That a Boy

Ata Boys

I was raised in a good home. We were poor but proud. My mother did her
very best to ensure we had a clean home, clean clothes and food to eat.
We did not attend Church much when I was younger but when my father
left our family when I was
14 I started searching for some meaning for my life, and a purpose to
live for but maybe more importantly I longed to be loved.

The local First Baptist Church provided me with much of what I was
looking for. They had an active youth group, interesting devotionals
and many summer camps. I was hungry for attention. My hunger was sated
when I finally discovered that God loved me. Man, did I need that love!
I soaked it up until one might think I would use it all up. The love
continued to flow. The hurt, the pain, the agony of being a frustrated
teenager slowly began to melt away.

I poured myself into my Church, schoolwork and sports. Whenever I would
do something good like teach a Sunday school class, or get an A on a
report card or score a touch down I wanted to share it with my dad but
he was never around. There was nobody to be proud of me. Nobody to say,
"that a boy, Mike!" Still I hoped for the day he might return to our
family. I never failed to search the crowed stands for his face
after every touchdown. "Maybe he came tonight," I would say to myself
as my team mates beat on my shoulder pads and helmet.

By age 19 after graduating High School in the top 10\\% of my class and
attending a private school for a year I became less focused. I needed
some encouragement, someone to talk to, someone to help me through this
difficult stage in my life. That's when a young man might turn to his
father for help. My dad was gone. Totally unavailable to me. I tried to
press on but the lack of support was too much for me. I dropped out of
college.

My small town did not have anything for me and I knew I had to find
some means to support myself. I decided to join the military. The
Marine recruiter was the most
impressive. His uniform, his genuine interest in me and the challenge
that the Marine
Corps would offer seemed like something I would really enjoy. I scored
well on the
tests and was physically qualified so I shipped out right away.

Boot Camp is a blur to me now and my life has taken a turn for the
better. The Marine Corps has provided me with the purpose I was looking
for and in a sense the bond of love that I was so desperate to find. I
have many brothers and sisters who work with
me on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. My story is just one of the many
hundreds of stories that can be found on that base. All of us were
seeking a challenge, a place to fit in and a chance to show ourselves
and others that we could do something big, something meaningful. My
superiors recognize my efforts almost daily with a loud barking voice,
"Ata boy, Sergeant!"

My hope is that if there is a father reading this that he will
understand how terribly important his role is in the life of his
children. Also, I want all the citizens of
America to understand that we are not mindless robots or drunken
hooligans. We are young men and women who are still trying to find our
way in this world. The Marine Corps has provided us a very structured
life that has a purpose and will forever change us and make us
responsible and productive citizens. Many of the young men and women on
the base are hungry for some attention and recognition of their
service. If you want to personally witness one of these young people
change before your very eyes, walk up to one of them and thank them for
their service. You will almost without fail receive a reply like, "Your
welcome, Sir, or No problem, Ma'am."

Never underestimate the value of even one young person and the power of
your
attention in their life. May God bless you, your family and our great
Nation.