thedrifter
01-22-09, 03:55 PM
Marine gets friendly reception
By Matthew J. Gill
Thu Jan 22, 2009, 04:20 PM EST
Norwell - It had already been a long day, complete with an early morning ceremony and lots of traveling.
It was a good day though, and just about to get better.
After graduating from Marine Corps basic training on Friday morning, Jan. 9 — the ceremony began at “zero-nine” or 9 a.m. — Norwell’s Cody Cavicchi and his parents Leann and Tom departed Parris Island in South Carolina, and headed back to Boston, and to Norwell.
A 2008 graduate of Norwell High School, Cody, 19, had just completed 12 weeks of rigorous training and it would be good to get home for a few days.
When the trio arrived home at about 11 p.m. that night, they found they weren’t alone.
A group of about 20-22 of Cody’s friends – including many members of the Class of 2008 – had gathered at the Cavicchi’s residence to welcome their friend home.
“It was a big surprise,” Cody said of the reception.
Some of his friends had made faux dog tags online, Cody added, and some others were sporting short hairstyles similar to his own military cut.
After that night, Cody said he spent the rest of his break hanging out with friends, and earlier this week he was headed south again – this time to North Carolina – for 29 days of Marine combat training.
When that’s complete, Cody will head to California for six months of Marine Corps communications training, and according to his drill instructor, he will most likely be deployed to Iraq.
Cody, who played golf, hockey and lacrosse while a student at Norwell High, said joining the Marines is something he’d been thinking about for a long time.
“I just wanted a good challenge and I thought it would be good for me to do something like this,” he said, adding that the Marine Corps offers good benefits.
The boot camp training was tough, he said, especially the first two to three weeks.
“It was really hard,” he said, “more mentally than physically.”
In training, Cody said he and the other Marines would take part in physical training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 a.m. There was lots of exercise and the drill instructors worked them hard.
One morning, they did about 250 pushups, he said.
Completing basic training was “wicked nice,” he said. “It was really good.”
Norwell resident Jeff Helm, who’s children are friends with Cody and his siblings, described him as a young man with a lot of positive attributes.
“Cody has been a true leader, and is well respected by his friends,” said Helm. “He is as committed an individual at his age as I’ve seen, working hard at anything he puts his mind to. Cody’s drive throughout his school and athletic career bodes well for his future with the Marines.
Ellie
By Matthew J. Gill
Thu Jan 22, 2009, 04:20 PM EST
Norwell - It had already been a long day, complete with an early morning ceremony and lots of traveling.
It was a good day though, and just about to get better.
After graduating from Marine Corps basic training on Friday morning, Jan. 9 — the ceremony began at “zero-nine” or 9 a.m. — Norwell’s Cody Cavicchi and his parents Leann and Tom departed Parris Island in South Carolina, and headed back to Boston, and to Norwell.
A 2008 graduate of Norwell High School, Cody, 19, had just completed 12 weeks of rigorous training and it would be good to get home for a few days.
When the trio arrived home at about 11 p.m. that night, they found they weren’t alone.
A group of about 20-22 of Cody’s friends – including many members of the Class of 2008 – had gathered at the Cavicchi’s residence to welcome their friend home.
“It was a big surprise,” Cody said of the reception.
Some of his friends had made faux dog tags online, Cody added, and some others were sporting short hairstyles similar to his own military cut.
After that night, Cody said he spent the rest of his break hanging out with friends, and earlier this week he was headed south again – this time to North Carolina – for 29 days of Marine combat training.
When that’s complete, Cody will head to California for six months of Marine Corps communications training, and according to his drill instructor, he will most likely be deployed to Iraq.
Cody, who played golf, hockey and lacrosse while a student at Norwell High, said joining the Marines is something he’d been thinking about for a long time.
“I just wanted a good challenge and I thought it would be good for me to do something like this,” he said, adding that the Marine Corps offers good benefits.
The boot camp training was tough, he said, especially the first two to three weeks.
“It was really hard,” he said, “more mentally than physically.”
In training, Cody said he and the other Marines would take part in physical training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6 a.m. There was lots of exercise and the drill instructors worked them hard.
One morning, they did about 250 pushups, he said.
Completing basic training was “wicked nice,” he said. “It was really good.”
Norwell resident Jeff Helm, who’s children are friends with Cody and his siblings, described him as a young man with a lot of positive attributes.
“Cody has been a true leader, and is well respected by his friends,” said Helm. “He is as committed an individual at his age as I’ve seen, working hard at anything he puts his mind to. Cody’s drive throughout his school and athletic career bodes well for his future with the Marines.
Ellie