Corps since 1994.
"Since I was in the second or third grade, all I thought about was joining the Marine Corps," said Tucker, a Woodruff, S.C., native. "I used to be a big movie buff, I'd watch all the war movies, mostly of World War II [and of] the Marine Corps."
As Tucker got older and more serious about joining the Marine Corps, he started reading encyclopedias, going to the library and reading everything he could about the Marine Corps, he said. In 7th grade, he even won an essay contest - his subject was the Marine Corps.
Tucker graduated high school, but didn't join the Marine Corps right away. He worked a job for two years at a box plant until a co-worker of his showed up one day donning a fresh "buzz cut" - he had just returned from Marine recruit training. Tucker realized right then, "I should've joined the Marine Corps two years ago." He walked into the recruiter's office that day to sign up.
Realizing his life-long dream, Tucker enlisted into the Marine Corps as an infantryman and stepped onto the infamous yellow footprints here April 13, 1971. In addition to being an infantryman, Tucker served as an administrative clerk because he was one of the only Marines in his unit who knew how to type.
He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina and later earned his master's degree from Webster University, St. Louis, Miss. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1982 and served in adjutant, personnel and legal officer duties. He spent the majority of his time as an officer serving at Recruit Training Regiment here.
He chose to retire as a captain in 1992 - with just under 22 years of service to the Marine Corps - and reside in the Beaufort area with his wife.
In 1993, Tucker founded Sandbar Productions, LLC, which was established to provide location management and scouting services to motion picture companies, major catalog companies and other film and still photography professionals. He later partnered with Comet Multimedia Productions, Inc., from Charleston, to establish a joint-venture company - Good-to-Go Video.
"It's one of those things where you do what you know," said Tucker of producing Marine-specific videos. "People have asked me over the years, 'when are you going to do something on the SEALS or the Army Rangers?' and I said 'never.' I don't feel like I would have the same passion for those programs that I do when I'm doing something for the Marine Corps."
That passion for the Marine Corps helped him win over the contract to produce Parris Island Marine graduation videos in 1999. Since then, Good-to-Go Video has produced nearly 250 graduation videos. He also has a Web site that can be found at www.goodtogovideo.com.
Tucker's production company has also produced numerous other Marine-related videos including "The Making of a Marine" and "The Crucible: Making Marines for the 21st Century," with Tucker serving as the producer, director and writer for the videos. In addition, the company has won 21 national and international awards for video production excellence, according to a press release.
Even with national and international recognition, Tucker is quick to shy away from the spotlight, giving credit instead to his production crew.
"Whenever they won an award, he would always say it was my guys that did it, not me," said Sandy Tucker, Ron's wife of 14 years. "But it was his leadership that helped them do it. If they did an autopsy on him, they wouldn't find a heart, but an Eagle, Globe and Anchor. He really embodies the phrase, 'Once a Marine, always a Marine.'"
When asked how long he would continue to make Marine videos, he responded, "As long as I'm able to ... I don't see the passion dwindling any. I enjoy what I'm doing; I don't even consider it work ... so I'll do it until I die probably."