In this Opie Taylor (played by Ron Howard) from The Andy Griffith Show (1960) runs away and tries to join the USMC. In Sometimes You Hear the Bullet (1973), Ron Howard plays a 17-year old that runs away from home and joins the USMC.
This is actually the 2nd time Andy Taylor and Sgt. Carter met. They first met on The Andy Griffith Show (1960) episode of when Gomer started his enlistment process.
Gunnery Sergeant Carter (Frank Sutton) asks Opie Taylor (Ron Howard) why he had to come all the way to California to join the Marines, asking him why, since he is from North Carolina he didn't go to South Carolina, since the Marines have a base there. Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina is one of two basic training locations for the Marine Corps. The other training base for enlisted Marines is Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California.
Per the title, Opie Taylor from "The Andy Griffith Show" runs away to join Gomer.