thedrifter
10-11-09, 07:32 AM
Marine Corps League gets unique gift
Dalton Daily Citizen
Although Mickey Brock never got to be a “Leatherneck” — military slang for a member of the U.S. Marine Corps — he still feels like one at heart, he told members of Dalton’s Marine Corps League detachment on Saturday.
Brock, along with other members, had watched the unveiling of a 12-foot circular artificial-turf rendition of the eagle, globe and anchor emblem of the Marines, donated by Norman Landry of the AquaFab division of Controlled Products, and spoke up just before a closing prayer.
“I talked to a recruiter,” he recalled of his attempt to enlist after graduating from North Whitfield High School in 1975. “It was the end of the Vietnam era, and since I already had two brothers who had died, he told me it could really hurt my parents if I was killed in action.”
His brothers died of complications from multiple birth defects and a congenital heart condition, respectively, he said.
Brock joined the Leage as an associate, and marveled with several former Marines at the accuracy of the legendary symbol shown to them for the first time at the James Brown Center at Dalton State College.
“I saw an article in the (news) paper about the Marine Corps League, and wanted to do something special for them,” said Landry, the operations manager at Control Products and its subsidiary Aqualab, which specializes in creating logos for companies, schools and other military units in the Army, Navy and Air Force.
“We have around 80 employees and many of their families have military backgrounds,” he said. “We all wanted to show our appreciation for what the Marines have done for us.”
Landry said the replica was created by scanning the design on a flatbed scanner and then “redigitizing” it onto a computer. The final product is put together by hand, much like the team logo seen on a football field.
Brock, who owns Tenchi Family Karate Club in Varnell, said he has suggested the Marine Corps to young students who have asked him about military service.
“We have one (former student) in Iraq and another in Afghanistan,” he said.
Paul Kaspereen is a former Marine and League member from New Jersey who now lives in Calhoun.
“It’s always welcome when anybody or any organization makes a donation like this to the Marine Corps or the League,” said Kaspereen, who’s also running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 25. “It makes you feel pride when you see someone who was not in the Marine Corps make something for us and share in that spirit of unity that we feel.”
The Dalton chapter, in its second year, also discussed getting out collection boxes for its Toys for Tots Christmas campaign.
Ellie
Dalton Daily Citizen
Although Mickey Brock never got to be a “Leatherneck” — military slang for a member of the U.S. Marine Corps — he still feels like one at heart, he told members of Dalton’s Marine Corps League detachment on Saturday.
Brock, along with other members, had watched the unveiling of a 12-foot circular artificial-turf rendition of the eagle, globe and anchor emblem of the Marines, donated by Norman Landry of the AquaFab division of Controlled Products, and spoke up just before a closing prayer.
“I talked to a recruiter,” he recalled of his attempt to enlist after graduating from North Whitfield High School in 1975. “It was the end of the Vietnam era, and since I already had two brothers who had died, he told me it could really hurt my parents if I was killed in action.”
His brothers died of complications from multiple birth defects and a congenital heart condition, respectively, he said.
Brock joined the Leage as an associate, and marveled with several former Marines at the accuracy of the legendary symbol shown to them for the first time at the James Brown Center at Dalton State College.
“I saw an article in the (news) paper about the Marine Corps League, and wanted to do something special for them,” said Landry, the operations manager at Control Products and its subsidiary Aqualab, which specializes in creating logos for companies, schools and other military units in the Army, Navy and Air Force.
“We have around 80 employees and many of their families have military backgrounds,” he said. “We all wanted to show our appreciation for what the Marines have done for us.”
Landry said the replica was created by scanning the design on a flatbed scanner and then “redigitizing” it onto a computer. The final product is put together by hand, much like the team logo seen on a football field.
Brock, who owns Tenchi Family Karate Club in Varnell, said he has suggested the Marine Corps to young students who have asked him about military service.
“We have one (former student) in Iraq and another in Afghanistan,” he said.
Paul Kaspereen is a former Marine and League member from New Jersey who now lives in Calhoun.
“It’s always welcome when anybody or any organization makes a donation like this to the Marine Corps or the League,” said Kaspereen, who’s also running in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 25. “It makes you feel pride when you see someone who was not in the Marine Corps make something for us and share in that spirit of unity that we feel.”
The Dalton chapter, in its second year, also discussed getting out collection boxes for its Toys for Tots Christmas campaign.
Ellie