thedrifter
04-14-07, 06:44 AM
GHS grad joins brother in 'the few and the proud'
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
Published April 14 2007
Tomorrow afternoon, Marine Sgt. Christian Mejia will pick up Smeriglio at his Booth Place home and take him to Westover Air Base in Springfield, Mass., en route to Parris Island, S.C., where boot camp will begin, Smeriglio said.
Smeriglio said he enlisted for five years.
This past fall, Smeriglio, a 2003 Greenwich High School graduate, finished his semester at Pace University in Manhattan after informing his family he would be leaving school because he was dissatisfied, he said.
Smeriglio said he hopes that military service will provide direction in life, as he feels it did for his older brother, John, who ended a five-year stint in the Marines in January 2006. His time included two tours in Iraq.
"It gave him discipline and he figured out what he wanted to do," Smeriglio said. "Seeing the change in him and the way he carried himself, I hope it does that for me."
His father, John Smeriglio, said he is supportive of his son's decision, especially because his son seems passionate about it.
Other family members initially questioned the decision, before coming to grips with it, John Smeriglio said.
"He's making his own choices," the Cos Cob resident said. "It's something he wants to do."
Mejia said he was convinced that Smeriglio will make an exemplary soldier.
"He's going to be an outstanding Marine," Mejia said. "He almost aced the entry exam and knows what he wants, but he needs to go out there and do it."
Smeriglio will make the trip to boot camp with another 10 to 20 young men from Connecticut, Massachuetts and Vermont, Mejia said, among about 300 men nationwide entering the Marines this week.
In the past year, Mejia said he has recruited six young men from Greenwich into the Marines.
Those joining the Marines are usually seeking a philosophy to live by, and are aware that for the rest of their lives their Marine background helps their profile in the job market and in other ways.
"To tell you the truth I've never had any problems with recruiting (Marines)," Mejia said. "There are people who always want to be Marines, and people are always looking for Marines when they get out of the service. We give them that edge."
Maybe most difficult for Jeffrey Smeriglio is leaving behind his 4-year-old brother Jacob.
This week, John Smeriglio told his youngest son that Jeffrey was going away, but that they would be visiting him when he graduates from boot camp.
"I sat him down and told him, 'We're not going to see Jeffrey anymore,' " John Smeriglio said. "It could be a tough three months with him asking when we are going to see Jeffrey."
Smeriglio said that his regular rock climbing expeditions have given him a good physical condition to help him succeed in boot camp.
Once he graduates, Smeriglio said he could be assigned to any number of jobs, from military policeman to aviation support technician.
"What I do with my life depends on how I feel once I am in, whether I go back for another five years," Smeriglio said. "It's a big transition because I've never really left the Northeast."
Those interested in writing to Smeriglio during training can send mail to RCT Smeriglio, J., 2nd Plt MCRD, Parris Island, SC, 29905.
Ellie
By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer
Published April 14 2007
Tomorrow afternoon, Marine Sgt. Christian Mejia will pick up Smeriglio at his Booth Place home and take him to Westover Air Base in Springfield, Mass., en route to Parris Island, S.C., where boot camp will begin, Smeriglio said.
Smeriglio said he enlisted for five years.
This past fall, Smeriglio, a 2003 Greenwich High School graduate, finished his semester at Pace University in Manhattan after informing his family he would be leaving school because he was dissatisfied, he said.
Smeriglio said he hopes that military service will provide direction in life, as he feels it did for his older brother, John, who ended a five-year stint in the Marines in January 2006. His time included two tours in Iraq.
"It gave him discipline and he figured out what he wanted to do," Smeriglio said. "Seeing the change in him and the way he carried himself, I hope it does that for me."
His father, John Smeriglio, said he is supportive of his son's decision, especially because his son seems passionate about it.
Other family members initially questioned the decision, before coming to grips with it, John Smeriglio said.
"He's making his own choices," the Cos Cob resident said. "It's something he wants to do."
Mejia said he was convinced that Smeriglio will make an exemplary soldier.
"He's going to be an outstanding Marine," Mejia said. "He almost aced the entry exam and knows what he wants, but he needs to go out there and do it."
Smeriglio will make the trip to boot camp with another 10 to 20 young men from Connecticut, Massachuetts and Vermont, Mejia said, among about 300 men nationwide entering the Marines this week.
In the past year, Mejia said he has recruited six young men from Greenwich into the Marines.
Those joining the Marines are usually seeking a philosophy to live by, and are aware that for the rest of their lives their Marine background helps their profile in the job market and in other ways.
"To tell you the truth I've never had any problems with recruiting (Marines)," Mejia said. "There are people who always want to be Marines, and people are always looking for Marines when they get out of the service. We give them that edge."
Maybe most difficult for Jeffrey Smeriglio is leaving behind his 4-year-old brother Jacob.
This week, John Smeriglio told his youngest son that Jeffrey was going away, but that they would be visiting him when he graduates from boot camp.
"I sat him down and told him, 'We're not going to see Jeffrey anymore,' " John Smeriglio said. "It could be a tough three months with him asking when we are going to see Jeffrey."
Smeriglio said that his regular rock climbing expeditions have given him a good physical condition to help him succeed in boot camp.
Once he graduates, Smeriglio said he could be assigned to any number of jobs, from military policeman to aviation support technician.
"What I do with my life depends on how I feel once I am in, whether I go back for another five years," Smeriglio said. "It's a big transition because I've never really left the Northeast."
Those interested in writing to Smeriglio during training can send mail to RCT Smeriglio, J., 2nd Plt MCRD, Parris Island, SC, 29905.
Ellie