2010-04-04 CNN
PHILLIPS: Now listen to this story. The high schooler succeeded. The grade schooler failed. Yes. Grade schooler. An eight-year-old boy in Houston said he couldn't stand the bullies anymore. So what did he do? He jumped out the second floor window of the school.
Bottom line, he is OK, physically. But there's a lot more to this story. His mom says the school made him read and sign a no suicide contract right afterward even though he is dyslexic. He also says the school knew about the bullying for months but didn't do anything.
For the last several months, we have followed a California teenager as he left behind civilian life and began a career in the U.S. Army. It's been a journey, both physical and mental, and the Pentagon has given us unprecedented access to document all of it. CNN's Jason Carroll here to take us inside a soldier's life once again. Pretty amazing experience for you, too.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, yes. I know you are into a lot of these military stories. And it's nice to see that Will finally made it. It's been a long road for him, and he's met all of the qualifications. All of the hard work and discipline for Will McLain has finally paid off, but that was not the case for everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next, come on over.
CARROLL (voice-over): When Will McLain looks in the mirror these days, he sees a different person.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put your watch back on. CARROLL: In his 15 weeks of training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he's dropped 54 pounds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get off the ground.
CARROLL: He tackled the physical challenges, the mental, the psychological, and completed weapons qualification.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate this.
CARROLL: Now, the day has come for Will and the other members of his company to graduate and move on to their next assignments.
Will is ready.
WILL MCLAIN, U.S. SOLDIER: I want nothing to do with Missouri. I'm out of here.
CARROLL: This is the last time members of Alpha Company 35th Engineer Battalion will stand together.