thedrifter
06-02-09, 08:23 AM
Three Burton brothers are in Marines Corps and that means "a lot of worrying" for Mom
by Shannon Murphy | The Flint Journal
Monday June 01, 2009, 2:30 PM
BURTON -- Any mother worries about her children, but Burton resident Amy Shemanski frets three times as much.
All three of her boys --Â Justin, 25, Brett, 23 and Jordan, 22 -- are members of the United States Marine Corps.
"It's been a lot of emotion," she said. "A lot of worrying."
The last time Amy Shemanski saw all three of her boys together was around Christmas two or three years ago. A room in her home is dedicated to the Marines and serves as a reminder of how proud she is. And when one of the boys was overseas last year a giant banner with his picture hung outside her home.
Her middle child, Cpl. Brett Shemanski, a videographer stationed at Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii, spent seven months stationed in Iraq last year.
Her youngest, Lance Cpl. Jordan Shemanski, a parachute rigger stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, is expected to head to Afghanistan this year or early 2010.
Only her oldest, Sgt. Justin Shemanski, a marketing and public affairs chief, remains close to home. He works at a recruiting station in the Detroit area.
The Shemanskis grew up in Burton and all three graduated from Bentley High School. They're used to the shocked looks and barrage of questions when someone finds out that all three are in the Marines.
"I always thought it was cool and so did family and friends," Justin Shemanski said.
"(When people see Brett and I together) they start making the connection, then we start talking to them about a third brother in the Corps. They can't believe it."
Justin was the first of the brothers in enlist, joining just before he graduated high school in 2002. A budding artist, he had hoped to join the Marines graphic design division as a combat illustrator.
But with no positions open there, he was told about the public affairs option.
Justin Shemanski says he always admired people in the military and decided to try it out. It wasn't an easy decision, but Justin found support from his youngest brother.
"Jordan came to the recruit office with me when I was a senior and he was a freshman," Justin said. "He was a little bit of pressure for me. I was afraid to take the step and he was ready to push me."
Despite Jordan Shemanski's desire to enlist, he was still several years away from it.
Instead, in 2006, Brett Shemanski surprised the whole family and joined as well.
Everyone thought his career was set. Brett Shemanski was working in Los Angeles making independent films with a production company after a year at Lansing Community College.
Instead, in what family called typical Brett fashion, he changed directions and announced he was enlisting.
"I didn't see that one coming," Jordan Shemanski said of his brother enlisting. "He never seemed to be into that kind of stuff. But he's always been spur of the moment."
But Brett Shemanski said hearing what the Marines were like from Justin helped him decide to try it out.
As a videographer, he documents operations and training for internal military use, as well as for the media. While in Iraq last year, Brett was part of a two-person team that taped missions.
He doesn't plan to be a military career man, but hopes to use his skills to make documentaries in the civilian world.
"Some of the experiences I've had and the places I've been; I didn't expect that," Brett Shemanski said. "That just adds to the experience."
Jordan Shemanski, the brother everyone thought would join first, has only been in the Marines for a little over a year. After graduating high school in 2005, he took some time to work before joining in February 2008.
"It was something I was always interested in since I was little," he said. "I thought it was cool, I just put it off a little bit."
As a parachute rigger, Jordan's job is to pack parachutes and equipment for military personnel. In a combat zone, he would do equipment drops, then jump out of the airplane as well to get the equipment ready.
Jordan said he loves every aspect of his job and having his two older brothers in the Marines only pushed him more.
"It motivated me more," he said. "I thought if they can do it, so can I. I'm the little brother and I wanted to show I could keep up with them."
Ellie
by Shannon Murphy | The Flint Journal
Monday June 01, 2009, 2:30 PM
BURTON -- Any mother worries about her children, but Burton resident Amy Shemanski frets three times as much.
All three of her boys --Â Justin, 25, Brett, 23 and Jordan, 22 -- are members of the United States Marine Corps.
"It's been a lot of emotion," she said. "A lot of worrying."
The last time Amy Shemanski saw all three of her boys together was around Christmas two or three years ago. A room in her home is dedicated to the Marines and serves as a reminder of how proud she is. And when one of the boys was overseas last year a giant banner with his picture hung outside her home.
Her middle child, Cpl. Brett Shemanski, a videographer stationed at Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii, spent seven months stationed in Iraq last year.
Her youngest, Lance Cpl. Jordan Shemanski, a parachute rigger stationed at Camp Pendleton in California, is expected to head to Afghanistan this year or early 2010.
Only her oldest, Sgt. Justin Shemanski, a marketing and public affairs chief, remains close to home. He works at a recruiting station in the Detroit area.
The Shemanskis grew up in Burton and all three graduated from Bentley High School. They're used to the shocked looks and barrage of questions when someone finds out that all three are in the Marines.
"I always thought it was cool and so did family and friends," Justin Shemanski said.
"(When people see Brett and I together) they start making the connection, then we start talking to them about a third brother in the Corps. They can't believe it."
Justin was the first of the brothers in enlist, joining just before he graduated high school in 2002. A budding artist, he had hoped to join the Marines graphic design division as a combat illustrator.
But with no positions open there, he was told about the public affairs option.
Justin Shemanski says he always admired people in the military and decided to try it out. It wasn't an easy decision, but Justin found support from his youngest brother.
"Jordan came to the recruit office with me when I was a senior and he was a freshman," Justin said. "He was a little bit of pressure for me. I was afraid to take the step and he was ready to push me."
Despite Jordan Shemanski's desire to enlist, he was still several years away from it.
Instead, in 2006, Brett Shemanski surprised the whole family and joined as well.
Everyone thought his career was set. Brett Shemanski was working in Los Angeles making independent films with a production company after a year at Lansing Community College.
Instead, in what family called typical Brett fashion, he changed directions and announced he was enlisting.
"I didn't see that one coming," Jordan Shemanski said of his brother enlisting. "He never seemed to be into that kind of stuff. But he's always been spur of the moment."
But Brett Shemanski said hearing what the Marines were like from Justin helped him decide to try it out.
As a videographer, he documents operations and training for internal military use, as well as for the media. While in Iraq last year, Brett was part of a two-person team that taped missions.
He doesn't plan to be a military career man, but hopes to use his skills to make documentaries in the civilian world.
"Some of the experiences I've had and the places I've been; I didn't expect that," Brett Shemanski said. "That just adds to the experience."
Jordan Shemanski, the brother everyone thought would join first, has only been in the Marines for a little over a year. After graduating high school in 2005, he took some time to work before joining in February 2008.
"It was something I was always interested in since I was little," he said. "I thought it was cool, I just put it off a little bit."
As a parachute rigger, Jordan's job is to pack parachutes and equipment for military personnel. In a combat zone, he would do equipment drops, then jump out of the airplane as well to get the equipment ready.
Jordan said he loves every aspect of his job and having his two older brothers in the Marines only pushed him more.
"It motivated me more," he said. "I thought if they can do it, so can I. I'm the little brother and I wanted to show I could keep up with them."
Ellie