Living a childhood dream

A young boy stands in front of a large veterans memorial with his hands clasped together in prayer. He admires the seal emblems that represent the branches of men and women who have died for his freedom.

His father, once a Marine himself, stands at the head of the group he organized, leading them in prayer. Around him heads are bowed in respect to those they are gathered to honor. As the group murmurs “Amen” the boy peers up at the stone honoring those who have served and silently decides he will one day join their ranks.

“My father would tell me stories and we would go out to memorial events,” senior Seth Southwell said. “We would say prayers and words for these people who had fallen and died for our country. I knew that one day I wanted to serve my country.”

After spending four years in NJROTC preparing to join the military, Southwell decided to enlist at the beginning of the year, signing a six-year contract with the Navy.

“I’ve always [wanted to] strive for the best and to be a part of a team that works really well together,” Southwell said. “When I saw the military I thought ‘This is a great match for me.’”

After shipping out to bootcamp in Chicago in September, he will move on to his specialty school and prepare for his job as a logistics specialist. Once he finishes roughly two years of training, he plans to split the remaining time between a base and ship.

“With all the other branches you really just stay at a base but with the Navy you have both shorefront with bases and ships,” Southwell said. “I could end up going anywhere because the Navy is everywhere.”

The past four years he has spent as a part of NJROTC have helped him develop the skills he needs to succeed in the Navy.

“He’s stepped out a lot, taking charge, and actually became an actual leader within our unit itself,” NJROTC instructor Chief Kenneth Wright said. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

His dedication and abilities make his friends confident he will do well in the Navy.

“I do think he is a great fit for the military because of his leadership skills,” senior Jonathan Solace said. “He has a great understanding of people skills and how to make them work for for the task at hand.”