thedrifter
07-25-07, 11:22 AM
One last 'ooh-rah' for St. Peter's ROTC
Avenel Marines gave $3,500 to send ROTC members to boot camp
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE - It was either "lay their heads down and die" or "go out with a huge bang" for the cadets of the Marine Junior ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) of St. Peter the Apostle High School in New Brunswick.
In the end, the 20 cadets - ranging in age from 15 to 18 - held their heads high and told their Master Sgt. Gerald Harrison that they wanted to end the year with a big bang.
In February, the Diocese of Metuchen announced that St. Peter's would shut its doors at the end of the school year, on June 22, because of budget constraints.
"For most of the students, this is their last year in the ROTC because we are the only Catholic high school in the area with an ROTC program," said Harrison, who has been at St. Peter's for seven years. "Most public high schools don't have an ROTC program. Unless their parents can afford to send them to another parochial school, it's a Catch-22 for most of these kids."
Harrison and his cadets hit a bump in the road for their "big bang" celebration with the ultimate goal of spending one week in a place where U.S. Marines receive their initial training, or boot camp: the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina.
The cadets held fundraising drive after fundraising drive, and up until April 12, they were still short $3,500.
"I even tapped out my credit cards for the event because it is just that important," said Harrison. "Normally, we don't have a problem raising money because we always had the next year, but now there is no next year."
The Marine Junior ROTC received what Marines can only hope for: help from their fellow Marines.
The Avenel Detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps League, which adopted St. Peter's Marine Junior ROTC two years ago, gave the cadets the hope they needed, at their monthly meeting on April 12: $3,500.
Marty Martino, commandant of the Avenel Detachment, told Harrison and the cadets that this is what the Marine Corps is all about.
Harrison and his cadets were at a loss for words.
"How does it feel for dreams to come true? Our dream came true tonight," said Harrison, who came to the Avenel Detachment meeting with three of his cadets - Company 1st Class Sgt. John Borges, 17, of Piscataway, Commanding Officer Capt. John Kreiger, 17, of Somerset, and Platoon Commander 2nd Class Lt. Travis Vuocolo, 18, of Sayreville.
"We definitely live by a code of honor. Marines don't let other Marines down," he said. "What do you say? On behalf of myself and the cadets, we say thank you."
Borges said the generosity of the Avenel Detachment was overwhelming.
"I can't really describe it," he said.
The Marines let out several shouts of "ooh-rah" and "Semper Fi." The phrase "ooh-rah" originated from the Marines 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company aboard the submarine USS Perch in 1953, and the U.S. Marine Corps motto since 1883 has been "Semper Fidelis," Latin for "always faithful."
The cadets spent the week of April 30 to May 4 at Parris Island.
"We were supposed to go with two other high schools, but they didn't make it, so it was just us," said Harrison, who acted as one of the drill instructors at Parris Island. "It worked out better for the cadets to experience what Parris Island really is. We poured our heart into it. It was a great opportunity and experience for them."
On May 11, the Marine Junior ROTC members held their final awards ceremony, where there were a lot of hugs, tears, and PowerPoint slides looking back on Parris Island as well as the whole year.
"They spend their weekends training, which involves a lot of mountain climbing," said Harrison, "and we will train until the last day."
The cadets of the Marine Junior ROTC of St. Peter the Apostle High School will disperse to other high schools in the fall - Borges will attend his senior year at Bishop George Ahr High School in Edison and Kreiger will attend his senior year at Immaculata High School in Somerville - as well as to colleges and the U.S. Marine Corps.
Vuocolo will visit Parris Island for the second time this year, but this time for the 13-week duration of boot camp in August.
Harrison, who retired from the Marines in 1998 and became an instructor at St. Peter's in 2000 teaching leadership training and military history, has since received a teaching job at a high school in New Hampshire.
Ellie
Avenel Marines gave $3,500 to send ROTC members to boot camp
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE - It was either "lay their heads down and die" or "go out with a huge bang" for the cadets of the Marine Junior ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) of St. Peter the Apostle High School in New Brunswick.
In the end, the 20 cadets - ranging in age from 15 to 18 - held their heads high and told their Master Sgt. Gerald Harrison that they wanted to end the year with a big bang.
In February, the Diocese of Metuchen announced that St. Peter's would shut its doors at the end of the school year, on June 22, because of budget constraints.
"For most of the students, this is their last year in the ROTC because we are the only Catholic high school in the area with an ROTC program," said Harrison, who has been at St. Peter's for seven years. "Most public high schools don't have an ROTC program. Unless their parents can afford to send them to another parochial school, it's a Catch-22 for most of these kids."
Harrison and his cadets hit a bump in the road for their "big bang" celebration with the ultimate goal of spending one week in a place where U.S. Marines receive their initial training, or boot camp: the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina.
The cadets held fundraising drive after fundraising drive, and up until April 12, they were still short $3,500.
"I even tapped out my credit cards for the event because it is just that important," said Harrison. "Normally, we don't have a problem raising money because we always had the next year, but now there is no next year."
The Marine Junior ROTC received what Marines can only hope for: help from their fellow Marines.
The Avenel Detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps League, which adopted St. Peter's Marine Junior ROTC two years ago, gave the cadets the hope they needed, at their monthly meeting on April 12: $3,500.
Marty Martino, commandant of the Avenel Detachment, told Harrison and the cadets that this is what the Marine Corps is all about.
Harrison and his cadets were at a loss for words.
"How does it feel for dreams to come true? Our dream came true tonight," said Harrison, who came to the Avenel Detachment meeting with three of his cadets - Company 1st Class Sgt. John Borges, 17, of Piscataway, Commanding Officer Capt. John Kreiger, 17, of Somerset, and Platoon Commander 2nd Class Lt. Travis Vuocolo, 18, of Sayreville.
"We definitely live by a code of honor. Marines don't let other Marines down," he said. "What do you say? On behalf of myself and the cadets, we say thank you."
Borges said the generosity of the Avenel Detachment was overwhelming.
"I can't really describe it," he said.
The Marines let out several shouts of "ooh-rah" and "Semper Fi." The phrase "ooh-rah" originated from the Marines 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company aboard the submarine USS Perch in 1953, and the U.S. Marine Corps motto since 1883 has been "Semper Fidelis," Latin for "always faithful."
The cadets spent the week of April 30 to May 4 at Parris Island.
"We were supposed to go with two other high schools, but they didn't make it, so it was just us," said Harrison, who acted as one of the drill instructors at Parris Island. "It worked out better for the cadets to experience what Parris Island really is. We poured our heart into it. It was a great opportunity and experience for them."
On May 11, the Marine Junior ROTC members held their final awards ceremony, where there were a lot of hugs, tears, and PowerPoint slides looking back on Parris Island as well as the whole year.
"They spend their weekends training, which involves a lot of mountain climbing," said Harrison, "and we will train until the last day."
The cadets of the Marine Junior ROTC of St. Peter the Apostle High School will disperse to other high schools in the fall - Borges will attend his senior year at Bishop George Ahr High School in Edison and Kreiger will attend his senior year at Immaculata High School in Somerville - as well as to colleges and the U.S. Marine Corps.
Vuocolo will visit Parris Island for the second time this year, but this time for the 13-week duration of boot camp in August.
Harrison, who retired from the Marines in 1998 and became an instructor at St. Peter's in 2000 teaching leadership training and military history, has since received a teaching job at a high school in New Hampshire.
Ellie