Still Serving

Howdy, my name is Gary Cox Jr. about a year ago at this time I was facing a very big question. What do I do now? I was separating from the Marine Corps after 8 years and will say I was scared and fearful of school. I had no doubt that school was definitely in my family’s best interest, but what to do? I started to attend Winter Quarter and was welcomed with open arms, my fear turned to excite with every new day of class. Being an older student you take what you have learned from your service and apply it to your classes, you run into old friends and make new ones with the students. I really enjoy meeting older veterans and younger students who are interested in the Military. The military is not broken into five parts, Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. We all serve in some capacity; we all fight for 1 common goal, keep this country free, “Freedom isn’t Free, Never Was!” Next time you’re in class and you know there is a service member in your class, do more than just say thank you, pick his/her brain. I will never turn away questions about my service, so the question is “What can you tell me about your service?” It leaves us time to think and focus on specifics, or certain time frame. Please do not ask “Tell me about your time in the War?” Some memories are hard to re-live. To my fellow service members, thank you for your service, Semper Fi, I look forward to serving with you in the classroom just as I served with you in the military! To the students, thank you for your support, nothing warms a Veterans heart better then knowing you have a nation backing you for your service.

“The Marines have seen around this world…Have the cleanest bodies, filthiest minds, highest morale, and lowest morals of any group of animals I have ever seen. THANK GOD FOR THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS!” – Eleanor Roosevelt