My father joined the Marine Corps in 1964 and although I wasn’t raised in an active duty military household, I grew up admiring the unspoken values that the Marine Corps instilled in my father during his service. At a young age, I knew that I wanted to embody my father’s values of honor, courage and commitment, but it wasn’t until more recently that I decided to follow in his footsteps.

Prior to being introduced to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, my father and I had not discussed his time spent in the military. I knew that my father was a man of honor, courage and discipline, but we did not discuss his service or what it meant to be a Marine. The Scholarship Foundation helped to bridge this gap of silence, and I learned how my father fought valiantly to protect this country and to protect his brothers and sisters who fought beside him during the Vietnam War.  I’ve always respected and admired my father, but when I was 20 I was honored to see my father receive a Purple Heart for his service, and at that point I knew I wanted to follow my father’s footsteps. I knew I wanted to be a Marine.

Along with my father’s unwavering service, both the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and my ROTC family encouraged me to pursue my dreams of serving this country as a United States Marine. The Scholarship Foundation presented me with a unique opportunity to network and build relationships with Marines, Marine Corps Veterans and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, who each reminded me of my father and each resembled the man I wanted to become.

As I approached my final year at Howard University, I hope to make them proud – my father, the Foundation, my mentors and ROTC. I wanted to show each of them that they made an investment in someone who is going to make a difference. As I walk across the stage and accept my diploma, I want them each to look at me with pride and say, “Wow! He did it. He’s doing great!”

I am looking forward to attending Officer Candidate School over the summer months and beginning my career as a Marine Corps Officer. The past four years have been an unforgettable journey and my father, the Scholarship Foundation, my mentors as well as ROTC have each helped to mold me into the man I am today. As I embark on the next chapter of this journey, I look forward to the moment when I am commissioned as a Marine Corps Officer and I am able to salute my Father, salute my mentors and shake the hand of Margaret B. Davis as I stand before them as an Officer, a leader, a Marine.

The post Graduating with Honor (Part III) appeared first on Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.

The traditions and disciplines that my father learned during his service in the Marine Corps played a major role in my upbringing. From learning the Marine Corps values of honor, courage and commitment at a young age, to implementing these values and understanding why my father chose to serve this country, I developed a deep respect and appreciation for the armed forces.

Following my father’s service in the Marine Corps, my father joined the New York City Fire Department. As a child, I watched my father give himself selflessly to our community during September 11, 2001, when he served for the New York City fire department.  Over the years, I began to admire my father for his commitment to serve others. His willingness to sacrifice his life for this country, for his home and for his community helped me to decide what I wanted to do at a very young age. I knew I wanted to emulate his values – I wanted to give back, serve others and be someone else’s hero. My father is my hero, my father is our community’s hero, my father is our nation’s hero, and he is the reason I chose to attend Old Dominion University and join the University’s Marine Corps ROTC.

My college experience hasn’t mirrored that of a typical college student, and I wouldn’t be true to myself or my fellow ROTC students if I said that balancing schoolwork and ROTC came with ease. Throughout my college career I faced various challenges. I would not have overcome any of the obstacles I faced if it weren’t for my brave ROTC family who endured them with me and the unwavering support of my wife, who is a Marine Corps Veteran. My wife and ROTC filled my four years at Old Dominion with the same joy, discipline, and tradition that my father instilled in me as a child.

The support of the Marine Corps Scholarship foundation also played a big role in my college experience. My scholarship allowed me to attend my college of choice, without having to worry about the financial burdens that many of my peers often face. I was fortunate to receive the Foundation’s Day Scholarship, which paired me with a mentor who shared similar goals, values and encouraged me to pursue my dream of enlisting in the Marine Corps.

I was recently commissioned as an Officer for the United States Marine Corps, and I am thankful for the endless support from my family, my wife, ROTC and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Serving as an Officer is one of the greatest things I have accomplished, and I am proud to say that that I have followed my father’s footsteps, and I will serve alongside the few, but proud men and women who serve our country. I am ready to embark on this journey, and I am excited to see what I can offer the world and what the world will offer me.

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