Readstown’s Brendon Mabb had listened to his cousin tell him stories of how difficult U.S. Marine basic training had been.

“I had it built up in my head,” Pvt. Mabb said, Monday, in Vernon County on leave after completing the 13-week Marine basic training course in San Diego, Calif. “It wasn’t quite as bad, but it was a challenge and that’s what I was looking for.”

Mabb, 26, worked at S&S Cycle for five-and-a-half years before joining the Marines. He will eventually go to school to learn combat camera photography. He’s on leave until Feb. 9. His mother and father, Mitch and Linda Mabb, and his grandmother, Helen McClurg, live in Readstown.

Mabb was recruited by Sgt. Nikolaus Gugelman, who works out of the Marines’ Onalaska recruiting office.

Gugelman said he’s been busy, in part due to the tough economy. He said the Marines offer good pay, training and “a steady job that is going to challenge you.”

Mabb’s enlistment includes five years of active duty and three years of inactive reserve status. He said the Marines were a good fit for him because their basic training course transfers into any other branch of the military, should he ever choose to join a reserve unit.

Mabb’s next stop is Camp Pendleton, Calif., for Military Combat Training.