thedrifter
09-15-06, 09:57 AM
Twin grid stars from DVR enlist in Marines
Thursday, September 14, 2006
By John Monteith
The "Stys guys," identical twins Scott and Brad Stys of Milford, have been inseparable so far. They were Delaware Valley Regional High School Class of 2004 honors graduates. They were gridiron stars in their senior year, the year the Terriers went undefeated in their regular season, for the first time since 1960. They both went to Rowan University in Glassboro, where they both started for the football team last year.
And in February, as spring practice was getting under way, they told their teammates that they were taking a break from football for a while, to join the Marines.
"We were thinking about leaving a year ago," Scott said last week. "We couldn't see sitting in class when people overseas are doing what we should be doing...We want to serve our country."
To wait another two years, to finish their Rowan careers before entering the Marine Corps, was out of the question.
"We would be unhappy, unsettled," said Brad. "We're not going to just sit back. We played football the same way: we were going to go out and take action."
In high school, said one of the brothers, "You don't notice the world is a cruel place. We can see now what people can do. There are people trying to harm us. We want to be part of stopping that. High school shielded us from some of the realities."
Their surprising decision, when Marines are in the thick of the bloody action in Iraq and Afghanistan, attracted media attention --a Star-Ledger front-page profile, an interview on a Philadelphia cable news program. "NBC wants to talk to us," Scott reported Monday.
They signed up for the infantry, to be "grunts."
Their friends have been supportive, although the initial reaction to the news of their enlistments was generally, "You guys are crazy, you're nuts."
"They know it's something we always wanted," said Brad.
Their parents, John and Nancy Stys, understood, he said, particularly their father. "He's been there. He would support us whatever decision we made."
John Stys completed two tours in Vietnam with the Army. His father, a Marine, fought in the Pacific during World War II.
Brad and Scott's older brother John, attending Raritan Valley Community College part-time, is also thinking about joining the military.
The twins will report to Parris Island, S.C., on Oct. 2 to start 13 weeks of basic training. They spent some time at the Shore this summer, and otherwise they've mostly been hanging out with friends and attending Rowan football games.
They went to a Hunterdon Central game last Friday. They wanted to visit with their former coach, Matt Perotti, who left DVR High two years ago. Perotti was one of the teachers who influenced them the most. He once spent a year traveling around the world, they said, and he could "tell you things that weren't in the textbook." Others cited were Matt Hagy, Marty White and Brent Kitching.
A friend, Alex Shallop of Milford, fought in Afghanistan with the Marines before his discharge last winter. Another friend, Tyler Sassaman of Holland Township, a member of the National Guard, spent three months in Iraq and Kuwait.
There was always a tight bond among the Milford kids who went on to DVR High, said the Stys. The older Milford students, including Shallop, "looked out for us."
Sassaman and Shallop, in discussing their experiences with them, "helped in the process" that led to the recruiting office.
Asked what they hoped to gain from their time in the Marines, Scott replied: "Leadership. To be able to handle any situation in life."
They plan to return to Rowan, which they "loved," at the end of their active duty. Brad wants to be a physical education teacher and football coach. Scott is undecided about a career.
Though they will miss Rowan and football, "We know in our hearts we're doing something better," said one of the brothers.
They will still have two years of football eligibility when they return, they noted.
The Stys guys will remain together through boot camp and infantry training. After that, said one, it's "highly doubtful" the Marine Corps will let them stay together.
Ellie
Thursday, September 14, 2006
By John Monteith
The "Stys guys," identical twins Scott and Brad Stys of Milford, have been inseparable so far. They were Delaware Valley Regional High School Class of 2004 honors graduates. They were gridiron stars in their senior year, the year the Terriers went undefeated in their regular season, for the first time since 1960. They both went to Rowan University in Glassboro, where they both started for the football team last year.
And in February, as spring practice was getting under way, they told their teammates that they were taking a break from football for a while, to join the Marines.
"We were thinking about leaving a year ago," Scott said last week. "We couldn't see sitting in class when people overseas are doing what we should be doing...We want to serve our country."
To wait another two years, to finish their Rowan careers before entering the Marine Corps, was out of the question.
"We would be unhappy, unsettled," said Brad. "We're not going to just sit back. We played football the same way: we were going to go out and take action."
In high school, said one of the brothers, "You don't notice the world is a cruel place. We can see now what people can do. There are people trying to harm us. We want to be part of stopping that. High school shielded us from some of the realities."
Their surprising decision, when Marines are in the thick of the bloody action in Iraq and Afghanistan, attracted media attention --a Star-Ledger front-page profile, an interview on a Philadelphia cable news program. "NBC wants to talk to us," Scott reported Monday.
They signed up for the infantry, to be "grunts."
Their friends have been supportive, although the initial reaction to the news of their enlistments was generally, "You guys are crazy, you're nuts."
"They know it's something we always wanted," said Brad.
Their parents, John and Nancy Stys, understood, he said, particularly their father. "He's been there. He would support us whatever decision we made."
John Stys completed two tours in Vietnam with the Army. His father, a Marine, fought in the Pacific during World War II.
Brad and Scott's older brother John, attending Raritan Valley Community College part-time, is also thinking about joining the military.
The twins will report to Parris Island, S.C., on Oct. 2 to start 13 weeks of basic training. They spent some time at the Shore this summer, and otherwise they've mostly been hanging out with friends and attending Rowan football games.
They went to a Hunterdon Central game last Friday. They wanted to visit with their former coach, Matt Perotti, who left DVR High two years ago. Perotti was one of the teachers who influenced them the most. He once spent a year traveling around the world, they said, and he could "tell you things that weren't in the textbook." Others cited were Matt Hagy, Marty White and Brent Kitching.
A friend, Alex Shallop of Milford, fought in Afghanistan with the Marines before his discharge last winter. Another friend, Tyler Sassaman of Holland Township, a member of the National Guard, spent three months in Iraq and Kuwait.
There was always a tight bond among the Milford kids who went on to DVR High, said the Stys. The older Milford students, including Shallop, "looked out for us."
Sassaman and Shallop, in discussing their experiences with them, "helped in the process" that led to the recruiting office.
Asked what they hoped to gain from their time in the Marines, Scott replied: "Leadership. To be able to handle any situation in life."
They plan to return to Rowan, which they "loved," at the end of their active duty. Brad wants to be a physical education teacher and football coach. Scott is undecided about a career.
Though they will miss Rowan and football, "We know in our hearts we're doing something better," said one of the brothers.
They will still have two years of football eligibility when they return, they noted.
The Stys guys will remain together through boot camp and infantry training. After that, said one, it's "highly doubtful" the Marine Corps will let them stay together.
Ellie