thedrifter
07-06-07, 06:51 AM
Native son learns commitment to friends, family, U.S. Marines
He may not have been born on the Fourth of July, but Maj. Gregory James Allan is certainly committed to his country.
In an emotional ceremony Sunday afternoon in his parents' backyard, the 37-year-old Northville Township native was promoted from a captain to a major in the U.S. Marine Corps.
About 35 family members, friends and neighbors came to celebrate Allan's promotion and revel in the kind of dedication that only the few, the proud and the brave possess.
His best friends while growing up — Lt. Col. Richard B. Zyla, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command Communications Operations Officer, who is currently stationed in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Mike Harral, a volunteer firefighter with the Algonac Fire Department — directed the ceremony.
Zyla received permission from his commanding officer to serve as the presiding official at the ceremony, pinning the oak leaves on Allan's epaulets and administering him the oath of office.
Peggy Koppy, who has lived next door to Allan's parents for almost 30 years, presented the invocation.
The other longtime next-door neighbor, Roberta Clemak, recalled some of Allan's antics as a teen-ager.
"I think him signing up as a Marine was the greatest thing that ever happened to him," Clemak said.
Former boys from the 'hood
Back in the day, Allan, Zyla and Harral were the proverbial "partners in crime." But, as adults, they've become more than responsible.
"I grew up around the corner," Zyla said. "We've been friends for 25 years, and, in fact, Greg was the best man at my wedding. It's a tremendous honor to come back and be able to do this for him at his home."
Zyla said he and Allen had paper routes together, drove mopeds, Mustangs and Trans Ams, used to get in minor trouble in high school and had the neighbors call when they played music too loud.
"We were typical high school kids," Zyla said.
He said Allan didn't really know what he wanted to do after attending college.
Then one day, Allan figuratively "opened the door" for him while they were at a restaurant.
"He said to me, 'Hey, what do you think about me being a Marine?'" Zyla said. "That's all I needed to take him right down to the recruiting station. In my opinion, he saw commitment for the first time."
Born Sept. 25, 1962, Allan enlisted in the Marines at the age of 22. He started as an artillery man and was eventually deployed to Haiti, where he saw action for the first time.
"That's another time he realized commitment — to your buddies on your left and your right," Zyla said.
Allen also served in Iraq from July 2004-February 2005.
In his new job with the U.S. Marine Corps, he'll work on communications issues for transportation command, one of the U.S. combatant commands.
He'll be involved with communications equipment for emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina.
"I'll be the guy who designs the communications package and puts it down wherever we have a problem," Allan said.
The family behind the man
Allan's wife, Laurie, was also present to help pin on the oaks leaves symbolizing the rank of major on her husband's uniform.
The couple, who met while he was stationed in Hawaii and have been married for six years, moved to Scott Air Force Base in O'Fallon, Ill., last week after being transferred from Yuma, Ariz.
She and his parents, Jim and Marlene Allan, couldn't be prouder.
"He's been in the Marines for 15 years now," Jim Allan said. "It's been a pretty good deal for him. He's made a career out of it."
Allan thanked his wife, parents and sister, Leslie, for helping him to become a better person and a better Marine.
As Allan said: "My mom used to always tell me, 'Nothing is impossible.'"
Pam Fleming can be reached at (24 349-1700, ext. 105, or at pfleming@gannett.com.
Ellie
He may not have been born on the Fourth of July, but Maj. Gregory James Allan is certainly committed to his country.
In an emotional ceremony Sunday afternoon in his parents' backyard, the 37-year-old Northville Township native was promoted from a captain to a major in the U.S. Marine Corps.
About 35 family members, friends and neighbors came to celebrate Allan's promotion and revel in the kind of dedication that only the few, the proud and the brave possess.
His best friends while growing up — Lt. Col. Richard B. Zyla, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command Communications Operations Officer, who is currently stationed in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Mike Harral, a volunteer firefighter with the Algonac Fire Department — directed the ceremony.
Zyla received permission from his commanding officer to serve as the presiding official at the ceremony, pinning the oak leaves on Allan's epaulets and administering him the oath of office.
Peggy Koppy, who has lived next door to Allan's parents for almost 30 years, presented the invocation.
The other longtime next-door neighbor, Roberta Clemak, recalled some of Allan's antics as a teen-ager.
"I think him signing up as a Marine was the greatest thing that ever happened to him," Clemak said.
Former boys from the 'hood
Back in the day, Allan, Zyla and Harral were the proverbial "partners in crime." But, as adults, they've become more than responsible.
"I grew up around the corner," Zyla said. "We've been friends for 25 years, and, in fact, Greg was the best man at my wedding. It's a tremendous honor to come back and be able to do this for him at his home."
Zyla said he and Allen had paper routes together, drove mopeds, Mustangs and Trans Ams, used to get in minor trouble in high school and had the neighbors call when they played music too loud.
"We were typical high school kids," Zyla said.
He said Allan didn't really know what he wanted to do after attending college.
Then one day, Allan figuratively "opened the door" for him while they were at a restaurant.
"He said to me, 'Hey, what do you think about me being a Marine?'" Zyla said. "That's all I needed to take him right down to the recruiting station. In my opinion, he saw commitment for the first time."
Born Sept. 25, 1962, Allan enlisted in the Marines at the age of 22. He started as an artillery man and was eventually deployed to Haiti, where he saw action for the first time.
"That's another time he realized commitment — to your buddies on your left and your right," Zyla said.
Allen also served in Iraq from July 2004-February 2005.
In his new job with the U.S. Marine Corps, he'll work on communications issues for transportation command, one of the U.S. combatant commands.
He'll be involved with communications equipment for emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina.
"I'll be the guy who designs the communications package and puts it down wherever we have a problem," Allan said.
The family behind the man
Allan's wife, Laurie, was also present to help pin on the oaks leaves symbolizing the rank of major on her husband's uniform.
The couple, who met while he was stationed in Hawaii and have been married for six years, moved to Scott Air Force Base in O'Fallon, Ill., last week after being transferred from Yuma, Ariz.
She and his parents, Jim and Marlene Allan, couldn't be prouder.
"He's been in the Marines for 15 years now," Jim Allan said. "It's been a pretty good deal for him. He's made a career out of it."
Allan thanked his wife, parents and sister, Leslie, for helping him to become a better person and a better Marine.
As Allan said: "My mom used to always tell me, 'Nothing is impossible.'"
Pam Fleming can be reached at (24 349-1700, ext. 105, or at pfleming@gannett.com.
Ellie