thedrifter
02-16-07, 08:31 AM
Retired Marine gives kids the boot camp treatment
By Sarah Thuerk
Daily Times Staff Writer
Cross a loving mentor with a hard-nosed Marine, and you get a pretty accurate description of Gunnery Sgt. Richard Menniefield.
Better known as Gunny Menniefield or simply "Gunny," he is the kind-hearted yet no-nonsense former Marine who serves as the Gang Prevention and Targeted Outreach Coordinator for Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in Wilson.
Having served for 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Menniefield takes discipline seriously. He operates the Boys and Girls Club boot camp, a program for at-risk youth, ages 8 to 16, with behavioral problems.
Wearing camouflage and a cover -- or, in civilian terms, a hat -- Menniefield screams orders in the faces of his boot camp program recruits.
"Don't look at me with those beady eyes! You'd better not be smiling!" he screamed at one boy during boot camp last week.
But as Menniefield stepped outside of the room to talk to parents, his demeanor changed.
"That's not me in there. It's really not. These boys just need discipline," he said.
Parents don't seem to mind when Menniefield acts as a sergeant. Boot camp, after all, is about learning discipline, confidence, stability and self-direction, the Marine said.
"He does a good job. These kids are hard-headed and don't listen. But it's hard to ignore Gunny," said Teressa Torres, whose son is in the boot camp program.
Juveniles who have exhibited frequent behavioral problems may be recommended to the boot camp program by various local organizations such as the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The program lasts for 11/2 hours, three nights a week for six weeks.
The boot camp includes some "tough love," which he said is "in your face" and includes physical activities such as pull-ups. Next is a mentoring stage when Menniefield discussed with students any personal issues they might be having. Finally, he eases up a bit more and focuses on showing the students how they can achieve their goals.
The boot camp, though, is only a portion of what Menniefield does with the Boys and Girls Club. He also works with Smart Moves, a program open to all youth, and Targeted Outreach, which focuses on gang prevention. He has volunteered for Toys for Tots since he joined the Marines in the mid-1970s.
The Marine's dedication to area youth spreads to all areas of his life. He considers activities such as taking young people ice skating or to Raleigh to see their first opera as his hobbies.
"This has been my life for years. I started doing the Toys program 26 years ago in Okinawa, Japan, and met kids who had never received anything. It just started from there," he said.
Menniefield, who has two children attending high school in Ohio and four adult children living in Alabama and North Carolina, joined the Marines while attending college in Alabama. He was assigned to Wilson to recruit in the eastern region in 1994 and wasn't pleased at first.
"I was supposed to go to Fort Lauderdale. I was reassigned at the last minute, and I didn't want it. I remember exactly when I arrived -- Aug. 13, 1994, at 11:54 a.m.," he said.
But Menniefield grew to love the area and worked diligently, especially on projects such as Toys for Tots. He remains friends with several local Marines whom he recruited years ago.
Josh Bunn, a former Marine who now owns Anne's Donuts on Airport Road, credited Menniefield with helping shape his life.
"If it weren't for Gunny, I wouldn't have my wife, my 4-year-old child or my business. I wouldn't have had the discipline to get where I am now. He's like a part of my family, and I admire all the work he does for gang prevention around here," Bunn said.
After retiring from the Marines in 2003, Menniefield took a marketing job for a year. He decided that line of work wasn't for him and came to the Boys and Girls Club in 2004. He continues to indirectly recruit for the Marines.
Menniefield regularly visits schools around Wilson, giving speeches to encourage students to avoid violence and stay in school. Every day he wears his military uniform.
"When students see me in school, they know I'm not there to socialize, I mean business," he said.
Having worked with young people around Wilson for 12 years, Menniefield sees a trend among youth who frequently find themselves in trouble.
"Most kids are looking for one identical thing. They want attention and love," he said. "I remind parents these are their children, no matter how old they get. They are your responsibility."
While on active duty and recruiting, he helped people achieve their dreams, he said. Getting juveniles to focus at school and work toward their goals is a similar effort.
"These kids trust him and talk to him when they won't talk to anyone else," said Boys and Girls Club secretary Jean Rosser.
Menniefield hopes his efforts leave a positive impression on the students he counsels.
"I enjoy the chance to redirect kids, get them on the right path," he said. "Hopefully I've made as much of an impact on their lives as they have on mine."
sthuerk@wilsondaily.com | 265-7819
Richard Menniefield
AGE: 52
FAMILY: Two sons in high school in Ohio, an adult son attending East Carolina University and three adult daughters in Alabama
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in political science from Canterbury University in the United Kingdom
CAREER: 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, then became Gang Prevention and Targeted Outreach Coordinator for Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in 2003
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: Toys for Tots, youth football coach, youth track coach, helps organize veterans' ceremonies and flag ceremonies
Ellie
By Sarah Thuerk
Daily Times Staff Writer
Cross a loving mentor with a hard-nosed Marine, and you get a pretty accurate description of Gunnery Sgt. Richard Menniefield.
Better known as Gunny Menniefield or simply "Gunny," he is the kind-hearted yet no-nonsense former Marine who serves as the Gang Prevention and Targeted Outreach Coordinator for Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in Wilson.
Having served for 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Menniefield takes discipline seriously. He operates the Boys and Girls Club boot camp, a program for at-risk youth, ages 8 to 16, with behavioral problems.
Wearing camouflage and a cover -- or, in civilian terms, a hat -- Menniefield screams orders in the faces of his boot camp program recruits.
"Don't look at me with those beady eyes! You'd better not be smiling!" he screamed at one boy during boot camp last week.
But as Menniefield stepped outside of the room to talk to parents, his demeanor changed.
"That's not me in there. It's really not. These boys just need discipline," he said.
Parents don't seem to mind when Menniefield acts as a sergeant. Boot camp, after all, is about learning discipline, confidence, stability and self-direction, the Marine said.
"He does a good job. These kids are hard-headed and don't listen. But it's hard to ignore Gunny," said Teressa Torres, whose son is in the boot camp program.
Juveniles who have exhibited frequent behavioral problems may be recommended to the boot camp program by various local organizations such as the state Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The program lasts for 11/2 hours, three nights a week for six weeks.
The boot camp includes some "tough love," which he said is "in your face" and includes physical activities such as pull-ups. Next is a mentoring stage when Menniefield discussed with students any personal issues they might be having. Finally, he eases up a bit more and focuses on showing the students how they can achieve their goals.
The boot camp, though, is only a portion of what Menniefield does with the Boys and Girls Club. He also works with Smart Moves, a program open to all youth, and Targeted Outreach, which focuses on gang prevention. He has volunteered for Toys for Tots since he joined the Marines in the mid-1970s.
The Marine's dedication to area youth spreads to all areas of his life. He considers activities such as taking young people ice skating or to Raleigh to see their first opera as his hobbies.
"This has been my life for years. I started doing the Toys program 26 years ago in Okinawa, Japan, and met kids who had never received anything. It just started from there," he said.
Menniefield, who has two children attending high school in Ohio and four adult children living in Alabama and North Carolina, joined the Marines while attending college in Alabama. He was assigned to Wilson to recruit in the eastern region in 1994 and wasn't pleased at first.
"I was supposed to go to Fort Lauderdale. I was reassigned at the last minute, and I didn't want it. I remember exactly when I arrived -- Aug. 13, 1994, at 11:54 a.m.," he said.
But Menniefield grew to love the area and worked diligently, especially on projects such as Toys for Tots. He remains friends with several local Marines whom he recruited years ago.
Josh Bunn, a former Marine who now owns Anne's Donuts on Airport Road, credited Menniefield with helping shape his life.
"If it weren't for Gunny, I wouldn't have my wife, my 4-year-old child or my business. I wouldn't have had the discipline to get where I am now. He's like a part of my family, and I admire all the work he does for gang prevention around here," Bunn said.
After retiring from the Marines in 2003, Menniefield took a marketing job for a year. He decided that line of work wasn't for him and came to the Boys and Girls Club in 2004. He continues to indirectly recruit for the Marines.
Menniefield regularly visits schools around Wilson, giving speeches to encourage students to avoid violence and stay in school. Every day he wears his military uniform.
"When students see me in school, they know I'm not there to socialize, I mean business," he said.
Having worked with young people around Wilson for 12 years, Menniefield sees a trend among youth who frequently find themselves in trouble.
"Most kids are looking for one identical thing. They want attention and love," he said. "I remind parents these are their children, no matter how old they get. They are your responsibility."
While on active duty and recruiting, he helped people achieve their dreams, he said. Getting juveniles to focus at school and work toward their goals is a similar effort.
"These kids trust him and talk to him when they won't talk to anyone else," said Boys and Girls Club secretary Jean Rosser.
Menniefield hopes his efforts leave a positive impression on the students he counsels.
"I enjoy the chance to redirect kids, get them on the right path," he said. "Hopefully I've made as much of an impact on their lives as they have on mine."
sthuerk@wilsondaily.com | 265-7819
Richard Menniefield
AGE: 52
FAMILY: Two sons in high school in Ohio, an adult son attending East Carolina University and three adult daughters in Alabama
EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in political science from Canterbury University in the United Kingdom
CAREER: 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, then became Gang Prevention and Targeted Outreach Coordinator for Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club in 2003
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES: Toys for Tots, youth football coach, youth track coach, helps organize veterans' ceremonies and flag ceremonies
Ellie