Two Eastern NC teens among winners of Military Child of the Year award
Two of those winners are from Eastern N.C. Isabella Smith, a 17-year-old from Hubert, is representing the U.S. Marine Corps and Emily Baldeosingh, 18 of Havelock, is representing the National Guard.
The winners were honored at a gala in Arlington, Va. Thursday night where each will be given a $10,000 grant. 'Marine Corps is all I've ever known and especially just being able to represent my dad and his story and my family and just a lot of that is just so awesome,' Smith said. 'I feel really special because obviously, a lot of my school and for many years, every single year, especially my advisor who nominated me, he's worked there for like over 20 years and he nominates people every single year and they've never had a winner. So, I didn't think I'd ever win because it just seemed impossible. All these kids who have come before me and haven't won, they've only gotten semifinalist or finalist and so, I was kind of told from the beginning that it was impossible. So, it felt like I accomplished the impossible when I won.'
'I always knew that I wanted to contribute my life to him when he passed away because it's crazy knowing that your life ended because you were serving and that's the ultimate sacrifice you can make for your country,' Baldeosingh said. 'So, I feel like as his daughter, it's my duty to make sure that his legacy is fulfilled. Yeah, everything I do is for him.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Fox Valley Marines growing a proud legacy
When the Fox Valley Marines walk by you and your family and friends at Friday's Fourth of July parade in downtown Aurora, make sure to give them a special shout-out. The U.S. Marine Corps is celebrating its 250th birthday this year – reason enough to show your appreciation. However, this local Detachment 1233 of the Marine Corps League, which covers Kane and Kendall counties but extends outreach beyond those borders, deserves a special round of home-grown applause. That's especially true because about a decade ago, the detachment had lost so many members – through death or relocation – it nearly shut down. In fact, Ted Clinnin, who was senior vice commandant of the group at the time, notified Marine Corps League headquarters in Washington, D.C., about the dilemma. But when he learned all remaining funds of a shuttered detachment must go to the national organization rather than stay local, those surviving members became determined to not only stay afloat but find ways to grow. Chalk it up to a Marine's 'gung-ho attitude,' noted Clinnin, proudly noting the Fox Valley roster has gone from seven to nearly 60 since 2015, with about half those members showing up regularly at each monthly meeting at the Oswego American Legion Post. And yes, its reach is also growing. For example, the group is one of a handful of the Illinois region's 40 detachments that have formed a partnership with Scouting. According to Clinnin, in one year alone, members have presented 44 Eagle Scouts – from Hampshire to St. Charles to Aurora to Naperville to Sandwich – with its Good Citizenship Award, along with the coveted Marine's Ka-Bar combat knife that stands on a wooden eagle, hand-carved by one of its members as a way of dealing with PTSD. 'The kids love seeing us there and we have a good time,' said past Commandant Tom Bulin, who told me he's done about 215 of these presentations over the years. 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Troop 12 Assistant Scout leader and Senior Vice Commandant Andrew Kajtsa, who joined the Fox Valley Marines last year 'after a pamphlet was left on my car,' told me the group is committed to getting more exposure and stepping up recruitment, particularly for the younger generation of veterans who will carry this proud legacy forward. 'Supporting local veterans means standing with those who stood with us,' noted Nelson Santos, founder and CEO of Scientel Solutions LLC, which contributes a significant dollar amount to these veterans from its own annual golf fundraiser. 'Organizations like the Fox Valley Marines exemplify this commitment, making a real, lasting impact in the lives of veterans right here in our community,' he continued. 'Their dedication reminds us that honoring service begins at home.' 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Yahoo
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Division of Marine Fisheries' Junior Marine Patrol camp offers hands-on learning
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Yahoo
13-06-2025
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Cpl. Barna, 95, urges all Americans to proudly display the American flag
Jun. 12—FREELAND — U.S. Marine Corps veteran Joe Barna this week said the American flag is a symbol for what so many real Americans have fought and died for. "Why else would they give up their life?" Barna asked. Flag Day — Saturday, June 14 — is the day we honor our national flag. The holiday commemorates the date in 1777 when the United States approved the design. Cpl. Joe Barna, 95 of Freeland, is a Purple Heart recipient who fought in the Korean War. He offered his thoughts on the importance of Flag Day. Barna, as he does every year, placed American flags on the graves of veterans buried in several cemeteries in Freeland — St. Ann's Cemetery, St. John's Cemetery, St. Michael's Cemetery and St. Casimir's Cemetery. Barna places the flags with the assistance of the Freeland VFW and Freeland American Legion. "I consider Flag Day a sister to Memorial Day," Barna said. "Think of it as the mother-day of all those flags that were placed over all our veterans — veterans who now sleep in the cemeteries all over America and many foreign countries." Barna, an award-winning writer, puts things in perspective when the topic is patriotism and veterans. "How many Americans really know the pride, honor, love, courage, duty and sacrifice for which our flag stands?" Barna asked. "Every veteran who fought and died for our country feels this pride and will die with it. After their final moments of life, an American flag will be draped over their coffin." Barna said if you walk among the many flags in almost any cemetery, don't just look at each flag. "Try to feel the pain that that boy — who never became a man — felt when the bullet struck his body, or the pieces of shrapnel tore into him," Barna said. "Share his pain." Barna stressed the importance the flag plays. "A flag tells you what a country is," Barna said. "What I have personally seen were brothers dying for brothers. And for a love that we call 'Old Glory.' It stands high in every battle that young people fight and die." Barna said the American flag distinctly has 13 stripes and 50 stars and it's red, white and blue. He said it appears on every military uniform and on every ship, plane, tank and vehicle. "It gives our troops courage and hope," Barna said. "Look at the flag and try to feel what it stands for." Barna said he still has a South Korean flag that the Korean people gave him — it still reminds him of the 24-hour battles the seemed to last for weeks; the minus-30 degrees in winter and the 120 degrees in summer; the crying of the wounded and the silence of the dead. "In Korea, memories were burned into my brain that will never go away," Barna said. Barna said he recently spoke with a Marine who fought alongside him 74 years ago. "He learned of my experiences through a Korean War website, found my number and called me on the phone," Barna said. "We were in the same battles those many years ago. We went to Korea on the same ship and returned on the same ship 13 months later. We returned with the same bodies, but changed. We never forgot each other. The Marine's name is Jim Barnett and he lives in Oregon. We have the same memories." Barna said he wonders how Americans would feel if what happened to the people of South Korea happened to them? "Look at our flag and be glad this doesn't happen to us," Barna said. "Our flag is not a colored piece of cloth. It stands for so many young men who gave up their life for it." Barna said as you walk through a cemetery, stop and look at our flag in a flag holder. The flag holder will tell you which of our wars this veteran fought in. The stone will tell you the date he was born and the day he died. "You will be surprised to see some of the ages won't be much more than 20 to 25 years old," Barna said. "Many never got the chance to marry his sweetheart, hold a baby in his arms or eventually become a grandfather." Barna said when you watch veterans fold the flag and present it to a family member at a funeral, think of the story that each fold tells. "These stories are about young men who are proud to be called American veterans," Barna said. "Try to feel what the boy felt when a bullet entered his body or shell fragments tore through him. I don't believe many could look at someone when this happens. The best friend I ever had, died when 18 pieces of hot metal entered his body from an exploding shell. I wish I could have shared some of that pain. That boy became my guardian angel and I know he's watching over me — 74 years ago, he found me as I laid wounded and bleeding. He said 'Corporal, God doesn't want you yet.' "I think he recently sent me an email saying, 'He still doesn't want you, you have more work to do.' But someday, I hope I earned the right to be covered with an American flag." Barna said the American flag should always be flown high and proud. Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
