(Leatherneck will pay $25 for the Sound Off Letter of the Month.)
I have a son who joined under the delayed entry program in December 2006. He left for boot camp in August 2007 and graduated in November 2007. In all honesty, I think boot camp is very hard, but it also is hard on the parents.
I raised my son alone pretty much until he was 3 years old. It is very hard to have your children grow up and leave the so-called “nest,” but I was so upset when our son said he wanted to join the military, I was thinking, “No, not my son!”
We talked to a lot of different recruiters from many branches and I seemed to find a problem with everyone until I met Staff Sergeant James Loggins.
I never really knew too much about the Marines, so of course when we met with him, I was on the defensive—as I was with all the people we talked to, but SSgt Loggins had wonderful answers for all my questions. He would even answer my silly questions. He never sugarcoated any did.
I am a very, very proud mother of a fine Marine. I thank the recruiters who have helped me gain knowledge about the Marine Corps.
A couple of months ago, I contacted SSgt Loggins to thank him and ask him if there was anything I could do to help him. He asked me if I could call and tell other mothers my thoughts because I was so dead set against [my son’s enlisting] in the beginning. I talked to one mother for about 40 minutes and told her why I changed my mind. She listened to everything I had to say and she said, “Are the Marines paying you for this?” I told her, “No. I am doing this because I want to.”
Your saying “The few, the proud, the Marines” not only goes for you all, it also goes for parents.
God bless each and every one of you—serving now or retired. Thank you for fighting for our freedom.
Michelle Zwieschowski
Mother of PFC James M. VanCalster
Green Bay, Wis.
• Thanks very much for acknowledging the superb work our Marine recruiters are doing. It’s a tough job. Sergeant Major Wayne Hertz at the recruiting station in Milwaukee reports that SSgt Loggins recently completed a successful recruiting tour and returned to his regular duties.—Sound Off Ed.
