Military recruits celebrated with ceremony

JEFFERSON – In the months ahead, Ashtabula County’s latest graduates will begin new chapters in their lives.
Many of those graduates will head off to a university or trade school while others will go into the workforce. A small number of them have decided to enlist in the armed forces.
The Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission celebrated 10 area high-school students who decided to enlist in a branch of the military during the 5th Annual Rite of Passage Ceremony at Jefferson Area High School on Tuesday, May 5.
“A rite of passage is a moment that marks transformation, a point in life when a person steps forward with purpose, courage and a new sense of identity,” Ashtabula County Veterans Service Commission Executive Director Ben Schwartfigue said. “This evening we gather to honor eight remarkable students who made a decision few are willing to make – the decision to raise their right hand and join our nation’s all-volunteer military. This choice is not simple, and it’s not small. It’s a choice rooted in character, and sacrifice, and a willingness to serve something greater than yourselves.”
The ceremony celebrated U.S. Marine Corps recruits Landon Chozinske of Conneaut High School, Aiden Goodenow, Zoe Naus and Logan Dragon of Edgewood High School, Thomas Clemens of Lakeside High School and Robert Shinault of St. John High School; U.S. Navy recruit Mia Hejl of Grand Valley High School; and U.S. Air Force recruits Matthew Edelman of A-Tech and Pymatuning Valley High School, Noah Hicks of Geneva High School and Alexander Echevarria-Lua of St. John High School.
“This year, our nation celebrates its 250th birthday,” Schwartfigure said. “We’re reminded that America’s story has always been shaped by ordinary people who made extraordinary choices. Generation after generation, young men and women have stepped forward, often with hope, nerves, courage and a deep love for their homes and their communities. Tonight, we honor the next chapter of that story. We gather as a community to surround these students with pride, gratitude and unwavering support as they begin their journey in service.”
To signify the transition from high-school senior to member of the United States military, each of the recruits took off their high school hats and donned the hat of the branch of the military they were entering.
“This simple act carries weight, it is a moment witnessed by veterans who know the road ahead, the early mornings, the long marches, the pressure, the doubt, and the pride that comes with overcoming it all,” Schwartfigure said. “They know what it means, to be tested, to be shaped, and to emerge stronger than you ever imagined. Each of us believes in you. We believe you will meet adversity with determination. We believe you will stand tall, when the moment demands it, and when the days are hard, when you are tired, uncertain, or feeling the weight of the journey, we hope you will remember this room, this community, and this night. Remember that you’re not walking this path alone. You carry with you the support, the pride and the unwavering confidence of every veteran, and every person here. When the road seems too tough, think back to this moment and keep marching forward.”
The recruits also received red, white and blue graduation cords as well as a hug from members of the Ashtabula County Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America.
“We are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or have children who are now entrants,” Amy Hutchinson, president of the Ashtabula County Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers of America, said. “We support each other and our children while promoting patriotism. Our organization focuses on our mission every single day, and we will never, ever forsake our troops, our veterans, or the families of our fallen heroes.”
As has become tradition at the Rite of Passage ceremony, active members of the military and veterans in attendance stood to offer the recruits the first salute of their military careers.
“The salute is more than a gesture,” Schwartfigure said. “It’s a language of respect, the bridge between generations. With service members it a symbol of the bond that connects us all who wear the uniform. Simple in form yet profound in meaning, it is a time-honored sign of courtesy, pride and mutual trust across every branch of our military.”
Schwartfigure told the recruits to take note of the veterans saluting them.
“Tonight, as a community, we will present these recruits with their very first salute, a moment they will remember for the rest of their lives,” Schwartfigure said. “Recruits, as you return the salute, look into the eyes of the veterans before you. See the intensity in their expression, the precision in their movement, and the history in their stance. This is not just a gesture, it’s a transfer of trust, of expectation, and of pride. Absorb this moment, let it settle into your memory, carry it with you into every challenge that lies ahead.”
Retired Army Master Sgt. Mel Hanna served as the guest speaker for the ceremony.
“You will endure sleepless night, physical pain, and moments where you want to quit, but you do not quit,” Hanna, a 1986 Harbor High School graduate, said. “You choose to push through the agony and doubt. You will also be asked to do hard things. You do what’s asked of you, what’s right even when no one’s looking. Look around you. You are part of something bigger than yourself, our brotherhood and sisterhood that spans more than 250 years of history. Wear your uniform, wear it with pride, protect your brothers and sisters to your left and right. And one last thing, never, ever, accept defeat.”
Hanna served combat tours in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star in 2010 and was present during the demolition of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 where he witnessed the historic moment that marked the beginning of German reunification.
“The journey you’re going to take, it’s going to be a hard one, but you’ll get through it,” Hanna said. “The pain, the sweat, the tears, you will get through, I promise you. One thing you have to remember, the next time anybody says anything to you negatively, remember this. Tell them to lace up those boots, and then they will understand. We are misunderstood on a lot because of what we do. We are looked at sometimes differently because of what we do.”
Hanna gave the recruits some advice as he concluded.
“I’m telling you, when you serve, serve honorably, that’s Number 1,” Hanna said. “And, two, get everything out of it because they’re going to get everything out of you, I’m telling you that right now.”
“Just one last word, put God first, and faith, and I promise you, that it will get you through any pain and agony,” Hanna continued.
Schwartfigure reminded the recruits that the men and women attending the ceremony are the same men and women who will be the people to welcome them home at the end of their service.
“Wars are fought and won on the backs of our nation’s youth,” Schwartfigure said. “You are now part of a lineage, a brother and sisterhood of service that spans generations. Know this, tonight is not just about where your journey begins. It’s also about who will be there when your journey home happens.”