thedrifter
06-19-07, 04:46 AM
Young, but ready to serve
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 3:34 AM
By Jeb Phillips
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
They still look awkward in their bodies, not even seniors in high school, but there they were yesterday, swearing to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as United States Marines.
They had made the decision after a lot of thought, after talking it over with their families, these mostly 17-year-olds said. They were mature decisions. Still, the man administering the oath felt the need to remind them of a few things.
"We don't drink underage," Capt. Chris Baker said. "We don't drive when we don't have a license."
Then he said: "Thank you for what you are about to do. Congratulations."
Sixteen new "poolees" -- individuals who will graduate next June and begin boot camp as part of the Marines Delayed Entry Program -- took the oath at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Gahanna. By joining this early, they can lock in the jobs they want in the Corps.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," said Shannon Bitzer, 17, of Cincinnati. "I wanted to do something better with my life. I want to serve my country."
After the oath, the head noncommissioned officer from a Columbus recruiting office spoke.
"You are doing something that very, very few of your peers have had the courage to do," Gunnery Sgt. Stephan Rohr said.
The day before, some of those peers were walking around Eastland Mall. They had decided not to go into the military. Rohr and the poolees talked about service and opportunities. At Eastland, there was talk of the danger.
"I don't want to die," said Shakinah Page, 16, who will be a junior at Groveport Madison High School. She said her boyfriend wants to go into the military. With more than 3,500 U.S. troop deaths in Iraq, she has been trying to talk him out of it.
She was eating ice cream with her friend Tiara Carter. They will be going to college after high school, they said. Shakinah wants to be a doctor. Tiara wants to be a lawyer.
"If (the military) is something they want to do, more power to them," Tiara said, when asked about the new Marine poolees. "It's not for me."
Farther down the mall, Ethan Ladowitz, 18, was walking with twin brothers Jordan and Justin Ware, both 18. All three have just graduated from Reynoldsburg High School. They're going to Ohio State University to study business.
Ethan thought hard about going into the Navy, he said. A recruiter had told him about the benefits, about the college tuition help, about the travel. He went home and told his parents what he was thinking.
"They talked me out of it," he said. "They said, 'With the situation now, do you think it's a good decision?' "
So he's going to college, and he's come around to his parents' way of thinking.
"There are so many people in our class who are joining," he said. When asked about the poolees, he said, "I think they are too young to make the decision, but I have respect for them."
Shannon Bitzer's family came to see him sworn in. His mother had tried to talk him out of it, the way Ethan's had.
"We told him to go to college first," said Melissa Morris, 41. "I begged and pleaded. But it's not what he wants to do.
"I'm proud of him, but very worried. It doesn't feel real right now. It will a year from now."
None of the poolees admitted to being scared. Aaron Boyer, 18, a rising senior at Hilliard Darby High School, said his friends called him an idiot but still supported his decision.
Like almost every one of the poolees, Aaron came to the ceremony in a red Marines T-shirt, but he had cut the sleeves off. A Marine made him change into one with sleeves.
Randal Schlegel, 18, of Dayton, said he was only scared of how the Marines would change him. It wasn't the change itself that scared him, just not knowing.
"I guess it's a good kind of scared," he said.
When they spoke of danger, they spoke of it as something that their parents were worried about, but not them. They had wanted to be Marines from the time they were little, they said.
When their peers at the mall spoke of danger, they spoke of war and death and seeing people coming back missing limbs.
And then there was Shannon Bitzer's 15-year-old cousin, Brett Bitzer, who is not old enough to join the Marines but had come to watch the ceremony. No decision yet from him, he said. He supported his cousin, though, and said his cousin was a big influence.
"Maybe when I'm a junior or senior I'll take the same opportunity he did," he said.
Jeb.phillips@dispatch.com
"I wanted to do something better with my life."
Shannon Bitzer
17-year-old "poolee" from Cincinnati
Ellie
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 3:34 AM
By Jeb Phillips
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
They still look awkward in their bodies, not even seniors in high school, but there they were yesterday, swearing to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, as United States Marines.
They had made the decision after a lot of thought, after talking it over with their families, these mostly 17-year-olds said. They were mature decisions. Still, the man administering the oath felt the need to remind them of a few things.
"We don't drink underage," Capt. Chris Baker said. "We don't drive when we don't have a license."
Then he said: "Thank you for what you are about to do. Congratulations."
Sixteen new "poolees" -- individuals who will graduate next June and begin boot camp as part of the Marines Delayed Entry Program -- took the oath at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Gahanna. By joining this early, they can lock in the jobs they want in the Corps.
"It's something I've always wanted to do," said Shannon Bitzer, 17, of Cincinnati. "I wanted to do something better with my life. I want to serve my country."
After the oath, the head noncommissioned officer from a Columbus recruiting office spoke.
"You are doing something that very, very few of your peers have had the courage to do," Gunnery Sgt. Stephan Rohr said.
The day before, some of those peers were walking around Eastland Mall. They had decided not to go into the military. Rohr and the poolees talked about service and opportunities. At Eastland, there was talk of the danger.
"I don't want to die," said Shakinah Page, 16, who will be a junior at Groveport Madison High School. She said her boyfriend wants to go into the military. With more than 3,500 U.S. troop deaths in Iraq, she has been trying to talk him out of it.
She was eating ice cream with her friend Tiara Carter. They will be going to college after high school, they said. Shakinah wants to be a doctor. Tiara wants to be a lawyer.
"If (the military) is something they want to do, more power to them," Tiara said, when asked about the new Marine poolees. "It's not for me."
Farther down the mall, Ethan Ladowitz, 18, was walking with twin brothers Jordan and Justin Ware, both 18. All three have just graduated from Reynoldsburg High School. They're going to Ohio State University to study business.
Ethan thought hard about going into the Navy, he said. A recruiter had told him about the benefits, about the college tuition help, about the travel. He went home and told his parents what he was thinking.
"They talked me out of it," he said. "They said, 'With the situation now, do you think it's a good decision?' "
So he's going to college, and he's come around to his parents' way of thinking.
"There are so many people in our class who are joining," he said. When asked about the poolees, he said, "I think they are too young to make the decision, but I have respect for them."
Shannon Bitzer's family came to see him sworn in. His mother had tried to talk him out of it, the way Ethan's had.
"We told him to go to college first," said Melissa Morris, 41. "I begged and pleaded. But it's not what he wants to do.
"I'm proud of him, but very worried. It doesn't feel real right now. It will a year from now."
None of the poolees admitted to being scared. Aaron Boyer, 18, a rising senior at Hilliard Darby High School, said his friends called him an idiot but still supported his decision.
Like almost every one of the poolees, Aaron came to the ceremony in a red Marines T-shirt, but he had cut the sleeves off. A Marine made him change into one with sleeves.
Randal Schlegel, 18, of Dayton, said he was only scared of how the Marines would change him. It wasn't the change itself that scared him, just not knowing.
"I guess it's a good kind of scared," he said.
When they spoke of danger, they spoke of it as something that their parents were worried about, but not them. They had wanted to be Marines from the time they were little, they said.
When their peers at the mall spoke of danger, they spoke of war and death and seeing people coming back missing limbs.
And then there was Shannon Bitzer's 15-year-old cousin, Brett Bitzer, who is not old enough to join the Marines but had come to watch the ceremony. No decision yet from him, he said. He supported his cousin, though, and said his cousin was a big influence.
"Maybe when I'm a junior or senior I'll take the same opportunity he did," he said.
Jeb.phillips@dispatch.com
"I wanted to do something better with my life."
Shannon Bitzer
17-year-old "poolee" from Cincinnati
Ellie