Posted on 06/27/2005 6:11:32 AM PDT by Irontank
Seven flags line the street in front of an ordinary Wantage home. The flags commemorate an extraordinary event: Seven high school graduates deciding together to pledge the next stage of their lives to the armed services. Three of them ship out today.
"I looked at both options. I even looked at colleges. But I wanted to serve in the Navy, and I can always go to college afterward," said Aaron McCarty of Wantage.
McCarty will be joining the Navy as a tribute to his grandfather, who served in that branch. The rest of his friends will be joining the Marines.
"I was the first one to sign the papers," said Ryan Hughes of Lafayette. "Eric (Dunn, of Wantage) had been talking about it for a while, though."
Dunn has, apparently, been talking about it for quite some time.
"I've always wanted to be in the military. The Marines was just the answer for me," he said.
Liam Mathes of Wantage feels the same way.
"I've always wanted to join the Marines since I was little; since I knew what a Marine was," Mathes said.
"We're all excited about it," Hughes said. "We know what we got ourselves into."
And getting into it has brought these friends closer.
"Knowing we were going into the military brought us closer together. We're like brothers now, really," Hughes said.
Hughes, Paul Berardi of Wantage and Alex Ribu of Lafayette ship out together today.
Dunn, Mathes and Ray Reper of Branchville leave on July 18, and McCarty leaves for the Navy on Aug. 9. Dunn's family threw a party for the group on Saturday that was attended by family and friends.
"When I was in school, I don't remember anyone joining up. Now, you've got all these boys from just one class," said Dunn's mother, Cathy.
"I'm very, very proud of my son and I'll miss them all. They're always here. They're good boys, and they're doing what they want to do."
God bless and watch over these, and all our soldiers.
What fine young men.
Yeah we have some real liberal anti-military types here in New Jersey but we also have a heck of a lot of people who support our President and who are willing to put it all on the line for their country.
God Bless these young men and keep them and all their comrades safe so they may return home to a grateful nation.
..and three cheers for New Jersey - Nova Caesarea !
Its always good to hear about people joining the armed services of this country, and understanding the "true" reasons of doing so, with a seriousness and maturity, that seems to have been lost on so many others...Of many other generations...
I wish the stroy was more specific about their "shipping out"...That could either be off to "basic" or off to their commands they have been billeted/assigned to...
I wish them all well...
My thoughts and prayers go with them all. God Bless them!!
Our nephew leaves next week for boot camp...we couldn't be prouder..
He leaves behind his younger brother who would quit high school in a heart beat to go with him..but he has three more
years...
He is already training for force recon...and he is a freeper
Ya like apples?
Bring on the new Greatest Generation. May God protect and guide them.
joisey guys ping
Well John Murphy (from neighboring Morris County) visited Sussex quite a bit and got a lot of support...that combined with considerable support for Lonegan was enough to pull enough votes from Schundler
But, I've lived in Sussex County my whole life and its certainly not as conservative as it used to be and I don't know that it was ever as conservative as its been reputed to be
Uplifting story, thanks. God bless them and their famlies.
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