A Marine Mom graduates

Local News

June 5, 2009

Anonymous The Weatherford Democrat Fri Jun 05, 2009, 03:17 PM CDT

Chelsea L. McGowan

cmcgowan@weatherforddemocrat.com

Donna Reed wanted her son to wait until he graduated from high school to enlist with the Marines. But Jake had a dream, and Donna knew she’d have to let him graduate early to pursue it.

“There was a certain schedule he had to be on to get the job he wanted,” Donna said. “So he officially graduated from high school Jan. 16, and started boot camp in February.”

Jake has known his whole life he wanted to serve in the military, so Donna said she knew the day would come when he headed off to serve his country.

“Ever since he could talk, he was talking about wanting to be a Marine,” she said. “His father was a Marine, so he comes from that background. But his favorite toys were always G.I. Joes and army camping gear. There was never any doubt what he was going to do.”

In order to graduate early with full accreditation, Jake transferred from Millsap High School to Cross Timbers Academy, an accredited Weatherford ISD campus. His family had hoped he’d be able to participate in his graduation ceremony, but that plan didn’t work out.

“We thought he’d be able to walk while he was home on his break from bootcamp, but we were 11 days shy,” Donna said. “We were trying to figure out ways that we could still celebrate it, and he thought it was a pretty cool idea that I walk across the stage in his honor.”

Donna said she believes graduation is as much an accomplishment for a successful parent as it is for the student, and she wanted to be able to celebrate that moment with family even as her son was a thousand miles away.

“You’ve spent all these years investing in a child, and to see him accomplish that is really wonderful,” she said. “I wanted to be able to celebrate that.”

Jake is now participating in combat training in California, and from there will continue on toward further training in Florida and in Maine.

While he doesn’t anticipate to spend his entire career in the military, Donna said her son has dedicated his life to public service.

“He’s very dedicated to his country,” she said. “After the military, his father was in law enforcement, and that’s what I’ve done for 20 years. Jake thinks every kid should spend a year or so in service to their country. When he gets out in six or eight years, he hopes to serve in law enforcement somewhere.”

Although she said she misses her son terribly, Donna said her pride in Jake prevails.

“He’s such an old soul,” she said. “I miss him terribly. He’s my youngest ... my baby. And this is hard. Boot camp is so hard. But he’s doing well, and this is what he wants. I’m very proud of Jake.”

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A Marine Mom graduates

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