ADAZI MILITARY BASE, Latvia, (June 21, 2016) – A lifelong dream to serve a cause greater than his own, one Marine has a burning passion to set the example for those wanting to answer the call to become part of the few and proud.
Sergeant Thomas A. Powers is a squad leader with Weapons Company, Black Sea Rotational Force. He serves in a combined anti-armor team where he has been since early January for a six-month rotation to Eastern Europe.
“I joined the Marine Corps to do something more with my life, going to college right away was not for me and I wanted to serve my country,” said Powers. “My uncle was a firefighter during the Sept. 11, [2001], attacks, and I took it upon myself to continue the legacy he left.”
Powers has participated in cold weather training and Exercise Cold Response 16 in Norway earlier this year before experiencing Latvia for the first time during Exercise Saber Strike.
“Marines are working alongside our partner nations in Latvia [which] shows that we can come together no matter the mission,” said Powers. “We can gather our gear and work together to accomplish that task no matter where we are.”
Keen and optimistic about what the future holds; Powers has a goal when he returns from his current deployment.
“I want to go down to Parris Island [South Carolina] and be a part of Weapons Field Training Battalion,” said Powers. “It will give me the chance to teach recruits the basics of infantry patrolling and how to come together as a team.”
Powers says he would also like to settle down and start a family in the near future.
Date Taken: | 06.21.2016 |
Date Posted: | 06.21.2016 10:13 |
Story ID: | 201901 |
Location: | ADAZI MILITARY BASE, LV |
Web Views: | 647 |
Downloads: | 4 |
This work, Call to the Marine Corps: Continuing the legacy, by Immanuel Johnson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.