10 Jun FREEDOM ISN’T FREE

BY JAMIE ENGLE

Memorial Day brings those serving in the military, veterans and their families forefront to people’s minds. For our military families, serving our country is always in their heart and central to their life.

THE AGUAM FAMILY

“It means serving a greater purpose than yourself,” said Maj. Rob Aguam. Maj. Aguam has been in the Marines since 1987 and is currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserves.

“I tried to go to college, but I had no direction or focus,” Rob said. “My Dad gave me a 30-day tough love speech and it turned me around. The Marines grew me up. I matured, gained purpose in life. I knew that one day I wanted to be an officer.”

At age 30, he went into Officer Candidate School, after obtaining many waivers and approvals for his “advanced” age – older candidates get hurt physically and the success rate is not good – earning his commission in 2000. Rob returned to the private sector in 2005 and is one of six corporate account managers for Intertape Polymer Group. He is an active reservist, working with the inactive ready reserves.

Rob was the first of his family to go into the military, but not the last. His youngest brother is now an active captain in the Marine Corps.

Rob’s wife Lori had many family members in the military who influenced her. Her uncle served in the Army in Vietnam and her brother and cousin also served in the Army. She has two cousins that served in the Navy and her great-grandfather served in World War I.

“I’ve always been very patriotic and wanted to serve my country in some way,” Lori said. “I’m so proud to say I gave my time to this great country.”

Lori went in the Army National Guard in 1990 as a preventive medicine specialist and left in 1999 as a Sergeant. Her last five years of active duty were as an Intelligence Analyst on the Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. Now, she’s a member of the veteran’s organization Team Red White & Blue (www.teamrwb.org).

Their children are very proud of their parents. “My son is always telling people his dad is a marine,” Rob said.

Lori added, “As a woman, I love that my daughter can see that women can serve too. I do feel strongly though, that the families that support their military members are serving their country too, in a different, yet extremely important capacity.”

THE TOLENTINO FAMILY

Support for John Tolentino came in the form of 22 care packages from his in-laws’ hometown of Evergreen, Colorado –delivered all at once to the small 100 x 100 foot living area, with the enemy all around.

“You can’t do it without the people back home,” John said. John was a Sergeant 1st class and in the army for twenty years, retiring in 2008. His wife Melinda , was a Captain in the Air Force Nurse Corps for just over six years, separating honorably in 2002. They met at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Base, Anchorage Alaska in 2000.

After 256 invitations went out for their wedding, Melinda was still waiting to find out if she could even attend! Finally, two days before the wedding, they were confirmed. When Melinda became pregnant, she made the decision to go from an Air Force Officer to a dependent Army wife so both she and John wouldn’t be deployed with a new baby at home.

Both Melinda and John served in Operation Enduring Freedom; Melinda in Saudi Arabia when she was single, and John in Afghanistan during his 18th year of service. He was away from Melinda and their two children for 18 months.

Melinda said the first month is very rough because there’s a heightened sense of anxiety and fear. But, she said, you can’t live in that mode for a long period of time so you get into a routine and talk to each other as much as you can, using tools like Skype.

“Then, the month before he’s scheduled to come back, there’s the same sense of urgency and anxiety because he’s retiring and you’re afraid something is going to happen right when he’s going to come home to us,” she said.

“John always says , it’s not a matter of having PTSD or not; it’s a matter of how much.”

“All returning vets have it to a certain degree,” Melinda explained. “You need significant time to reintegrate into the family. That’s where a lot of couples struggle to make it work, especially when they have to rush back into work, and don’t have down time first. ” As a former officer, Melinda had more insight, giving her understanding and respect for the situation.

John said, “I’m a second generation Army Ranger and throughout my career I’ve taken assignments where I could lead and teach, but also learn. It’s not about discipline, it’s not about me. It’s more about the people I’m leading. It’s about giving more for the freedoms we have … making sacrifices so we have choices about the way we live. It’s about freedom and servitude, and for me, especially servitude.”

To all our military and their families, we thank you for the sacrifices you make for our freedom.

BY JAMIE ENGLE

Memorial Day brings those serving in the military, veterans and their families forefront to people’s minds. For our military families, serving our country is always in their heart and central to their life.

THE AGUAM FAMILY

“It means serving a greater purpose than yourself,” said Maj. Rob Aguam. Maj. Aguam has been in the Marines since 1987 and is currently serving in the Marine Corps Reserves.

“I tried to go to college, but I had no direction or focus,” Rob said. “My Dad gave me a 30-day tough love speech and it turned me around. The Marines grew me up. I matured, gained purpose in life. I knew that one day I wanted to be an officer.”

At age 30, he went into Officer Candidate School, after obtaining many waivers and approvals for his “advanced” age – older candidates get hurt physically and the success rate is not good – earning his commission in 2000. Rob returned to the private sector in 2005 and is one of six corporate account managers for Intertape Polymer Group. He is an active reservist, working with the inactive ready reserves.

Rob was the first of his family to go into the military, but not the last. His youngest brother is now an active captain in the Marine Corps.

Rob’s wife Lori had many family members in the military who influenced her. Her uncle served in the Army in Vietnam and her brother and cousin also served in the Army. She has two cousins that served in the Navy and her great-grandfather served in World War I.

“I’ve always been very patriotic and wanted to serve my country in some way,” Lori said. “I’m so proud to say I gave my time to this great country.”

Lori went in the Army National Guard in 1990 as a preventive medicine specialist and left in 1999 as a Sergeant. Her last five years of active duty were as an Intelligence Analyst on the Ohio National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. Now, she’s a member of the veteran’s organization Team Red White & Blue (www.teamrwb.org).

Their children are very proud of their parents. “My son is always telling people his dad is a marine,” Rob said.

Lori added, “As a woman, I love that my daughter can see that women can serve too. I do feel strongly though, that the families that support their military members are serving their country too, in a different, yet extremely important capacity.”

THE TOLENTINO FAMILY

Support for John Tolentino came in the form of 22 care packages from his in-laws’ hometown of Evergreen, Colorado –delivered all at once to the small 100 x 100 foot living area, with the enemy all around.

“You can’t do it without the people back home,” John said. John was a Sergeant 1st class and in the army for twenty years, retiring in 2008. His wife Melinda , was a Captain in the Air Force Nurse Corps for just over six years, separating honorably in 2002. They met at Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Base, Anchorage Alaska in 2000.

After 256 invitations went out for their wedding, Melinda was still waiting to find out if she could even attend! Finally, two days before the wedding, they were confirmed. When Melinda became pregnant, she made the decision to go from an Air Force Officer to a dependent Army wife so both she and John wouldn’t be deployed with a new baby at home.

Both Melinda and John served in Operation Enduring Freedom; Melinda in Saudi Arabia when she was single, and John in Afghanistan during his 18th year of service. He was away from Melinda and their two children for 18 months.

Melinda said the first month is very rough because there’s a heightened sense of anxiety and fear. But, she said, you can’t live in that mode for a long period of time so you get into a routine and talk to each other as much as you can, using tools like Skype.

“Then, the month before he’s scheduled to come back, there’s the same sense of urgency and anxiety because he’s retiring and you’re afraid something is going to happen right when he’s going to come home to us,” she said.

“John always says , it’s not a matter of having PTSD or not; it’s a matter of how much.”

“All returning vets have it to a certain degree,” Melinda explained. “You need significant time to reintegrate into the family. That’s where a lot of couples struggle to make it work, especially when they have to rush back into work, and don’t have down time first. ” As a former officer, Melinda had more insight, giving her understanding and respect for the situation.

John said, “I’m a second generation Army Ranger and throughout my career I’ve taken assignments where I could lead and teach, but also learn. It’s not about discipline, it’s not about me. It’s more about the people I’m leading. It’s about giving more for the freedoms we have … making sacrifices so we have choices about the way we live. It’s about freedom and servitude, and for me, especially servitude.”

To all our military and their families, we thank you for the sacrifices you make for our freedom.