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Military Home School Grads

and Home School Dads

2008

Pray for Our Troops!

Home School Grads in the Military

Stephen Nelson

Stephen Nelson graduated from Ripples of Knowledge Homeschool Academy in Coleman County on September 1, 2007.  He shipped off for basic training later that month.  He is currently scheduled to leave for Iraq August 1, 2008.

Ryan J. Brankin

Ryan J. Brankin and 221 others graduated with their degrees as well as commissions as ensigns in the United States Coast Guard. Ryan now will serve two years aboard the "Thetis," a 270' “Famous” class cutter, whose primary missions are law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security, and national defense in Key West.

The 222 number is significantly down from the 311 who entered as the class of 2008 four years ago.  The high attrition rate shows just how hard it is to make it through four years of the Coast Guard Academy, with its extremely difficult academic, military, and community service requirements.  This semester Ryan had a 3.3 average and Honors in his Intel class, even while being peer-selected to serve as the Foxtrot Company Commander and continuing his volunteer commitments.

In fact, for Ryan this year, the Academy created a special first-time award called "Selfless Service," which acknowledged the 350 community service hours he racked up over his four years.  Spending few weekends actually at the Academy (like...studying!), he volunteered instead in the community, either with the Mystic Ambulance crew (working as an EMT) and/or at the Mystic Aquarium (as a scuba diver maintaining the large marine mammal tanks, and also setting up a program for other cadets to likewise volunteer at the Aquarium.

The small, extremely select Coast Guard Academy is the military arm of the Department of Homeland Defense.

Stephen Gordon

Stephen Gordon, homeschooled all his life, graduated May, 2007. He joined the Naval Reserves, graduated boot camp in January, 2008, and graduated A-School for the Sea Bees in April, 2008.   He is stationed in Fort Worth.

Matthew Brazzel

MK3 Matthew Brazzel is now serving on the USCG “Harriet Lane,” out of Portsmouth, Virginia.  He has been in the Coast Guard a little over two years.

He and his wife Amanda are home school graduates.

 Jacob Kohan

PFC Jacob Kohan is currently stationed in Korea.

Matthew Hurley

Cpl. Matthew Hurley is currently serving our country as a U.S. Marine in the HQ Battalion, with top security clearance.  He spent a year in Iraq and is now safely back at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Matthew was homeschooled for eleven years.

Evan D. Parker

Airman Evan D. Parker graduated from basic training on April 18 as the Dorm Chief in his squadron. He is currently training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls on the F-16 Jet Propulsion Team.  Mom’s quote: “The moment I knew that God had taken my boy and grown him into a man was at graduation when he was tempted by a friend to break one of the restrictions ‘because no one would know’ and he responded that it was a matter of integrity; you follow the rules set before you even if you ‘can’t get caught.’   I am thankful and proud that my son is protecting his family and country.”

Ryan Zimmerer                      Joshua Zimmerer

Ryan and Joshua Zimmerer, both graduates of Red River Christian Home School in Gainesville, Texas, are currently serving in the United States Marine Corps. Ryan graduated in 2006 and Joshua in 2007. Both are former Cooke County 4-H Gold Star recipients and attended community college before enlisting.

Roy C. Walters

SGT. Roy C. Walters is a 2001 California home school graduate with deep, Texas family roots.  Roy enlisted into the United States Army in November 2003, and received his training to be a combat medic.  He deployed in March 2007, for four months and then again later that year in November for fifteen months.  He is currently stationed in Iraq doing the Lord's will for his life and seeing the glory that is in it.   Roy has received the Bronze Star and Combat Medical Badge from his last deployment for performing outstanding medical attention to fellow soldiers.  Our soldiers have been through experiences that most people can't even imagine so please pray continually for all of them overseas.   Roy loves to receive mail and enjoys writing everyone back, so please feel free to send some encouragement his way. 

Sgt. Walters can receive mail at the following address:

 SGT. WALTERS, ROY C.

A troop, 3/89 Cav, 4th Brigade, 10th Mtn. Div.

FOB Loyalty

APO      AE      09390

************

Home School Dads in the Military

Les Ball

Lt. Col Les Ball is an Air Force Reservist serving as an individual augmentee with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Afghanistan.  He enlisted in the Air Force in 1984 and was commissioned as an officer in 1989 after completing Air Force ROTC at Texas Tech University.  He and his wife live in Lubbock and have seven children whom they have been homeschooling for eleven years.

William L. Rockett

Navy Reserve Lt. William (Bill) L. Rockett (Greenville, TX), son of Chesley and Marilyn Rockett in Houston, Texas (graduated homeschool parents and now grandparents), has been called from the Naval Reserves to Iraq. He is 45 years old, married with six children (two grown and one of those two – Jehred, age 19 – is about to leave in May for the Air National Guard). He has four children still at home. Bill and his wife Carmen homeschool their children. Although his parents did not begin to homeschool until 1981 when Bill graduated from high school, he regretted that they did not know about home schooling until too late for him. From that experience, he determined to home teach any future children that God granted him and a future wife. He and Carmen have taught their children from the beginning.

Bill has been in training at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, since February to deploy to Iraq. He will leave in July and is expected to return to the States in about February 2009. Please pray for Bill, his son Jehred who is leaving soon, and the Rockett family in their absence.

Robert Haley

Staff Sergeant Robert Haley is currently deployed until mid- to late-September. (Security precludes giving more information.) He has already missed Easter, Mother’s Day, and will miss his wedding anniversary, Father’s Day, his eleven-year anniversary in the Air Force, and several new things in his young baby’s life. She was born February 20. The family’s two young home schooled boys (8 and 6 years old) miss him terribly.

 Paul Hyder

Lt.Paul Hyder is a home school dad serving in Iraq.  The Hyders are a U.S. Navy family that has been called to full-time ministry.  Paul is currently a U.S. Navy Chaplain.

Find out what you can do to show your appreciation and support to  these members of the military.

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