thedrifter
01-14-09, 07:15 AM
IN THE KITCHEN WITH: TIM SHEA
Local marine talks about his life there, his family and his upcoming arrival home, By Laurie Gordon
Tim Shea is in Iraq serving in the United States Marine Corps, and to his family, friends and all who have made his acquaintance, he is a hero. Shea is a sincere 21-year-old who values family, friends and his country.
He said he isn’t afraid of bodily harm in Iraq, but rather, his paramount concern and focus is doing his job and protecting others.
Shea grew up in Hampton and went to Kittatinny Regional High School, then followed in the footsteps of his older brother Christopher, and joined the Marines. Sadly, after serving in the Marines, big brother Chris was killed by a drunken driver while in the line of duty as a state trooper.
Despite the tragedy that’s hit the Shea family, “we are definitely a tight knit group,” Tim Shea said.
He said he couldn’t say his parents were excited when he told them he intended to join the service, Shea said, “My family is very supportive of me being in the service. It’s really relieving to know I have such full support for me if and when I ever need it.”
Like all East Coast recruits, Shea’s military career began on Parris Island, South Carolina for Marine Corps Boot Camp. He then went to Jacksonville, North Carolina, for combat training where he spent about a month. His next stop was Pensacola, Florida, where he spent about seven months going through school, then onto more school for a month in San Diego, California. Shea left California to go back to Jacksonville, where he‘s currently stationed. Immediately upon arrival — in November of 2007 — he learned he was being deployed to Iraq. Shea arrived in Iraq on August 22, 2008.
On a typical day, Shea said he wakes up and does his daily marine morning routine. Once he gets to work, he does inspections on the helicopters, then starts working on what he calls “all the mechanical gripes.“ Days start at 0600 hours and he usually leaves work around 1930 hours. There are no work weeks: that’s his schedule seven days a week.
Shea said, “My biggest fear, surprisingly, isn’t about getting hurt by any means, but basically is faulty maintenance. We follow strict guidelines on even the easiest type of repair and even the slightest error could cost a minimum of two pilots, and a few crew member lives. So in essence my biggest fear is taking the life of a innocent co-worker by making a simple mistake.”
Shea is due home in March and said he certainly feels good about that. Upon his return, he said, “I will basically work for about a week or so, get some medical exams to make sure I am still healthy and then come home to New Jersey for about two weeks. After all that is said and done I will be back stationed in North Carolina where I will keep up the same job, with just a little lighter schedule.”
Several years ago, Shea spearheaded the creation of a five-kilometer running race in memory of his brother, Christopher. Shea has two other brothers: Patrick and Andrew, and when he joined the service, Pat stepped up as race director and the whole fund raiser has become a huge Shea family endeavor. Money raised from the race benefits a scholarship given to a Kittatinny senior entering the civil service. Last fall, the Shea family posed for a photo before the race. “We’ll send this to Timmy,” said his mother, Patricia Shea. Then she added, “And he’ll be here next year for the race’s fifth anniversary.”
Tim Shea’s favorite recipe is his Mom’s Irish Soda Bread.
Patricia Shea was nice enough to divulge her secret recipe:
IRISH SODA BREAD a-la-Patricia Shea
4 cups of flour
3 tbls sugar
1 tbls baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbls butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups dark seedless raisins
1 tbls caraway seeds (optional)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven 350 degrees Grease 2-quart round casserole. In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. With pastry blender or 2 knives cut in the margarine until resembles coarse crumbs, stir in raisins and caraway seed.
With fork, beat eggs slightly- remove 1 tbl & reserve. Stir buttermilk into remaining egg; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened (dough will be sticky)
Turn dough onto well floured surface, knead about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly. Shape into a ball, place in casserole- In center of ball, cut 4 inch cross 1/2 inch deep. Brush dough with reserved egg
Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in casserole on wire rack 10 minutes, remove from casserole and cool completely on rack.
Slice and enjoy.
Ellie
Local marine talks about his life there, his family and his upcoming arrival home, By Laurie Gordon
Tim Shea is in Iraq serving in the United States Marine Corps, and to his family, friends and all who have made his acquaintance, he is a hero. Shea is a sincere 21-year-old who values family, friends and his country.
He said he isn’t afraid of bodily harm in Iraq, but rather, his paramount concern and focus is doing his job and protecting others.
Shea grew up in Hampton and went to Kittatinny Regional High School, then followed in the footsteps of his older brother Christopher, and joined the Marines. Sadly, after serving in the Marines, big brother Chris was killed by a drunken driver while in the line of duty as a state trooper.
Despite the tragedy that’s hit the Shea family, “we are definitely a tight knit group,” Tim Shea said.
He said he couldn’t say his parents were excited when he told them he intended to join the service, Shea said, “My family is very supportive of me being in the service. It’s really relieving to know I have such full support for me if and when I ever need it.”
Like all East Coast recruits, Shea’s military career began on Parris Island, South Carolina for Marine Corps Boot Camp. He then went to Jacksonville, North Carolina, for combat training where he spent about a month. His next stop was Pensacola, Florida, where he spent about seven months going through school, then onto more school for a month in San Diego, California. Shea left California to go back to Jacksonville, where he‘s currently stationed. Immediately upon arrival — in November of 2007 — he learned he was being deployed to Iraq. Shea arrived in Iraq on August 22, 2008.
On a typical day, Shea said he wakes up and does his daily marine morning routine. Once he gets to work, he does inspections on the helicopters, then starts working on what he calls “all the mechanical gripes.“ Days start at 0600 hours and he usually leaves work around 1930 hours. There are no work weeks: that’s his schedule seven days a week.
Shea said, “My biggest fear, surprisingly, isn’t about getting hurt by any means, but basically is faulty maintenance. We follow strict guidelines on even the easiest type of repair and even the slightest error could cost a minimum of two pilots, and a few crew member lives. So in essence my biggest fear is taking the life of a innocent co-worker by making a simple mistake.”
Shea is due home in March and said he certainly feels good about that. Upon his return, he said, “I will basically work for about a week or so, get some medical exams to make sure I am still healthy and then come home to New Jersey for about two weeks. After all that is said and done I will be back stationed in North Carolina where I will keep up the same job, with just a little lighter schedule.”
Several years ago, Shea spearheaded the creation of a five-kilometer running race in memory of his brother, Christopher. Shea has two other brothers: Patrick and Andrew, and when he joined the service, Pat stepped up as race director and the whole fund raiser has become a huge Shea family endeavor. Money raised from the race benefits a scholarship given to a Kittatinny senior entering the civil service. Last fall, the Shea family posed for a photo before the race. “We’ll send this to Timmy,” said his mother, Patricia Shea. Then she added, “And he’ll be here next year for the race’s fifth anniversary.”
Tim Shea’s favorite recipe is his Mom’s Irish Soda Bread.
Patricia Shea was nice enough to divulge her secret recipe:
IRISH SODA BREAD a-la-Patricia Shea
4 cups of flour
3 tbls sugar
1 tbls baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
6 tbls butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups dark seedless raisins
1 tbls caraway seeds (optional)
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Preheat oven 350 degrees Grease 2-quart round casserole. In large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. With pastry blender or 2 knives cut in the margarine until resembles coarse crumbs, stir in raisins and caraway seed.
With fork, beat eggs slightly- remove 1 tbl & reserve. Stir buttermilk into remaining egg; stir into flour mixture just until flour is moistened (dough will be sticky)
Turn dough onto well floured surface, knead about 10 strokes to mix thoroughly. Shape into a ball, place in casserole- In center of ball, cut 4 inch cross 1/2 inch deep. Brush dough with reserved egg
Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool in casserole on wire rack 10 minutes, remove from casserole and cool completely on rack.
Slice and enjoy.
Ellie