A Marine recruit

from Peachtree City was still in critical condition Tuesday, over a week

after he was injured while participating in swimming qualification during

training lt Parris Island, S.C.

Joshua D. Issac,

19, had difficulty swimming to the side of the pool after completing one

portion of the qualification Monday, June 30, according to a news release

from the Marine Corps. Pool staff removed him from the water and began

performing CPR, officials said.

Issac was taken

to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston where he is

currently being treated. An investigation to determine the exact circumstances

of the incident is being conducted, according to the Marine Corps.

Issac is a

volunteer firefighter with the Peachtree City Fire Department and participated

in the department's Explorer program.He had taken a leave of absence to

attend the Marine recruit training.

A sign on one

of the fire department's entries in the July 4th parade indicated their

support for Issac, who has been called a motivated person by Sgt. John

Dunlap, who worked with him through the Explorer post.

"If anybody

is capable of bouncing back from something like this, it's Josh,"

Dunlap said.

News of the

incident came as a shock to the Explorer troop, particularly those who

know Issac, Dunlap added.

"Our thoughts

and prayers are with this young man and his family," said Lt. Col.

Patrick J. Campbell, commanding officer of the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion.

Issac began

training June 3 as a member of Fox Company.

Capt. Jennifer

Radcliff of the Marine Corps public affairs office Radcliff said Issac

was participating in a qualification called Combat Water Survival 4. According

to Radcliff, the qualification has four parts, all of which are required

to receive the certification including:

A 25-meter

shallow water swim.

Jumping off

a 10-foot tower into the pool and swimming directly to the side.

Treading water

for four minutes (recruits can inflate their blouse or float also to qualify).

A 25-meter

deep-water swim without gear or boots. Recruits just wear their camouflage

shirts and trousers.

Swim qualification

for recruits takes place during the fifth week of recruit training and

it must be completed for a recruit to graduate from training. All Marines

must maintain a level of swim qualification as part of their annual training

requirements since most Marines will be stationed aboard a Naval vessel

at some point in their career.