thedrifter
05-31-07, 08:23 AM
Joining the few and the proud
By: Charity Corkey
Rather than enjoy summer vacation, Clarke County High School seniors Austin Grapes, William Atkins, Cory Hill, James Garrett House and Dennis Pierce are packing their bags and traveling to Parris Island, S.C., for Marine boot camp. The five students are leaving shortly after graduation and will spend 13 weeks in training.
"It's the hardest thing they will ever do as far as physically and mentally challenging," said their Winchester recruiter Sgt. Martin Mooney.
However, Mooney feels the young men are up to the challenge.
"They are very intelligent and are bringing [in] their integrity and their leadership," he said. "I never had any concern as to how successful they would be."
As for the possibility of deployment to Iraq, Mooney said there is no way of knowing whether they will be sent until they are assigned to their units. Some units are in the rotation to go to Iraq, others are not.
If the boys are placed in a unit set to deploy, they will first go through "work-ups."
"Basically, it's a training evolution and they'll prepare them in weapons, doing patrols and how to prepare themselves in [certain] situations," said Mooney. "[It consist of] a nine-month, a six-month and a three-month."
Cindy Atkins, the mother of William Atkins, encourages the community to support the boys, despite their political leanings.
"They are each so different but they share a common vision and common goal," she said. "Whether you agree politically or not with the current administration, we are sending our young people into harm's way and they need to know that their community supports them."
Austin Grapes
"It's every guy's dream to be out there doing things the Marines do," said Clarke County High School senior Austin Grapes.
Grapes, who enlisted a couple months ago, said he has wanted to join the Marines since ninth-grade.
"I'm pumped," he said. "A little nervous, but really pumped."
His mother, Leann Grapes, thinks her son found inspiration in his Jiu-Jitsu teacher, an ex-Marine.
"My husband was also in the Marines," she said.
Her current feelings are a mixture of pride and fear.
"It doesn't look like the end of the war is just around the corner, so it's likely that he will get deployed there," she said.
Grapes is leaving for boot camp July 23, after which he begin training as a media specialist.
William Atkins
"His one granddad was in the navy, his other granddad was in the army and he has always loved to talk military," said Cindy Atkins, of her son William.
So in early March, after visiting colleges and much deliberation, William chose to enlist in the Marines.
"I thought it was the right thing to do," he said, "to protect my family and friends."
A couple weeks ago, the Atkins visited Fort Dietrich in Maryland for Marines Family Day.
"He was very comfortable, very excited, very proud," said Ms. Atkins. "I admire his strength and courage."
At one point, she said she started to cry.
"He came over and hugged me and said, 'I'm going to be OK. I need to know that you're going to be OK.' On the way home, I told him I became a Marine Corps mom that day because it was the day I realized that's what he really wants to do."
William leaves for boot camp on July 9. When asked his thoughts on basic training, he replied that the most difficult part will be homesickness.
"I'm pretty close [with my family]," he said. "They support me in pretty much everything I do."
As for college, William has been accepted into Eastern Kentucky University and still will be able to study there through a collaborative program they have with the Marines.
"He can take classes on-line or he can enter when he gets out of the service," said his mother. "He's really put thought into his future, what he needs and what he wants. I feel like he looked at this from a variety of angles. It's kind of hard to not respect that."
Dennis Pierce
Dennis Pierce was motivated to enlist in the Marines for several reasons.
"I've got a lot of family in the Marines and I want to have financial security when I'm older," he said.
Dennis also wants to make his family proud.
"I think this is a way for him to prove he can do his best," said his mother Theresa Pierce. "He asked, 'How else am I supposed to make you proud of me?'"
Dennis leaves for boot camp Aug. 28, the commencement of eight years in the service: Four active, four inactive.
"I think it will be cool to see the world and be in top physical condition," he said. "It will also be cool to shoot an M16."
However, he admits leaving home will be difficult.
"It's going to kill me for him to leave the state," said Theresa Pierce. She hopes Dennis will not be transferred to Iraq.
"I don't think any of them should even be over there at this point," she said, "[but] once he gets in the Marines it is totally out of my control."
Still, Pierce is pleased with the training her son will receive.
"I think the Marines will give him the intelligence, the schooling, the benefits-all the stuff he won't get here in Clarke County."
After boot camp, Pierce will train as a mechanic. His college plans are undecided.
Cory Hill
Cory Hill, recruited in October 2006, was inspired to enlist by Marines' TV commercials.
"They made me want to want to go for the challenge, everything the marines offer," he said.
His minimum four years of service will begin with boot camp training July 9, of which "getting yelled at constantly" will be most difficult.
"They say the first weeks are the hardest," he said. "I want to do it and get it over."
Still, Cory is grateful for the challenge.
"They are the best," he said of the Marines. "If I join any of the armed services, I definitely want to go into the hardest."
After boot camp, Cory will receive training as a heavy equipment engineer and operator.
His father, Robert Hill, said Cory will attend college through the Marines program.
"I think it will be good for him," said Hill. "I never got the chance when I was younger. I'm proud of him for doing it."
When considering the likelihood that Cory might transfer to Iraq, Hill said, "I'm not against the war. I want to see it through and finished so with that in mind I can't say I don't want him to go. I certainly don't want him put in a potential death situation, but he joined up knowing that was a possibility."
Although unsure of "what is going to happen," Cory said he is excited.
James House
"He's always been interested in history and the military and wanted something that was a challenge," said Scott House of his son, James.
Recently, James enlisted in the Marines, a decision he has considered since the beginning of high school.
"I had been planning on joining a branch of the military and some of my friends' brothers had joined," he said. "One is over in Iraq right now."
Following boot camp, James will enter security force training.
"I am extremely proud of him," said his father. "He felt he could go out and be on his own and tested."
"I'd have concerns if he was over there [in Iraq]," he adds, "but I think with the training the Marines get he'll be prepared."
James' five years of service being with boot camp on July 9.
"I'm glad I did it," said James. "Just being part of the best, being a Marine, it draws a lot of respect."
Ellie
By: Charity Corkey
Rather than enjoy summer vacation, Clarke County High School seniors Austin Grapes, William Atkins, Cory Hill, James Garrett House and Dennis Pierce are packing their bags and traveling to Parris Island, S.C., for Marine boot camp. The five students are leaving shortly after graduation and will spend 13 weeks in training.
"It's the hardest thing they will ever do as far as physically and mentally challenging," said their Winchester recruiter Sgt. Martin Mooney.
However, Mooney feels the young men are up to the challenge.
"They are very intelligent and are bringing [in] their integrity and their leadership," he said. "I never had any concern as to how successful they would be."
As for the possibility of deployment to Iraq, Mooney said there is no way of knowing whether they will be sent until they are assigned to their units. Some units are in the rotation to go to Iraq, others are not.
If the boys are placed in a unit set to deploy, they will first go through "work-ups."
"Basically, it's a training evolution and they'll prepare them in weapons, doing patrols and how to prepare themselves in [certain] situations," said Mooney. "[It consist of] a nine-month, a six-month and a three-month."
Cindy Atkins, the mother of William Atkins, encourages the community to support the boys, despite their political leanings.
"They are each so different but they share a common vision and common goal," she said. "Whether you agree politically or not with the current administration, we are sending our young people into harm's way and they need to know that their community supports them."
Austin Grapes
"It's every guy's dream to be out there doing things the Marines do," said Clarke County High School senior Austin Grapes.
Grapes, who enlisted a couple months ago, said he has wanted to join the Marines since ninth-grade.
"I'm pumped," he said. "A little nervous, but really pumped."
His mother, Leann Grapes, thinks her son found inspiration in his Jiu-Jitsu teacher, an ex-Marine.
"My husband was also in the Marines," she said.
Her current feelings are a mixture of pride and fear.
"It doesn't look like the end of the war is just around the corner, so it's likely that he will get deployed there," she said.
Grapes is leaving for boot camp July 23, after which he begin training as a media specialist.
William Atkins
"His one granddad was in the navy, his other granddad was in the army and he has always loved to talk military," said Cindy Atkins, of her son William.
So in early March, after visiting colleges and much deliberation, William chose to enlist in the Marines.
"I thought it was the right thing to do," he said, "to protect my family and friends."
A couple weeks ago, the Atkins visited Fort Dietrich in Maryland for Marines Family Day.
"He was very comfortable, very excited, very proud," said Ms. Atkins. "I admire his strength and courage."
At one point, she said she started to cry.
"He came over and hugged me and said, 'I'm going to be OK. I need to know that you're going to be OK.' On the way home, I told him I became a Marine Corps mom that day because it was the day I realized that's what he really wants to do."
William leaves for boot camp on July 9. When asked his thoughts on basic training, he replied that the most difficult part will be homesickness.
"I'm pretty close [with my family]," he said. "They support me in pretty much everything I do."
As for college, William has been accepted into Eastern Kentucky University and still will be able to study there through a collaborative program they have with the Marines.
"He can take classes on-line or he can enter when he gets out of the service," said his mother. "He's really put thought into his future, what he needs and what he wants. I feel like he looked at this from a variety of angles. It's kind of hard to not respect that."
Dennis Pierce
Dennis Pierce was motivated to enlist in the Marines for several reasons.
"I've got a lot of family in the Marines and I want to have financial security when I'm older," he said.
Dennis also wants to make his family proud.
"I think this is a way for him to prove he can do his best," said his mother Theresa Pierce. "He asked, 'How else am I supposed to make you proud of me?'"
Dennis leaves for boot camp Aug. 28, the commencement of eight years in the service: Four active, four inactive.
"I think it will be cool to see the world and be in top physical condition," he said. "It will also be cool to shoot an M16."
However, he admits leaving home will be difficult.
"It's going to kill me for him to leave the state," said Theresa Pierce. She hopes Dennis will not be transferred to Iraq.
"I don't think any of them should even be over there at this point," she said, "[but] once he gets in the Marines it is totally out of my control."
Still, Pierce is pleased with the training her son will receive.
"I think the Marines will give him the intelligence, the schooling, the benefits-all the stuff he won't get here in Clarke County."
After boot camp, Pierce will train as a mechanic. His college plans are undecided.
Cory Hill
Cory Hill, recruited in October 2006, was inspired to enlist by Marines' TV commercials.
"They made me want to want to go for the challenge, everything the marines offer," he said.
His minimum four years of service will begin with boot camp training July 9, of which "getting yelled at constantly" will be most difficult.
"They say the first weeks are the hardest," he said. "I want to do it and get it over."
Still, Cory is grateful for the challenge.
"They are the best," he said of the Marines. "If I join any of the armed services, I definitely want to go into the hardest."
After boot camp, Cory will receive training as a heavy equipment engineer and operator.
His father, Robert Hill, said Cory will attend college through the Marines program.
"I think it will be good for him," said Hill. "I never got the chance when I was younger. I'm proud of him for doing it."
When considering the likelihood that Cory might transfer to Iraq, Hill said, "I'm not against the war. I want to see it through and finished so with that in mind I can't say I don't want him to go. I certainly don't want him put in a potential death situation, but he joined up knowing that was a possibility."
Although unsure of "what is going to happen," Cory said he is excited.
James House
"He's always been interested in history and the military and wanted something that was a challenge," said Scott House of his son, James.
Recently, James enlisted in the Marines, a decision he has considered since the beginning of high school.
"I had been planning on joining a branch of the military and some of my friends' brothers had joined," he said. "One is over in Iraq right now."
Following boot camp, James will enter security force training.
"I am extremely proud of him," said his father. "He felt he could go out and be on his own and tested."
"I'd have concerns if he was over there [in Iraq]," he adds, "but I think with the training the Marines get he'll be prepared."
James' five years of service being with boot camp on July 9.
"I'm glad I did it," said James. "Just being part of the best, being a Marine, it draws a lot of respect."
Ellie