Parents gripped by pride, fear as children prepare for military life

[Ian David]

By Alice C. Elwell, Enterprise correspondent

Kevin Gomes of Taunton joined the Marines because his serviceman brother, Antonio, was injured his first month in Iraq when he was hit by shrapnel in his back.

“I want to help finish something he couldn't accomplish,” Kevin Gomes said.

Now, with Kevin a U.S. Marine, his mother, Maria Gomes, hopes he made the right decision joining the military as he could be headed to Iraq himself.

“We almost lost one, we don't want to lose another,” she said.

With more troops on their way to Iraq, many local parents see their children's decision to join the Marines as a double-edged sword. Their pride in their son or daughter is tempered by fear for their safety.

“I've never seen him have so much pride in defending the freedom of our country,” said Vicki LaCroix, mother of Corey Morrill of East Bridgewater.

But hearing talk of a military build-up in Iraq was “the scary part for me,” she said.

More:
http://enterprise.southofboston.com/articles/2007/02/12/news/news/news02.txt

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[MethuenProgressive]

1. nice story, thanks Ian for sharing it