Montage 2004 - Teens in the Military

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MIAMI

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DOW JONES UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MINORITY HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

TEENS IN THE MILITARY inside

◗ WHY THEY JOIN: MILITARY ENLISTEES CITE PATRIOTISM, PARENTS AND PROMISES, PAGE 11 UNCLE SAM’S SELL

HEROES HONORED

FAHRENHEIT 9/11

Montage reporters examine local recruiting centers, Page 3

Community celebrates Marines’ return from Iraq, Page 14

Documentary targets President Bush, controversy, Page 18

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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Minorities swell military ranks Statistics show that nonwhite enlistees are more likely to be ‘people behind the scenes’

BY THE NUMBERS

BY WHITNEY REED

Booker High

More minorities are enlistees in the military than are enrolled in colleges, according to the National Center for Education statistics.

The United States Department of Defense’s most recent research concludes that 38 percent of the military are minorities, while the total minority population of the United States is only 29 percent. Most enlistees, the research shows, come primarily from middle- and lower-class families.

“The playing field is not level,” said Ronald Waters, a political science professor at the University of Maryland.

Waters said the military helps people make positive changes in their lives and raise their standards of living, one reason why minorities are using many of the military’s life-changing benefits as a path to economic stability.

Department of Defense research shows many minorities are enlisting at an increasing rate.

But many are not signing up for the “front line” jobs, those requiring a specialization such as a communications and intelligence specialist.

Instead, according to government statistics, enlisted minorities are more heavily regarded as “people behind the scenes.”

IN 2003: ◗ 38 percent of the military's 1.1 million enlistees were ethnic minorities. ◗ More than 129,000 Hispanics served active duty at all levels in Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. ◗ African Americans represented 11 percent of those who served and 13 percent of soldiers who were killed. ◗ Black women made up nearly half of the Army's enlisted females. ◗ Blacks reenlisted in far greater numbers than white troops. ◗ Blacks accounted for 21 percent of the enlisted force but made up only 15 percent of combat arms (infantry, armor, artillery) IN 2002: ◗ The Marine Corps had the largest proportion of minorities – 40 percent; the Navy, 34 percent; the Army, 29 percent, and the Air Force, 28 percent. ◗ The Navy has the largest number of Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders. ◗ More than 11 percent of the enlistees were Hispanics.

Source: United States Department of Defense

For example, figures show more than 28 percent of blacks in the military serve in support roles, compared with 16 percent of whites.

Staff Sgt. Michael Bass, a recruiter in the Miami area, said six major reasons for becoming a part of the military can be described by the acronym TEAMS-T. “This stands for training, education, adventure, money, service to country and travel,” he said.

“These are the most common rea-

Workshop Director Tsitsi D. Wakhisi, University of Miami Associate Directors Mary Awosika, Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Melissa Blemur, freelance photographer; Jacqueline Charles, The Miami Herald; Nathan Estep, The Miami Herald; April Robinson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune; Claudia P. Solis, G. Holmes Braddock High; Robert Steinback, The Miami Herald; Shirley Yaskin, Palmetto High Housing Director Mupalia Wakhisi Workshop Assistant Sophia Funk Special thanks to: Dagny Salas and the Salas family, Pizza Hut, 6625 S. Dixie Hwy.; Abe Ng and Lucy Siu, Canton Restaurant, 2614 Ponce de Leon Blvd.; Yohanna Sarduy, Domino’s Pizza, 5877 Ponce de Leon Blvd.; G. Holmes Braddock Senior High NJROTC; and Terrence Shepherd, South Florida Black Journalists Association University of Miami, School of Communication Dean Edward Pfister, Associate Dean Robert Hosmon, and director of journalism/photography Sig Splichal

MIAMI

sons that civilians decide to enlist in the military.”

Waters said minorities are also motivated to enlist because of these reasons, but they are less moved than whites by feelings of patriotism.

Instead, many minorities are motivated to join because of college funding. Military enlistees can receive a college education while on base at no expense. Discharged soldiers can receive the Montgomery G.I. Bill, which al-

lows a former enlistee to attend college for free.

But there is a reward for attending college prior to enrolling in the military. A college-educated soldier automatically becomes a commissioned officer, while enlistees without a degree are considered privates. This is where the disparities between blacks and whites often are the most revealing.

Meg Laughlin, a reporter for The Miami Herald, said she saw this disparity while covering the war in Iraq.

“If I were to divide the room of soldiers into commissioned officers and enlisted soldiers there were more white commissioned officers. And also, there would have been more minority enlisted soldiers than there were Caucasian,” said Laughlin, who was an embedded reporter.

Still, some maintain that the military offers minorities a way to better themselves.

“The military stood as a symbol of equality in my day,” said Vietnam veteran Alfred Pompey, an African American who joined the Marine Corps in 1968 and used his enrollment in the military to earn a master’s degree from the University of California at Los Angeles.

“One’s economic situation could define what they were, but it doesn’t have to define who they become,” Pompey said.

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D OW J O N E S U N I V E RS I TY O F M I AM I MI N O R I TY H I G H SC H O O L J O U R N AL I S M WO R KSH O P SU MM E R 2 0 0 4

The Miami Herald Executive Editor Tom Fiedler, Managing editors Liza Gross and Judy Miller, Production Manager Gus Perez Sarasota Herald-Tribune Executive Editor Mike Connelly, Managing Editor Diane Tennant, Senior Editor Design Leigh Caldwell, Features Editor Joel Welin Workshop presenters U.S. Army Recruiter Staff Sergeant Michael L. Bass, Air Force Master Sergeant Gerald C. Williams, Navy JROTC instructor Johnny Martinez; Vietnam veterans Al Perez, Howard Horowitz and Ted Bridis; Tomas Ortiz, assistant director, operations, Univerity of Miami School of Communication; Josh Underwood, ROTC recruit, Florida State University Workshop volunteers Marie-Helene Bourgoignie-Robert, University of Miami; Georgia East, South Florida Sun-Sentinel; Rachel La Corte, Associated Press; Bruce Garrison, University of Miami; Giles K. Grinfeder, University of Miami; Monica Martinez, Latin Trade Magazine; Randy Stano, University of Miami; Ana Valdes, La Palma

From The Herald newsroom Douglas Backstrom, Noah Bierman, Zulay Dominguez Chirinos, Kathleen Cooper, Gilbert Dunkley, Idy Fernandez, Jacob Goldstein, Nicole Herrington, Susan Hopkins, Jeff Kleinman, Meg Laughlin, Suzanne Levinson, Ed McDonald, Jennifer Mellichamp, Bill Oates, Jon O’Neill, David Ovalle, Lynn Occhiuzzo, John Parkhurst, Steve Rothaus, Gregory Schmidt, Eunice Sigler, Carolyn Reynolds Srot, Matt Tumbleson, Nicole White, Erin Wright Miami Montage is written and edited by high school students attending the journalism workshop for minorities hosted by the School of Communication at UM. The program is sponsored by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund, the School of Communication, Knight-Ridder Inc., The Miami Herald, The Palm Beach Post, South Florida SunSentinel and Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

The workshop appreciates the long-term commitment of The Miami Herald, which generously lends newsroom staff support and prints Miami Montage.

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IN A MINUTE

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Getting Started Nearly 13,000 students participate locally in JROTCs

MAKING THE PITCH Students visit local recruiting offices, gain first-hand experience about how the Army, the Air Force and the Marines talk to teens about enlisting

BY ALEXANDER CUMANA, ABEL

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In good faith Diverse beliefs and religious practice accommodated on base

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Montage pays tribute to the teen soldiers killed in Iraq

Dating dilemmas Enlistment, deployment strain relationships

Opinion Montage staffers share views on the military, Iraq

ALEXIS PATTERSON/ MONTAGE STAFF

ABOUT THE COVER: From left,

Jose Campos, Juan Martinez and Marisely Lopez are mem-

bers of the Naval JROTC program at G. Holmes Braddock High.

WHITNEY REED

Hialeah, G. Holmes Braddock, Booker high schools

Four Miami Montage reporters posing as possible recruits discovered that some local military recruiters are willing to disregard the wishes of parents of candidates in order to recruit them. However, most of the tactics the recruiters used appeared to stay within the guidelines set forth by the Recruiting Command Center of the military.

The four reporters visited three Miami-Dade County recruitment offices in June and told the recruiters they had not received parental consent to talk to them.

Despite that, recruiters on each occasion offered to continue communicating privately with the candidates.

According to the Army Recruiting Command, recruiters are not allowed to let people 17 years or younger sign up for the military without parental consent.

They also are not allowed to go into detail about possible jobs for the clients.

A Marine recruiter told one reporter, 15, he would contact her at school to avoid alerting her parents. He took down her cellular phone number and promised to give her more information.

An Army recruiter told a 16-year-old reporter that he would contact him at home without revealing that he was calling on behalf of the Army. He said that he would eventually like to sit down and speak with his parents.

A female reporter, 18, entering an Army office, was encouraged to stand up to her parents.

“Show your parents that you can make your own decisions,” he said. “Put down both feet and make them realize that their baby is growing up.”

When asked later during a follow-up phone call if neglecting a teen’s parents was correct protocol for recruiters, the Army Recruiting Command said that the recruiting officer did not violate any rules.

“There is nothing wrong with what he did, said Douglas Smith, a civilian employee in the Army.

“While teenagers 17 or younger need parental consent to enlist, there is no age limit for speaking.”

But Sima Miska, former president of the Parent Teacher Association at Palmetto High School, is against this policy.

“Speaking with experience, I don’t like this at all,” she said.” She said her son graduated two years ago from Palmetto

and received many solicitations from military recruiters.

Teens are approached in various ways.

Some recruiters are aggressive in getting people to sign on the dotted line, and others have a passive conversation with them as to create a friendship.

Ultimately, all recruiters have a common goal - to enlist as many possible soldiers as they can to keep the military numbers strong.

One Montage reporter entered an Air Force recruiting office and found a different recruiting approach. The recruiter asked the reporter to sit and ask about what he wanted to know. He did not hand him brochures or papers to sign.

The recruiter commented that only 3 percent of the Air Force is made up of pilots and that all other soldiers contribute to flying the planes.

The reporter was told that a soldier can choose from five careers based on the availability of the jobs and the recruit’s score on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.

The recruiter recommended that the reporter attend college and take the ROTC course. While the other branches had an approach of a strong fighting force, the Air Force recruiter described his branch as the business and technology of the military.

When asked what made the Air Force better than the other services, he said the quality of life was superior. He said airmen were not required to do morning exercises and incoming officers with children did not have to receive a depen-

dency waiver.

He also suggested that Air Force life was simpler than that lived by servicemen in other branches.

During a visit to an Army office, one recruiter trivialized the possibility of death. The 18-year-old reporter who visited the Army office was told that people overreact to the idea of dying in combat.

“The sooner you die, the sooner you can get to heaven. Everyone wants to get to heaven, but no one wants to die,” an Army recruiter said.

The reporter who entered an Army office met a recruiter who described his job as figuring out whether people are right for the Army; and not signing up everybody who walks through the door. He said he had rejected more people than he had recruited.

The recruiter was approachable and easy-going to the reporter. He told stories of his experiences in the Army and how much he enjoyed them.

He mentioned that although he was in the infantry, he had never been deployed to combat. He vividly described his travels to countries throughout Europe.

The recruiter encouraged the reporter to go to college and get his education before joining so he could enter the Army as a commissioned officer. He said that if he enlisted, there would be about a 20 percent chance he would serve in Iraq.

The 15-year-old reporter who visited a Marines office said she was welcomed into a small room by a staff sergeant. The man who greeted her was not the official recruiter, but invited her to sit down across from the red chin-up bar.

The sergeant handed the reporter pamphlets and took down information such as her name, phone number, age and high school.

He said the Marines is the best branch of the armed forces because it is the most prestigious; the President can mobilize the Marines without Congress’ approval within 36 hours.

The 18-year-old reporter who went to an Army office said that she was interested in joining the Army because she might encounter trouble paying for her college education.

The recruiter’s explanation of the Reserves was that the only way the reporter would be involved with the military was when she went to training camp and when she went to a specific base one weekend a month and two weeks a year.

He then began listing the jobs that she qualified for as a female, and said that women are often scared of the military because they fear the unknown.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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In Memoriam

DELGADO, ILEANA MORALES,

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Service to country mandatory for some Coral Reef High

In Honduras 10 years ago, the military recruited teenagers as they gathered at the movies.

That was how the draft worked, said Zulay Dominguez Chirinos, an editorial board member of The Miami Herald.

“The soldiers closed the exits at the movies and collected the teenagers,” said Chirinos, who was born in Honduras. A teenager would be forced to stay in the military unless his family paid enough money to release him. Families also could pay another person to take their son’s place.

While the United States military service is voluntary, other countries use different methods, including the draft, to build up their forces.

When Romanian college student Mihai Dimutru reached draft age at 19, he went for his medical check-up hoping to join the military, but he did not qualify because of a childhood injury.

“I was disappointed at first but not anymore,” Dimutru said in an email from Romania.

“So many of the military instructors are simply beasts making a recruit’s life a living hell; and not just because of the training but the extreme humiliations that one is often subjected to,” said Dimutru, now 20. “There are many cases of suicides among the young recruits.”

In Israel, nearly everyone must serve in the military. Men must enlist between ages 18 and 21, and serve for three years. Women must enlist between ages 18 and 20, and serve for two years. After military service, everyone remains in the reserve units until age 55 and must train every year for a month.

Although Haim Dubitzky, 29, was raised in the United States, when he returned to Israel, where he was born, he had to serve in the military.

“Nobody really wants to serve, but for the sake of the country and the Jewish people everyone does it,” Dubitzky said. “It is highly frowned upon when people try to avoid the military. Parents don’t want you to go and they cry, but they know you must.”

Ultra-orthodox Jews can avoid military service in Israel. The only exemption is for insanity.

In Cuba, the way to escape mili-

Efforts continue to reinstate the draft

Although there is no draft in the United States, several nations – many in Latin America – require military service.

Brazil has a draft, but allows exceptions, including conscientious objectors.

BY GREGORY IGHILE

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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MEXICO CUBA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR

HONDURAS

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COLOMBIA ECUADOR

BRAZIL

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PARAGUAY

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LIMITED DRAFT NO DRAFT

tary service is to study to become a teacher. Those who refuse to serve lose their jobs and can be imprisoned. “You can’t easily escape because Cuba is an island,” said Esperanza Pocurull, a student at the University of Miami.

“The Cuban military is like a prison,” said Raisa Francisco, whose husband and son were in the Cuban army. When her husband served with Cuban forces during the Angolan civil war, he received seven pesos (40 cents) per month – just enough to buy cigarettes.

“The pay for the army is so bad in Cuba that the soldiers are called ‘seven pesos,’ ” Pocurull said.

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While some complain of dominating militaries in their countries, other nations have a different problem - no military.

Haiti has not had a military since 1994, said Louis Herns Marcelin, a professor of anthropology at UM. Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide took apart the Haiti military when he returned from exile. “The military was the problem,” Marcelin said. “The army was strong enough to repress the people, but too weak to defend Haiti. If your country couldn’t secure their own environment and send their people to school and provide food, then what is the point of a military?”

BY GRACE LAPPOST

Coral Gables High

If the United States were to ever instate a universal draft that included both men and women from all socioeconomic classes, Homestead High student Amy Chirinos would resort to drastic measures.

“I would get myself pregnant on purpose,” Chirinos, 17, said.

Currently, men 18 to 25 are obligated to register with the Selective Service as required by the Military Selective Service Act. This act, which was amended in July 2003, states the obligations and privileges of those serving in the military are in accordance with a system of selection that is fair, just and consistent with the maintenance of an effective national economy.

Focusing on the lack of socioeconomic diversity in America’s military, Rep. Charles Rangel, D- N.Y., introduced the Universal Service Act in Congress in January 2003 to reinstate the military draft. Every U.S. citizen and permanent resident, men and women 18 to 26, would be included in the draft. The bill also would eliminate the exemption of college students that occurred during the military draft for the Vietnam War. Ted Bridis, a Vietnam War veteran, noticed a trend among the men who were drafted to that war.

“Poor minorities were probably drafted more because the wealthier white people had more access to a college education,” Bridis said.

Rangel did not return phone calls to Miami Montage for comment, but in a CNN interview last year he said that he introduced the draft bill “in hopes that those people who make the decisions to go to war, to attack Iraq, would be better influenced if they had kids that would be placed in harm’s way, or if they shared the same sacrifice that we often talk about.”

U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., who co-sponsored the bill, said he feels that the possibility of reinstating the draft could make the nation’s leaders reconsider their more belligerent attitudes toward war.

“Putting this before Congress, the president and citizens could make us think harder about sending troops to war,” said Hollings’ spokeswoman Ilene Zeldin in a telephone interview. However, Zeldin said “the bill is basically collecting dust.”

Although President George W. Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld have stated on various occasions that there is no need for a draft, the introduction of the bill has continued to ignite concern and publicity. The Selective Service Draft Freeze Initiative Resolution Committee, whose members describe themselves as “anti-war intellectuals,” encourages resistance to the U.S registration laws.

In response to the numerous phone calls from concerned parents and young adults, The Selective Service System recently posted a notice on its website stating the system “is not getting ready to conduct a draft for the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Dan Amon, public affairs specialist for the Selective Service, said that even though “the bill is dead,” it was necessary to post such a notice.

Registration advocates say that the purpose of the Selective Service is to make sure that there is enough qualified manpower to serve the armed forces in case of a national emergency.

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Some teenagers are getting a taste of military life while still attending high school

BY IMANI C. GREENE

Miami Northwestern High

PULL UP! Christopher Diaz, 15, demonstrates the physical agility he has acquired since joining the Navy JROTC program at G. Holmes Braddock High.

ALEXIS PATTERSON/MONTAGE STAFF

lent of the high school program. Students who are accepted, such as incoming Florida State freshman Josh Underwood, could receive a full scholarship and receive a guaranteed position as a second lieutenant after college

graduation.

Anthony Cestedes, a former member of the JROTC program at Killian Senior High, said the college-level program is much harder than high school. Cestedes is a secondyear ROTC student at the Uni-

COUNTING THE CADETS Miami-Dade County JROTCs: ◗ 5,300 students ◗ 27 programs: Army, 18; Navy, 4; Air Force, 4; Coast Guard, 1 Source: Miami-Dade County Public School System

Broward County JROTCs: ◗ 7,500 students ◗ 24 programs: Army, 15; Navy, 4; Air Force, 3; Marines, 2 Source: Broward County School System

versity of Tennessee.

“I was hoping it’ll be the same but I was in for a huge shock, when I got there,’’ Cestedes said.

“I still had to go into the beginning classes and I knew most of the things that were taught but next year I know it’s going to be harder.”

Not every student who enjoys the high school version of the program, wants to go to the next level.

“I got into the JROTC because I wanted to try something new and because the program was new,” said Amani Shaheed, a cadet at Flanagan.

“I wanted to be a part of history, but the ROTC is a big step and you become obligated to be in the military. I’m not sure if I want to go through that.”

— GORETTI DUNCKER Palmetto High

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

For one week last month, Marisely Lopez began each day with a 5 a.m. wake-up call.

She ran a mile and a half and lunged across a grassy field before pushing her body to exhaustion by performing scores of push-ups and sit-ups.

Before dinner, she would have to stand at attention while a drill sergeant inspected her white buttoned-down shirt and pressed blue pants. Then off she would go to study subjects like etiquette or sailing.

“It was difficult but the instructors motivated you,’’ said Marisely, who ended the evening by running another three miles. “I realized as a leader that I needed to complete this obstacle.”

The program, which evolved in 1916, is offered at more than 1,555 high schools nationwide and is steadily growing, according to the U.S. Army’s official Junior Reserves Officers Training Corps website.

Marisely, a junior at G. Holmes Braddock High in Southwest Miami-Dade County, is among a growing number of young people who are getting a first-hand look at military life while still enrolled in school through the JROTC. Each of the branches of the military has a JROTC program.

Most high schools usually focus on one branch.

“It’s an outstanding way to build up discipline and leadership,’’ said Ana Campos, a commander in Braddock High’s Navy JROTC program. A senior, Campos said the program and its corps of mostly retired soldiers “challenge you.’’

Ashley Jones, a member of Charles W. Flanagan High’s award-winning Navy JROTC program, agrees.

Jones says she originally joined the program at the Broward high school because it was something to do. She stuck with it, she said, because it was fun. The experience influenced her to join the ROTC at a university and study criminal justice.

ROTC is the college equiva-

◗ Name: Jenny Rojas ◗ Rank: JROTC Commanding Officer ◗ Personal: Age 17. ◗ Her story: When Jenny Rojas joined the Navy JROTC program during her freshman year at G. Holmes Braddock Senior High, she said everyone in the program made her feel comfortable.

“I liked my surroundings,” she said. Now as a commanding officer in the JROTC, it’s Rojas’ turn to make incoming recruits feel comfortable.

And Rojas, who has been one of the most active members, said she is ready for the task.

After all, the military has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Half of her family has served in the armed forces, she said.

The senior, 17, said after high school she plans on specializing in dentistry, then working in the Navy or the Air Force.

The military needs people but more so, it needs people with a passion to serve, she said.

“The military is not for everyone; some are just in it for the title,” Rojas said.

But she said she believes she can be useful to the betterment of her country, and wants to serve in any way she can.

“If I wasn’t in JROTC I wouldn’t know a lot of things that I do. It teaches discipline, gives me pride and makes me more patriotic.”

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JROTCs attract head-starters

SPOTLIGHT ON A CADET

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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War games hike interest, enlistment DAGNY SALAS

Miami Palmetto High

Military recruiters used to give out cotton T-shirts decorated with logos and slogans of their respective branches. Now they distribute video games in their latest attempt to recruit young people.

“America’s Army’’ is the first video game designed by the military with civilians in mind. In 1999, the Army founded the Institute for Creative Technologies, which developed the game. It follows a new recruit’s journey through basic training and special operations missions. The graphics in the game are considered lifelike by experts; the act of shooting alters the aim of the gun for the next shot.

With 1.5 million users registered online, the game is played on a personal computer, and emphasizes cooperative teamwork over the individual accomplishments of a soldier. America's Army is available for download at americasarmy.com, which is linked from goarmy.com, and at army recruiting stations.

Full Spectrum Warrior, also developed by ICT, is available on a commercial video game console. In May 2003, it was unveiled in Los Angeles at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the industry’s yearly trade show, where it won two awards – Best Original Game and Best Simulation. The game lets the player direct nine soldiers in urban missions akin to current events. Its June 2004 release on Xbox was highly anticipated, and the game will be available for PC in the fall.

Guard Force is a PC game designed for the Army National Guard by Rival Interactive, a video game development company. It features six to eight missions that involve basic training and rescue operations. Released in 2002, its success is moderate compared with the other two games.

Guard Force is available at oregonarmyguard.com/guard_force.html, which is linked from arng.army.mil, and at army national guard offices.

UNDER FIRE: "America's Army" is first video game designed with civilians in mind.

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THEY WANT YOU UNCLE SAM FINDS NEW WAYS TO GRAB ATTENTION DAGNY SALAS

Miami Palmetto High

The military is going to great lengths to entice teens to enlist in its different branches. The military has even developed a video game that simulates basic training and special operations missions.

“America’s Army,” the official U.S. Army video game, is funded by the military and was released on July 4, 2002. With more than 1.5 million users registered online, excluding the giveaways at events and recruiting offices, the game is responsible for increased teen interest in the military, recruiters say.

“At the Air and Sea show, we had kids sitting there for four hours playing the game,” Army recruiter Staff Sgt. Michael Bass said. “People go to the office just to get it.”

Paula Cuervo, a student at the University of Miami, agrees that video games are an alluring medium to attract kids.

“All you get is catalogues in the mail,” Cuervo said. “It’s another way to reach out to kids.”

The Army considers the game more realistic than previous militarythemed games. Vietnam veteran Ted Bridis downloaded it off the website americasarmy.com.

“The rifle range is incredible,” Bridis said. “Targets popped up just like they did 40 years ago.”

The game is only one in an arsenal of popular tactics the military is using to recruit young people. Short films about the military are being shown in movie theaters.

“Enduring Freedom: The Opening Chapter” – a five-minute movie showcasing soldiers’ experiences in Kandahar, Afghanistan, immediately following the Sept. 11 attacks – played in 200 Regal Entertainment Group theaters in the fall of 2002.

Now the military is producing another short film, “Iraqi Freedom: The Next Chapter,” this time promoting the war in Iraq.

“When kids go to the theater, it’s the first thing they see, and they distinguish that advertising,” Army re-

cruiter Staff Sgt. Jorge Lugo DeJesus said of the promotional films.

In addition, the Army and the Air Force have commissioned race cars and motorcycles to compete in NASCAR events and the National Hot Rod Association.

“Next is offshore,” Lugo DeJesus said. “We’ll be racing boats. Hopefully, we can name them either The Lieutenant or The Captain.”

‘The rifle range is incredible. Targets popped up just like they did 40 years ago.’

— TED BRIDIS, Vietnam veteran on army video games

For years, the Army’s recruiting motto was “Be All You Can Be,” but recently, it revamped its campaign, creating the slogan: “Army of One.” “The phrase ‘Army of One’ is the whole army, 360 degrees around,” Lugo DeJesus said.

“The letters in the word ‘one’ include everyone: ‘O’ is officers, ‘n’ is non-commissioned, and ‘e’ is enlisted.”

Other branches also have similar uplifting slogans, such as the Air Force’s “Cross into the Blue” and the Marines’ “the Few and the Proud.”

Although there is no draft for the military, a provision in the education-

al No Child Left Behind Act allows recruiters the same access to high school student information that college recruiters and prospective employers receive.

They also use the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, which measures the abilities of potential enlistees and allows the military to determine job placement. It is administered to high school students nationwide.

“I never took the ASVAB before I enlisted,” Airman 1st Class Rafael Rhodes said. “When I did, I thought it was fairly easy; I scored a 79, which qualified me for any job in the Air Force.”

The new recruiting tactics are turning interest into enlistments. According to the Army Recruiting Command, the Army has exceeded its active duty goal of 41,352 and its reserve duty goal of 9,449.

Numbers for the other branches were unavailable.

Recruiters concede, however, that the current war in Iraq and news of prison abuse in Abu Ghraib have had an impact on how recruiters do their business. Parents are worried that their children could get sent to Iraq, prompting a change in tactics by recruiters.

“It’s definitely an issue,” Bass said.

“Lots of questions are asked, but we try to distill that fear with the number of deaths in South Florida compared to how many people from Florida have died in Iraq.”

Lugo DeJesus declined comment on the topic and deferred all inquiries to the Army public relations manager, Harvey Spiglier, who was unavailable.

The aftermath of Sept. 11 has increased patriotic enlistment, according to government statistics. For example, Pat Tillman was an NFL safety who gave up a multimillion dollar contract with the Arizona Cardinals to serve in Afghanistan. He was later killed in combat this year.

“People wanted a piece of the fight,” Bass said.

“People were saying, ‘Nobody’s gonna hit my country.’ ”

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Chaplains must accommodate a diversity of faiths on base and the battlefield

A 'PIECE OF HOME': A JROTC cadets displays his Star of David pendant, which he usually conceals underneath his uniform in adherence to the Army's dress code.

ALEXIS PATTERSON/MONTAGE STAFF

BY ALEXIS PATTERSON

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High

ded Miami Herald reporter in Iraq from March to May 2003, told a group of student reporters at the University of Miami that not all religious beliefs were accommodated in Iraq.

“The dominant faiths had accommodations, such as tents to go and worship, but I didn’t see that many accommodations for Muslims,” Laughlin said.

“We have nothing against the minority faiths, we just don’t know a lot about them,” she said in reference to the military.

Chaplains are trained to respond to the spiritual needs of soldiers, no matter their specific belief, Park said.

Most soldiers feel a sense of comfort by the military’s efforts to embrace everyone.

“Religion in the military is comforting for people so far away from home,” Carlin said.

“Based on culture, religion is what you turn to in dark times. While you are serving the military, the military is serving you. It’s like a piece of home and a sense of comfort.”

— ABEL S. DELGADO, G. Holmes Braddock High

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

Whether a soldier kneels nightly in prayer to Jesus, prays three times a day to God or bows five times a day in prayer to Allah, soldiers on and off the battlefield have the opportunity to preserve their spirituality, military chaplains say.

All branches of the military have similar regulations concerning worship, said Col. James Park, head chaplain at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington.

“The Department of Defense Directive 1300-17, Accommodation of Religious Practices Within the Military, states that a basic principle of our nation is free exercise of religion,’” Park said.

“We are there to reassure the soldiers,” Park said. “Military chaplains must be able to minister to all their troops, not just those of their own endorsing denomination.”

By working as a team, the chaplain and chaplain assistants strengthen the unit’s

morale and spiritual core. As as a teenager.

The military illustrates its fully trained soldiers, they have the combat skills need- sensitivity to soldiers’ faiths ed to ensure survival on the by providing chaplains, placbattlefield while also having es to worship and religious the religious knowledge and meals (kosher for observant skills to support the diversity Jews and vegetarian for pracof faith groups among their ticing Muslims). soldiers. But they do not fight.

Worship services, holy “Chaplains days and Sabare noncom- ‘Based on bath obserbatants,” Park vances are said.

“We culture, religion available, exdo not carry cept when is what you turn weapons; we these practices are not trained to in dark times.’ are considered to fight. We by the com— COL. JAMES PARK, head are there to mander to be chaplain at the Virginia military minister to a hindrance to institute in Lexington the religious military readineeds of the ness.

Comtroops and as such, we are an manding officers say it can be essential part of the military difficult to free someone for a force,” he said.

24-hour period, even though “Religion is an integral as- officers might be sympathetic pect of these people’s lives,” toward soldiers with religious said Stuart Carlin, who is Jew- convictions.

“Chaplains offer resources ish. He celebrated Passover while serving in the Vietnam and guidance. If the military ever gets an order to go into War. “You can’t just extract that combat, chaplains accompany from people’s lives no matter soldiers into the battlefield,” where they are,” said Carlin, Park said.

Meg Laughlin, an embedwho enlisted in the U.S. Army

◗ Name: Al Perez ◗ Rank: Retired Navy medic, Vietnam War ◗ Personal: Age 59 ◗ His story: Al Perez earned his Purple Heart in Vietnam by being trampled by a water buffalo.

Among the first soldiers sent to Vietnam, Perez said he was trying to locate a downed man in a rice paddy when he fell into a hole that had a water buffalo in it.

He managed to climb out to aid another injured soldier only to then treat his own wounds.

A native of Cuba who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., Perez said he joined the Navy because of his friends.

“My buddies were over there and I decided to go too. It’s the type of decision you make at 22,” said Perez, who was a medic in a medical helicopter.

Perez said he helped treat American soldiers and Vietnam civilians.

But he did not receive a hero’s welcome when he returned from Vietnam. The anti-war sentiment was so bad that he bought civilian clothes to change into at the airport.

Later he joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War because he said politicians got into the war “not to win it.” Perez was upset by the way veterans were treated by their own government.

He was furious that it took so long for them to receive medical benefits.

Years later he moved to Florida to work in a number of hospitals and start some small businesses. These days Perez works with fellow Vietnam veterans on “The Book of Honor,” a national project collecting the names of soldiers serving in Iraq.

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The spiritual core

SPOTLIGHT ON A RETIRED SEAMAN

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Growing up on base Some teens resent lifestyle of always moving, others love it

BY MIGUEL LORENZO

Felix Varela High

As a teenager with parents in the Air Force, Libby Markovich found that growing up in the military had its downside.

“I love meeting new people, but leaving them behind is always hard even if you stay in touch with them,” Markovich, 19, said.

But military life also has its positive aspects, she said.

“It’s cool to move around and make new friends,” said Markovich, who has traveled to countries such as Venezuela and Colombia.

“I know people from all over the country, and after a while you learn to deal with the moving.”

Even so, the constant moving can take its toll on friendships for some.

“I was always the new kid.

Therefore, I was almost always the last man out when it came to making friends,” Yannick McLeod, 18, said.

Her father Maj. Julian McLeod is stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.

While forming lasting friendships can be a challenge, “military brats” also face the hurdle of having to switch schools, sometimes in the middle of the school year. To UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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PHOTO COURTESY OF MAJOR HANS GARCIA

ALL IN THE FAMILY: Libby Markovich, along with her mom Genita Garcia and her stepdad Maj. Hans Garcia, celebrates at the U.S. Southern Command Headquarters in Miami. After 27 years in the Air Force, Garcia retired on March 19. Markovich is considering joining the Coast Guard.

counter changing classrooms, Yannick McLeod’s parents decided on homeschooling, which allowed him to learn at his own pace, he said.

When a difficult subject is presented in class, McLeod, who now is in college, said he relies on the skills he learned in homeschooling to help him grasp the material.

“I go home and study the material by myself,’’ he said.

Markovich attended public school whenever her parents were required to move to a different military base. She said that her parents kept strict guidelines about conduct.

“My parents are tough on me,” Markovich said.

“I’m 19 and I still have a 12 o’clock curfew, and I get grounded if I’m late.”

Often military brats find that they become logical candidates for the military.

Markovich said her Air Force parents, Genita Garcia and Ret. Maj. Hans Garcia, have encouraged her to join the U.S. Coast Guard.

And Yannick McLeod said he plans to follow in his father’s footsteps in the Air Force.

“It’s all I really know,” he said.

The Parent Factor: Teens say family impacts enlistments

BY MARIANA OCHOA

Coral Gables High

Military recruiters refer to the six most popular reasons that teens sign up as TEAMS-T: training, education, adventure, money, service to country and travel. Missing from that acronym is the influence of parents, some of whom encourage their children to follow careers in the military, and others who will do anything to keep recruiters away.

When 18-year-old Cristina Gonzalez heard the magic words in a National Guard recruitment video: “We will pay 100 percent for your education in any state-funded school,” she considered joining the military.

“Sure, I wanted to serve my country, but helping me with my education was

a bigger plus for me,” Gonzalez said.

But as the date came closer for Gonzalez to join, she began to have doubts about leaving home and her mother.

“I was scared of leaving home for the first time, leaving everything and having everything change,” she said.

But as Gonzalez’s doubts grew, her mother’s pride grew for the commitment her daughter was making.

“I was very proud of her; scared, but proud that she was going to have a bright future,” said Yamilia Polmenero, Gonzalez’s mother.

Eventually Gonzalez said her mother's opinion persuaded her that joining was the right thing.

“I ultimately joined to make my mom happy,” Gonzalez said.

For other teens, enlisting runs in

‘I was very proud of her; scared, but proud that she was going to have a bright future.'

—YAMILIA POLMENERO, mother of Cristina Gonzalez

the family. Tony Colmenares, whose father was a Marine, enlisted when he was 17, saying he would like to know what it felt like to be a hero.

Colmenares said his father’s acts of charity and his dedication to his military duties influenced his decision to enroll.

“It depends on the parents, if they have any ties with the military.

Sometimes it’s a good thing,” said Master Sgt. Gerald C. Williams, a recruiter in Miami for the Air Force.

Then there’s the rebel. Tomas Ortiz, a Cuban American, said he joined the Air Force against his father’s wishes to study television maintenance.

“I didn’t want to go to Miami-Dade Community College and also there’s no history of it in my family,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz, who now works in his field at the University of Miami, said his father eventually accepted his decision to join.

Regardless, Ortiz said he is confident he made the right decision.

“If I had to I would do it again,” Ortiz said.

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Troubled and bright students alike attend military academies for intense training

BY JOSE FERNANDEZ

Felix Varela High

IMANI GREENE/ MONTAGE STAFF

ROLL CALL: Marine Sgt. Eric Reid inspects cadets at the Elite Leadership Military Academy in Fort Lauderdale who stand at attention before lunch time.

‘I thought it was cool to smoke and skip school, but I came here and I became more mature.’

—HEATHER MURRAY, 16, cadet

hang out with the wrong crowd.”

Heather Murray, 16, said the strong discipline approach at the military academy worked for her.

“Actually, it’s been a miracle for me,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going anywhere.

I thought it was cool to smoke and skip school, but I came here and I became more mature. Now I have straight As.” “It’s a lot easier to be bad than to be good,” said Shamiel Holiday, a recruiter at the academy who also has a daughter enrolled there.

“Don’t use this school as a fear factor.

We give spiritual speeches to encourage them and to get them to believe in themselves,” she said, adding that parents have to be ready to stand their ground at home or “you’re coming here for nothing.”

“It’s good, but they yell too much,” said Dashae, Holiday’s 8-year-old daughter.

When 14-year-old Jonathan Lauzier came to the school, he said he had two battery charges against him for attacking teachers. Administrators say he was on as many as 15 medications for emotional

disorders.

“I think it’s very wonderful,” Jonathan said. “The school has helped me, and now I’m on none,” he said.

Jonathan says he’s happy at the school.

He’s making A's and B's and some C's – which he’s not too happy about – and he says he doesn’t miss public school.

But some kids choose military schools because they want to learn values as well as the ABCs. While the Elite Leadership Military Academy is a day school, the other two military academies in Florida offer boarding.

Miguel Gonzalez, 22, graduated from the Florida Air Academy in Melbourne, an all boys’ school with about 500 students.

“What I learned is to respect myself and others, goal setting and what honor is,” he said.

While at school, he was captain of the Second Squadron, overseeing about 60 kids.

“I had to teach them how to march, wake them up, and make sure they didn’t do anything stupid,” he said. “I wouldn’t have traded that time in the academy for anything.”

Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg blasts all the stereotypes because troubled students cannot enroll there.

“We want kids with a 2.0 grade point average. We’re not a school for slugs,” said Cmdr. David Graham, director of admission at the school, which has 450 students.

— JOSE FERNANDEZ, Felix Varela High

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

Military schools are for troubled kids, but students and teachers at these schools say that’s only partly true.

“We get bright kids and those who are struggling in school, but mostly kids with behavior issues,” said Lynda Browne, principal at the Elite Leadership Military Academy in Fort Lauderdale. The academy is one of three Florida schools that adopt a military regimen to instill discipline in the classroom.

“It can be an attitude at home, in school, or that they’re just lazy and don’t want to work. This is a school where if every other school has failed, you come to,” Browne said of the academy, which opened last year. The school caters to children 8 to 16 years old. It has five teachers for 35 students, referred to as cadets.

The average class size is 15.

Before enrolling a child, staff members first want to meet with the parents and the prospective student. They show them a video of their “Scared Straight” program, which is a boot camp required before enrollment. They do this so everyone knows exactly what to expect, Browne said.

If parents agree, their child enrolls in the Scared Straight boot camp, where he or she spends a weekend at a camp with drill instructors who have military backgrounds.

Similar to an actual boot camp, Scared Straight drill instructors use an in-yourface approach – yelling commands just inches from the students’ faces.

There are no luxuries at the camp – forget TV or radio. Boys get their hair cut military-style, and everyone has to do three-mile runs to the beach, where they exercise to the point of exhaustion.

Students “get smoked” when they don’t do their homework, their shoes aren’t shined correctly or they forget to bring in their supplies. The “smoke box” is more of a concept than an actual place.

Discipline, which does not involve corporal punishment, happens on the spot.

That means having to do between 500 and 1,000 push-up or curl-ups, instructors say. If an entire class acts up, they all “get smoked” together.

The harsh treatment is to teach kids that they can handle discipline – and anything that life throws their way. They also learn that they don’t have to follow the crowd, Browne said.

“Going into the military is not a goal here,” Browne said. “It is our hope that they will come here and go back to an ideal life. They need to learn how to not

◗ Name: Eric Reid ◗ Rank: Marine sergeant who served in Iraq ◗ Personal: Age 25 ◗ His story: Sgt. Eric Reid had a saying from his favorite general: “You never know the importance of living or life until you’ve almost died.”

Reid spent nine months in Iraq with the Marines and was part of a scout unit called the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance.

“We worked by the shadow and created havoc for the enemy,” Reid said.

Military life has run in his family for two generations so he felt he had to continue the tradition, Reid said.

“My father was a general in Jamaica,” Reid said. “It was in my blood; I like the discipline.” He said he also liked the way the Marines made you adapt to things you weren’t used to. While in Iraq, Reid said the temperature dropped to 20 degrees at night and could reach as high as 110 degrees during the day. “My unit was like a predator – search and destroy,” he said. But, he insists, “We’re soldiers, not monsters.” Reid said once when he heard something in the bushes, he pointed his gun ready to shoot. It turned out to be a boy who had just witnessed terrorists kill both of his parents.

They took him back to base to take care of the little boy. He said he once saw an Iraqi man who had lost a leg.

Reid said he ended up giving his medical supplies to the injured man. “We weren’t going just for the massive weapons of destruction; we were going to liberate people,” said Reid, now a drill instructor at the Elite Leadership Military Academy in Fort Lauderdale.

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‘Sir, good morning, sir’

SPOTLIGHT ON A MARINE

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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Tracing changes since war in Vietnam

BY ALEXANDER CUMANA

Hialeah High

Navy Corpsman Al Perez and Airman William Evans helped defend their country at an early age, but their experiences, 30 years apart, differ greatly.

In 1968, Perez was trained to escape from behind enemy lines because he did not have communication with other soldiers.

Retired since his tour of duty in the Vietnam War, Perez recalls running through harsh swamplands at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina as preparation for jungle combat.

Today, Evans uses a satellite phone to ensure contact with his superiors in case of emergency.

Now in his third year in the Air Force since joining as a teenager, Evans helps guard high security bases in Turkey and the Philippine Islands to prevent terrorist attacks.

Army Staff Sgt. Michael Bass says that modern training is unlike any ever performed.

“For years America has been used to fighting a frontal war, and now we have evolved into an Army ready for informal attack,” Bass said.

Bass and Perez agree that tactical technology has helped make soldiers better.

“I remember our platoon calling for artillery fire, and since we had no homing devices, every time we heard someone scream ‘short fire’ we ducked to avoid friendly fire,” Perez said.

Today’s soldiers are taught to use the latest equipment to help them in the battlefield. Global Positioning Systems track a soldier’s location any where in the world.

Smart missiles using homing devices lock onto enemy targets to avoid the friendly fire Perez and other soldiers encountered.

The evolution of the modern teenage soldier does not end with on-the-field training and technology. Life off duty also has changed. Bases have bowling alleys, bars, night clubs and recreational facilities, all at discounted prices.

“I’ve had fun going out to bowl or play basketball, not to mention doing cool things like shooting an M-16,” Airman 1st Class Rafael Rhodes, 19, said.

Benefits also have improved over the years. Bill Schlesinger, a World War II veteran, earned $140 a month as a lieutenant. He was in the first class of soldiers to use the Montgomery G.I. Bill after it was passed in 1944.

A current ROTC member who joins as a teenager in college earns $1,700 a month plus free room, board and medical benefits.

But not all things have changed for the U.S. soldier.

Said Perez: “Those of us that wear this uniform fight for our lives and each others’ -– and that will never change.”

In Memoriam

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Young

Acosta, Steven, 19, of Calexico, Calif.

Aviles, Andrew Julian, 18, of Palm Beach, Fla. Bosveld, Rachel K., 19, of Waupun, Wisc.

Braun, Jeffrey F., 19, of Stafford, Conn.

Bueche, Paul J., 19, of Daphne, Ala. Calavan, Cody S., 19, of Lake Stevens, Wash.

Cheatham, Jonathan M., 19, of Camden, Ark. Cherry, Marcus M., 18, of Imperial, Calif.

Clarke, David Jeffrey, 19, of Littleworth, England Cobb, Christopher R., 19, of Bradenton, Fla. Codner, Kyle W., 19, of Wood River, Neb. Coleman, Bradli N., 19, of Ford City, Penn.

Cox, Ryan R., 19, of Derby, Kan. Crowley, Kyle D., 18, of San Ramon, Calif.

Cutter, Brian K., 19, of Riverside, Calif.

Estrella-Soto, Ruben, 18, of El Paso, Texas Evans, David Jr., 18, of Buffalo, N.Y. Frantz, Robert L., 19, of San Antonio, Texas Freeman, Benjamin L., 19, of Valdosta, Ga. Frye, Nichole M., 19, of Lena, Wisc.

Gentle, Gordon Campbell, 19, of Pollok, Scotland Geurin, Cory Ryan, 18, of Santee, Calif.

Goldman, Shane Lee, 19, of Orange, Texas Gray, Torrey L., 19, of Patoka, Ill. Gurtner, Christian Daniel, 19, of Ohio City, Ohio Halling, Jesse M., 19, of Indianapolis, Ind. Horn, Sean, 19, of Irvine, Calif.

Hutchings, Nolen Ryan, 19, of Boiling Springs, S.C. Huxley, Gregory Paul Jr., 19, of Forestport, N.Y. Jackson, Leslie D., 18, of Richmond, Va. Jerabek, Ryan M., 18, of Oneida, Wisc.

Jones, Devon Demilo, 19, of San Diego, Calif.

Kelly, Andrew, 18, of Tavistock, England Kleiboeker, Nicholas Brian, 19, of Irvington, Ill. Kreider, Dustin L., 19, of Riverton, Kan. Kritzer, Bradley G., 18, of Irvona, Penn.

Lam, Alan Dinh, 19, of Snow Camp, N.C. Langhorst, Moises A., 19, of Moose Lake, Minn.

Layfield, Travis J., 19, of Fremont, Calif.

Longstreth, Duane E., 19, of Tacoma, Wash.

Mabry, Christopher D., 19, of Chunky, Miss.

Mack, Vorn J., 19, of Orangeburg, S.C. Manzano, Pablo, 19, of Heber, Calif.

Marshall, James E., 19, of Tulsa, Okla.

McGeogh, Holly J., 19, of Taylor, Mich.

Mendez Ramos, Natividad, 19, of Guaymango, El Salvador Mihalakis, Michael G., 18, of San Jose, Calif.

Milczark, Matthew G., 18, of Kettle River, Minn.

Miller, Anthony Scott, 19, of San Antonio, Texas Mora, Michael A., 19, of Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Moreno, Luis A., 19 of Bronx, N.Y. Morris, Geoffrey S., 19 of Gurnee, Ill. Nakis, Nathan W., 19, of Sedro-Woolley, Wash.

Nalley, Kenneth A., 19, of Hamburg, Iowa Parker, Daniel R., 18, of Lake Elsinore, Calif.

Phelps, Chance R., 19, of Clifton, Colo.

Ramirez, William C., 19, of Portland, Ore. Rincon, Diego Fernando, 19, of Conyers, Ga. Roberts, Anthony P., 18, of Bear, Del. Rodriguez, Jose F. Gonzalez, 19, of Norwalk, Calif.

Sanders, Gregory Paul, 19, of Hobart, Ind. Sekula, Dustin M., 18, of Edinburg, Texas Sims, Charles M., 18, of Miami, Fla. Sloan, Brandon Ulysses, 19, of Cleveland, Ohio Spry, Bryan N., 19, of Chestertown, Md. Strange, William R., 19, of Adrian, Ga. Sturdy, Brandon C., 19, of Urbandale, Iowa Thomas, Ryan Lloyd, 18, of Resolven, Wales Tobler, Brandon Scott, 19, of Portland, Ore. Turrington, Kelan John, 18, of Haslingfield, England Unger, Daniel Paul, 19, of Exeter, Calif.

Whitener, Joey D., 19, of Nebo. N.C. Wright, Jason G., 19, of Luzerne, Mich.

Wyatt, Stephen E., 19, of Kilgore, Texas Source: Iraq Coalition Casualty Count website

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BY ELVIA BRAZIL

Miami Northwestern High

W

hen the list of casualties in Iraq appears in newspapers and on TV, few of us take time to consider how many were, just a year or two ago, sitting in a high school classroom. Local teens, such as Pfc. Charles M. Sims, 18, of Miami, and

female teens, such as Pfc. Rachel K. Bosveld, 19, of Wisconsin, have died along with 72 others in U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq as of July 4. Young deaths are not peculiar to this conflict. During the Vietnam War, of 58,148 soldiers killed in action, 11,465 were under age 20.

To all of the teen soldiers who paid the ultimate price for liberty during armed conflict, Miami Montage pays tribute.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

PHOTO COURTESY OF US NAVY

Shantae Moise’s father, uncle and greatuncle all served in the military.

“I really didn’t see myself attending college or any technical school,” said Moise, 18, a recent graduate of Miami Northwestern High. “I just always saw myself going to the Navy. I am undecided on what exactly I am going to do, but I do know that I am going.”

For now, Moise’s comfort zone is her home in Liberty City. But in August, the Navy will send her to boot camp in Great Lakes, Ill. The military, she says, will be her classroom, hopefully teaching her discipline. “College would give me too much freedom. It’s just not as strict as the Navy,” she said.

Many high school seniors are studying for college entrance examinations, others are meeting with military recruiters to learn more about the service and getting physicals.

MONTAGE Many military recruiters COVER say young adults are attracted STORY to a profession in the military because of the educational, financial and traveling benefits. It is especially attractive for high school graduates.

In 2002, 91 percent of recruits had high school diplomas or some college education; 8 percent held alternative high school credits; and 1 percent had not completed high school, according to the U.S. Defense Department.

“I joined the Air Force because I was granted a job and 100 percent pay for college,” said Rafael Rhodes, an enlistee in the U.S Air Force.

At an Army recruiting office in Kendall the appeal to young adults is all around.

Life-size cardboard cutouts of uniformed men and women stand guard. Posters plaster the walls. One shows a black-and-white photo of two uniformed soldiers standing back to back, holding rifles. The slogan: “The Army Has Your Back.”

“I don’t sell the Army when I speak to those interested in signing up,” said Army Staff Sgt. Michael L. Bass. He said he tells perspective enlistees: “You decide whether or not you would like to join and what job you would like to do. Everything about joining the military is your decision.”

Many factors weigh on the minds of teens considering the military, Bass said.

Many fear war zones. Others are worried about leaving loved ones behind.

Joshua Underwood, a Florida State University student who will be joining the school’s officer training program in the fall, said having to leave someone is always in the back of his mind.

But he also says that having the opportunity to fight for his country and travel is appealing.

“Where else can you get this type of experience?” he asked.

11 montage

Heroes

Why some teens are choosing to enlist

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( Hurr12 )

Soldiers chat about life in Iraq montage_chat: How old were you when you enlisted?

Tim Frere: 20 montage_chat: What do you like and dislike right now about being there in Iraq?

Tim Frere: I want to be back with my family. montage_chat: Can you go into detail, please?

Tim Frere: I’ve been away for 14 months. I miss my family. montage_chat: What have you been doing in those 14 months?

Tim Frere: Patrol, helping rebuild the infrastructure, assisting with rebuilding of Iraq montage_chat: When assisting do u feel good doing rebuilding?

Tim Frere: Of course I do montage_chat: Were you ever in combat?

Tim Frere: Yes, I was here for the first month of the war. I’ve been to Fallujah montage_chat: How did you react the first time you were in combat?

Tim Frere: Didn’t think about it, just did

what I was trained to do. montage_chat: What is the temperature like over there over there?

Tim Frere: 115 today montage_chat: How do you keep cool?

Tim Frere: Lots of water montage_chat: How is it supplied?

Tim Frere: Bottles are flown in montage_chat: Is the food good?

Tim Frere: Yeah montage_chat: What is the menu through out the day?

Tim Frere: Lots of chicken montage_chat: What do you guys do for entertainment?

Tim Frere: Get on the Internet, watch movies, sleep montage_chat: What is your favorite movie?

Tim Frere: Black Hawk Down montage_chat: What is the difference between teens and older soldiers?

Tim Frere: Nothing - CAMILLE JEAN JR.

A Montage reporter goes online to interview military personnel stationed overseas

BY CAMILLE JEAN JR.

Design and Architecture High

Whether you’re 18 or 88 years old, 130 degrees is extremely hot.

No matter what views U.S. military service personnel who have served in Iraq may hold, most share a common experience – coping with the intense heat.

“Just today it was 115 degrees; that’s hot,” said Tim Frere, an Army specialist stationed in Iraq. “We try to keep cool with lots of water.”

Frere, 22, is just one of the thousands of soldiers serving in Iraq. When they’re not in actual combat, many of them look for ways to disconnect from the war, if only for a couple of hours.

For Frere, it’s mostly email, movies and staying out of the heat.

“I’ve been here for 14 months and I really miss my family,” Frere said. “I’m really ready to go back home.”

For others like Lazaro Galindo, a Marine who recently returned from Iraq, spare time was spent writing letters, visiting historical places and working out.

But even those activities involve the high temperatures.

“It gets really hot,” said Galindo, 24.

“It’s not just the sun, the sand is also a big factor.”

Galindo said he was able to remain

focused on the real reason he was there.

“The heat was easy to deal with when I reminded myself that I would do whatever it takes to bring peace to the country.”

The soldiers have been able to find something positive about their experiences. Most of them just seem eager to get back home.

A CHAT WITH A SOLDIER Miami Montage joined military chat rooms in search of finding a teen soldier serving in Iraq.

While no one in the 18- to 19year-old bracket responded, Tim Frere, 22, did. The chat took place 9 p.m. EST June 25.

Name: Tim Frere D.O.B: March 20, 1982, Orlando, Fla. Education: All over the country, but graduated from Lakes High School in Tacoma, Wash.

Rank: Specialist

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMILLE JEAN JR.

Downtime activities keep up with the times

BY MIGUEL LORENZO

Felix Varela High

It took a week for Tech. Sgt. Jorge Guerra to get a response from his family after sending a letter from Okinawa, Japan. When Lance Cpl. Bernardo Mayrinck was in Okinawa, he got his response in one second.

A quarter of a century can make that difference.

“In the ’80s, the only way to contact my family was through the phone and mail, but I wrote a lot because I couldn’t afford to make international calls,” Guerra, 43, said.

“Today teens have a much greater opportunity to communicate with their family through pictures, cellphones and email,” he said.

Communication is just one of the many leisure activities that improved through technological advances since the ’80s. Soldiers of all ages can now

keep themselves busy in their downtime through different types of activities.

“Most days I’ll either play video games with my friends or watch the new DVDs that come out on Tuesdays,” Mayrinck, 19, said.

In some cases, veterans who return to their bases discover that entertainment has changed drastically.

“When I was stationed at Kings Bay, Ga., from 1991 through 1995, the base had several clubs, but when I went last year, they changed it to a restaurant and arcade similar to Gameworks,” said Johnny Martinez, Naval Science Instructor at G. Holmes Braddock High in Kendall.

“Every installation is always upgrading their facilities.”

The realistic games teens play today do not compare to the simpler games such as Atari that swept through the 1980s. And while games like “Spider Man: The Movie” and “Dragonball Z: Goku” were the best-selling games in

May, according to gamemarketwatch. com, there seems to be two common favorites among military soldiers.

“It’s always about Madden, mostly EA Sports games and Halo,” said Mayrinck referring to the football simulation and futuristic military shooting games.

One activity that never seems to grow old with soldiers is sports.

There are numerous athletic activities that soldiers in the military participated in during the ’80s, which are still played today.

Those include “bowling, playing pool, shooting darts and playing golf,” Guerra said.

But even with all the technological advances that have helped teens in the military pass the time, Mayrinck said he does not want the public to lose sight of what the military still is.

It’s like having a regular job, Mayrinck said, “but with longer hours, less pay and a lot more consequences.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BERNARDO MAYRINCK

CHECK, PLEASE: Lance Cpl. Bernardo Mayrinck, 19, takes a break after a hard day of physical training.

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New recruits complete basic training, relocate and gain specialized skills

BY ILEANA MORALES

G. Holmes Braddock High

It's just something I wanted to do to help people.’

—NICOLE MCGILL, 18, Army recruit

IMANI GREENE/MONTAGE STAFF

HE'S IN: Miami native Matthew Reyes, 19, holds up his new Navy enlistment card.

He said his girlfriend – whom he met in elementary school – is upset about his decision to join the Navy. But they agree their relationship is strong, and they plan to get married after he completes boot camp.

“I’m signed up for five years now,” said Reyes, who plans to take college courses online. “But if I like it, maybe I’ll re-enlist.”

At first, Reyes failed the

physical portion of the entrance exam. He weighed 205 pounds – but the Navy wanted him down to no more than 186. They gave him a month to lose the weight.

He wanted to join a gym but couldn’t because he was shipping out and couldn’t commit to a long-term contract.

So Reyes jogged and did push-ups and crunches around the house. Eventually

he lost 25 pounds.

In August, he’ll ship out to basic training in Chicago.

“It was hell. But it was really worth it,” Reyes said.

Some recruits, like Nicole McGill, take a different route.

She plans to attend college first, and then will serve in the Army as a psychologist.

McGill enlisted in March, and the Army will pay for her education. She’ll enter the Army as an officer.

“It was a decision I made on my own. It’s just something I wanted to do to help people,” said McGill, 18. “I think when people come back from Iraq they’ll need help mentally.”

In the fall, she’ll begin training through the Reserves Officers’ Training Corps program at Florida International University. Until then, she goes to the gym every day.

“Everything happens for a reason,” she said. “I prayed about it and I think God wants me to do this. I’m prepared, and I know what’s there.”

Then there are people like David Deliere, who turn to the military as an escape from his current lifestyle.

He graduated from South Dade Senior High and was working as a security guard at a condominium community.

College didn’t interest him.

“Nothing was getting interesting lately, so that’s why I decided to join now,” said Deliere, 20.

Three weeks ago, he followed his father’s footsteps and enlisted in the military.

Originally, he wanted to fly jets in the Air Force, but he did not pass the vision test.

So Deliere joined the Army, where he said he hopes to fly helicopters.

First, he will learn to drive tanks.

His training will be in Kentucky, his base in Germany. He’s never visited either place.

“I’ve been here in Florida all my life,” Deliere said. “I want to leave."

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

David Dangelo tossed his high school graduation cap, turned in his gown, then months later made a life-altering decision.

“I wasn’t really one for school,” said Dangelo, a Miami Killian High graduate. “I had no job, and the next best thing was the military.’’

Dangelo’s reasons for joining the military are not unique. But every recruit has his or her own motivations.

And they all prepare differently as they wait to ship off to boot camp.

When his friends went to college, Dangelo walked into an Air Force recruitment office and joined. He had checked out other branches but was unimpressed.

“What definitely got me was the money,” Dangelo said. “The Air Force gave me a better opportunity than the others.”

Before basic training, Dangelo was excited – as were his friends and family.

At first, he received $470 every two weeks, and was promised a $6,000 bonus for enlisting for six years. Dangelo, now 20, is based in Miami and works as a mechanic repairing fighter plane engines.

He has been promoted, and now will earn $1,500 a month.

Matthew Reyes’ enthusiasm for the military goes back to when he would play soldier on the playground. But he was sold when a Navy recruiter walked into his North Miami Beach High classroom.

“My friends tell me I’m a crazy guy with a death wish.

But I am not really scared,” said Reyes, 19, a native of Miami. “They don’t know what they’re talking about. Someone has to join the military or we wouldn’t have one.”

In March, he enlisted with the hope of one day becoming a Navy SEAL. He is excited about traveling and his $3,000 signing bonus.

‘It was a decision I made on my own.

◗ Name: Rafael Rhodes ◗ Rank: Airman first class ◗ Age: 22, just completed basic training and technical school ◗ His story: Rafael Rhodes wanted to fight crime. Only instead of a cape this action hero chose to put on a U.S. Air Force uniform. A graduate of Miami Springs Senior High,Rhodes considered himself a jock in high school.

Playing both football and wrestling, he earned decent grades and had an active social life. "I had dreams of attending a big college and playing football," he remembered. "I never thought I'd be in the military."

After high school, Rhodes started working at different hotels. After some rough times dealing with what he said was bad management, he quit and started working at a car rental. Though it was a good job, he wanted something different. "I earned a scholarship and started studying business at Miami Dade College," Rhodes said. After his two year scholarship was over, paying for college became difficult. Besides, Rhodes did not see himself studying business and sitting behind a desk for the rest of his life. "I wanted to become something greater in life," he said.At this time he realized he wanted a career in law enforcement.

However, no one offered him a job. That's when he decided to join the Air Force.

"It gave you educational benefits, a steady job, and it was a chance to serve your country," Rhodes said.

Now, Rhodes will be leaving to Minot, N.D., in early July, to work as a guard at an Air Force base. Though he is leaving behind friends, family, and a girlfriend, he has never been happier.

"I've worked hard for this in every aspect."

– LIS MESA Southwest Miami High

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After you sign up . . .

SPOTLIGHT ON AN AIRMAN

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( Hurr14 )

Battles over, soldiers face difficulties adjusting to home life heart.

“Blood, guts, shooting … it was nothing,” he said recently to a group of high After returning home from months school reporters.

When he returned to the United of warfare in Iraq, Chris Olloqui felt lost.

The image of fellow Marines swimming States, he had buried his emotions, and in pools of their bodily fluids still re- he never received counseling.

Olloqui recalled being approximately mains in his thoughts. He will never be 30 miles out of Baghdad, preparing his the same.

“Combat changes you as a person. All mind to accept death. Although he said that death you gotta see, the bad memo- he experienced shock and some adjustries,” said Olloqui, 21, who entered the ment difficulty when he returned to Marines at age 18.

America, he too refused counseling.

The experience altered Olloqui so“I have a family,” he said at a June 26 cially and psychologically. Like Olloqui, neighborhood welcome home ceremohundreds of thousands of people are ny for soldiers who had recently served diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, in the Middle East. “They support me.”

Marcel Belli, another Marine who fatigue and short-term memory loss, according to the National Center of Post recently returned from Iraq, said all solTraumatic Stress Disorder website, diers were offered counseling after their http://www.ncptsd.org/. return from the war. Yet he declined.

“I just want to put it behind me and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs after someone experiences or sees get back to my regular life,” Belli, 23, life-threatening events such as natural said.

“They want to go and get a regular disasters, terrorism, horrific accidents job, start their career or gruesome assaults. and go back to their Soldiers suffering ‘You can't just from PTSD can experijump back into life lives as if nothing hapence nightmares, flashpened,” Valdez said. backs, difficulty read- the same way you “But just like if you break your arm and you justing to friends and go to the doctor then get family, along with sleep- left it.’ it set, there’s a healing ing problems severe — SHERILL VALDEZ, time. When you go to enough to “impair the clinical social worker war you see the best and person’s daily life,” acworst of mankind,” she cording to the center.

Symptoms include depression, sub- said. “You can’t just jump back into life stance abuse and other problems of the same way you left it.”

“I know guys who came back and dimental and physical health.

“Some of them come back saying, vorced their wives, lost their families ‘Who am I?’” said Sherill Valdez, a li- and screwed things up bad,” Perez said.

“Most of these kids from ‘Po’ville, censed clinical social worker and Persian Gulf War coordinator at the Veter- Ohio,’ they were nobodies before they ans Administration outpatient center in joined the military. All of a sudden they’ve got rank with a gun in their Oakland Park, near Fort Lauderdale.

“Many feel that they’ve changed,” hand,” he said.

These young people get an opportuValdez said. “They don’t fit in where they used to.” nity to serve their country, which fills Marine Sgt. Juan Garcia Jr., who com- them with pride, makes them feel worthmands a half dozen Marines as a fire while and makes them feel significant, control team leader with the 4th Air said Howard Horowitz, a Vietnam War Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (4th platoon leader.

ANGLICO), said often soldiers with But when they return home, many the biggest adjustment issues are “the who held key jobs in the military feel younger ones, 18, and 19.” that they’re not important any more.

But these young soldiers often reject They’re the average Joe again. the counseling they may need.

Soldiers are trained to be strong, Al Perez remembers maneuvering stable and efficient, but when their job his way through a sea of broken bodies, is over, the often horrific episodes that determining who might make it to see they’ve endured stay with them. Sufferanother day and who was ready for the ing silently can only do more harm than body bag. Perez, 59, a Navy medic who good, Valdez said. served in Vietnam more than 30 years “Veterans need to know that people ago, said the only way he could cope are out there to help; we’re here to help,” with his emotions was to harden his she said.

BY KRISTAL ROBERTS

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

Pompano Beach High

CAMILLE JEAN JR./MONTAGE STAFF

HEROES' WELCOME: Marines of the Fourth Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company Soldiers (ANGLICO) celebrate at the homecoming event held in their honor June 2004.

MARINES GET COMMUNITY HUG

BY ALEXIS PATTERSON AND JOSE FERNANDEZ

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High and Felix Varela Senior High

On a neighborhood block festooned with rippling American flags, fluttering banners and patriotic balloons, Elena Mortazavi stood on her tiptoes awaiting the arrival of her youngest son.

Fahim Mortazavi, a Marine in the Fourth Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company Soldiers (ANGLICO), was stationed in Iraq for approximately nine months.

“When Fahim went over I was proud, but nervous,” his mother said. “I went through the agony of nine months of waiting. But my children are very gracious. They just want to serve their country.”

On June 26, more than 200 family, friends and neighbors in Southwest Miami-Dade welcomed 12 returning Marines from the Middle East. In preparation for their return, Hamid and Rosemarie Mortazavi spent two weeks getting sponsors and organizing the event.

“Anyone is welcomed to the Heroes Welcome Home Celebration,” said Rosemarie Mortazavi, the Mortazavis’ daughter-in-law.

“It went from a small event to a huge block party. My brother-inlaw, Fahim, is home and he and his fellow Marines deserve this.”

The returning Marines served as a liaison for the Marine Air

Ground Task Force while they were in Iraq. The 12 men and Lt. Col. Fernandez were in charge of planning, coordination and execution.

It’s a surreal feeling coming back to this, like returning to a family environment, said Marine Miguel Rosario.

Until October, the men will spend a period of down time catching up on their lives. Since the average age of the men in the ANGLICO is about 22, some of them will be returning to college.

Escorted by two Miami-Dade police cars, the smiling Marines exited a ladder fire truck at the welcoming ceremony. Like statues, the Honor Guard stood with their glimmering swords held high for the Marines.

“These are the men and women that put up the sacrifice,” said Miami-Dade’s Commissioner Jose Diaz.

Hosting the party Hamid and Rosemarie Mortazavi announced and acknowledged the event sponsors. The primary contributor was the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, which provided refreshments for the patriotic event.

Jose Rios, head chief of the Miccosukee Indian Resort, said the Miccosukees felt compelled to play a role.

“This is just the right thing to do for the people who protect us,” Rios said.

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Young Americans stress the importance of patriotism but condemn politicians

BY ABEL S. DELGADO G. Holmes Braddock High

ami Beach High, who has a brother serving in the Army. “My problem is not with the military but with the politicians,” she said.

Many say living through the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the war in Iraq has affected their perceptions of the military and the country in general.

“Nine-eleven showed that the Americans are only capable of unity during times of crises,” said Janine Navarrete, 16, a junior at Coral Gables Senior High.

“It brought out the hypocrisy in people, because right afterward people were all like ‘We need to be patriots to this wonderful country’ and look at them now,” said Maria Vazquez, 16, a junior G. Holmes Braddock High. “We’re back to the point where we really don’t give a damn about the country.”

— GRACE LAPPOST Coral Gables High

ILLUSTRATION BY GORETTI DUNCKER/MONTAGE STAFF

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

Seventeen-year-old Rolando Machado has an unmistakable respect for the military.

“It is an essential asset to the preservation of our union,” said Rolando, a senior at Monsignor Pace High School in Opa-locka. Though he does not plan to join the military, people who do join have Rolando’s admiration.

“Most people don’t understand the real sacrifice soldiers make, not just with their lives but also seeing their friends die.”

Studies show that young people are more likely than their elders to support recent wars. And contrary to popular belief, Gallup polls from 1966 and 1970 showed there was more support for the Vietnam War among young people than among older adults. The most recent scientific poll done this year by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press shows that 58 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds support the war in Iraq, while only 48 percent of the overall population does.

Social scientists say the reason for the difference in opinion between young and older Americans on the war is because older people are less likely to take risks, while young people generally see themselves as immune from harm.

Kevin Rios, 18, from Homestead Senior High said he appreciates the role of the armed forces.

“We’d be stuck without them. They should be used for offensive purposes but we shouldn’t be a trigger-happy nation,” Rios said.

Although studies show young people are more likely to support the war in Iraq, many teens show concern for what is going on.

“I think the war is good for the people in Iraq but bad for us,” said Juan Diaz, 17, a senior at Coral Gables High. “We get

killed and we get criticized for trying to help them.”

While some teens see the military as an important part of America and its defense, others see faults within the system.

“They are using too little force and not being aggressive enough in Iraq,” said Edgar Mendez, 16, a junior at G. Holmes Braddock High. “And we’re still there like idiots getting our men killed.”

Laura Walker of North Miami Beach Senior High, says she doesn’t trust the military.

“You don’t know if they’re lying to us,” said Laura, 16.

Teens also say that their personal relationships in the armed forces have an effect on their opinions.

“I think they are really brave,” said Sheena Cyprus, 15, also from North Mi-

◗ Name: Lazaro Galindo ◗ Rank: Marines Lieutenant ◗ Personal: Age 24. Married, with two children. ◗ His story: In a convoy of vehicles to Baghdad in January, Marines Lt. Lazaro Galindo and his unit came under attack from Saddam Hussein loyalists who fired rocket-propelled grenades from forts alongside dusty roads. Suddenly, a car bomb crashed into their vehicles.

Galindo was shot in his right leg, and the debris discharged from the RPGs severely injured his head and face. Nonetheless, Galindo continued to fight.

“I decided I wanted to stay with my friends, my unit,” said Galindo, 24. “So I fought all the way through until we took them out.”

At the age of 16, Galindo decided he would join the military as “a way of saying ‘thank you’ to this nation for all the opportunities given to my family.”

Seeking a better life, Lazaro and his family moved from his native Sao Paulo, Brazil, to the United States when he was 11 years old. Galindo’s mother, Mia Galindo, was a licensed nurse but worked as a housekeeper. His father, also named Lazaro Galindo, was an engineer struggling to provide for his family of six as a taxi driver.

“As soon as we got to the United States my parents learned how to speak English so that they could revalidate their titles,” Galindo said.

“When I remember how we had to live back in Brazil, I’m so appreciative that my parents were able to make a better life for us here,” he said.

Galindo, currently a Marine recruiter and a Miami resident, said he plans to continue serving in the Marines and receive his master’s degree in computer science.

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How teens view military, war

SPOTLIGHT ON A MARINE

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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Young couples are forced to face adult decisions

BY LIS MESA

Southwest Miami High

Kimberlyn Perez’s photographs show a life of rock concerts, Marlin games and family outings.

They are the only reminder that she has of her fiance Pvt. 1st Class Ruben Perez’s life with her before he joined the Army.

In February 2003, he was sent to Fort Jackson, N.C., to complete his basic training.

“After Ruben was dipatched, it was extremely hard,” Kimberlyn, 17, said. “I used to see him every day and talk to him every night.”

Authors Sheri and Bob Stritof say the couple’s story is not an uncommon one. In their book, “The Everything Great Marriage Book,” (Adams Media Corporation, 2003) the Stritofs say that when someone in a relationship decides to enlist in the military, he or she immediately begins to deal with the strains of separation. As they are sent away to training or even to war, most of these couples’ main focus is on finding a way to stay together.

The U.S Army makes it relatively easy for young couples to marry and offers many benefits. One is the chance to be stationed on a military base together.

After being apart for more

'Don't ask, don't tell' doesn't solve gay dilemma

BY MARIANA OCHOA

Coral Gables High

Cristina Gonzalez joined the National Guard as a teen in 2003. During basic training, she said, the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell policy” occasionally would come up.

“We all knew it was a no-no,” said Gonzalez, who is not gay.

“We never got too in depth with

than 4 1/2 months, this option motivated Kimberlyn and Ruben to become engaged.

“I know [if I marry him] that I will get to be with him and live with him and honestly, that is all I care about right now,” Kimberlyn said.

Ted Bridis, a 58-year-old Vietnam veteran who married when he was 20, is an inspiration to young couples. His 38-

year marriage demonstrates how strong a marriage can be.

Bridis left his wife and daughter to fight in Vietnam.

He returned home a triple amputee, having lost his right arm and both legs.

He says his wife was an anchor for him. “My mother was upset after my amputation,” Bridis said. “My wife, however, let me do things for myself. She got others to treat me like a normal person.”

Embedded with U.S. soldiers in Iraq from March to May 2003, Miami Herald reporter Meg Laughlin saw the effects war had on couples. She said soldiers constantly talked about their spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends.

“It’s almost always true that there is something about being a soldier in a war that makes both people in a couple appreciate what they have more,” Laughlin said. “It strengthens relationships because when you go away to war, or someone you love goes away to war, the fear of loss makes you appreciate what you have.”

There are those, however, who do not think marriage for people at a young age is the best choice, especially when entering into the military.

“Entering into marriage just prior to or soon after enlisting can place extra burdens on

the recruit, the family and the military, particularly when frequent or unexpected deployments separate the new family,” according to the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense website.

Neena Malik, assistant professor in the Child Division of the University of Miami's Department of Psychology, agrees.

“There are a lot of challenges young marriages face. In every

relationship there are going to be some conflicts, especially in the military in which a person is trained to be aggressive.”

Despite knowing all of the possible negative outcomes of their decision, Kimberlyn and Ruben are confident.

“Marriage is a commitment to each other,” Kimberlyn said.

“It is not something you mess around with.”

it because the last thing you needed was to be accused of being gay in the military.”

The policy allowing gays to serve in the military was established in 1994. It states that as long as gay troops do not reveal their sexual orientation, military commanders won’t ask.

“It’s one of those things that no one gets involved with, and nobody in the recruiting office has asked me about,” said Master Sgt. Gerald E. Williams, an Air Force recruiter.

Prior to the policy, soldiers who engaged in homosexual activity were discharged -- including a lieutenant in George Washington’s army. In February 1778, Gen. Washington dismissed Lt. Gotthold Frederick Enslin after he had been found in bed with another soldier, ac-

cording to the Center for the Study for Sexual Minorities in the Military.

Discharges for homosexual activity continued throughout the 19th and most of the 20th centuries.

Homosexuals and homosexual acts were officially banned in the military during World War I. In November 1992, presidential candidate Bill Clinton promised he would eliminate the ban on gays in the military.

Clinton brought up the issue to the military when he was elected, eventually compromising to create the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

But the policy did not stop violent acts against gays.

On July 5, 1999, Army Pfc. Barry Winchell, 21, died on base

when a fellow soldier beat him with a bat. Winchell, 21, was gay.

“When a gay kid comes out of the closet, it’s not talked about with families, leaders or teachers,” said Martha Fugate, director of Project YES, an organization whose goal is to prevent suicide and secure the healthy development of gay youth.

“Even if our country is based on free speech, we don’t practice it,” Fugate said.

After Winchell’s murder, the Pentagon created the Anti-Harassment Action Plan, which called for everyone in the military to be trained to detect harassment, and for accountability for those engaging in or condoning harassment.

The policy, however, has been controversial. In 1999, The Miami Herald reported that

a fifth of the soldiers at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas were honorably dismissed from the military because they announced that they were gay.

The Air Force claimed that most of the discharges came from heterosexuals who lied to leave the military.

The largest number of gay and lesbian discharges occurred in 2001 with 1,273. The most recent statistics show that in 2003 there were 787 soldiers discharged, according to the Service Members Legal Defense Network.

But the policy isn’t just about the military, Fugate said.

“The policy of don’t ask, don’t tell is practiced in our entire country, in our families or other social institutions,” she said.

MILITARY DATING: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ◗ Members of the Armed Forces are permitted to have relationships with each other as long as they are within the same rank structure. ◗ Families are allowed to live with them as long as they’re stationed in a nonhazardous area. ◗ It’s illegal for members of the Armed Forces to commit adultery. It’s punishable by court martial and several years of military prison. ◗ Members of the Armed Forces are allowed to have a relationship with a civilian as long as they are of the opposite sex.

Source: Specialist Ryan Schubert, U.S. Army Reserve

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLYN PEREZ

TOGETHER AGAIN: Kimberlyn Perez and fiance, PVT. first class Ruben Perez, reunite after almost five months of separation.

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CLAIMS OF FEMALE INFERIORITY IN THE ARMED FORCES ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE, TEENAGERS SAY

BY GORETTI DUNCKER

Miami Palmetto High

Minority women particularly have flocked to the military to find opportunities not available in the workforce. says people use tradition as a reason for restricting combat.

Army Staff Sgt. Michael Bass said women have specialized hygienic needs. He said, for sanitation purposes women aren’t equipped for the front lines.

“Women have different agendas,” said Vietnam War veteran Al Perez, who served as a Medivac corpsman. He said there would be tension between a man and a woman during a war situation because of gender differences.

Ted Bridis, 58, is another Vietnam veteran. He served in an engineer battalion.

“Women aren’t as strong as men,” said Bridis who believes that women wouldn’t choose to be in battle situations.

Nicole McGill, a graduate of Coral Reef Senior High who recently enlisted in the

Army, said she believes women are needed in places such as Iraq.

“I stand for what I believe in.” McGill said. Men, she said, fear that women will surpass them in the military.

Ana Campos, 15, also disagrees with Perez. The cadet, who is in charge of physical training for her JROTC program, says, guys and girls are equal and work together.

Standing by her side is Christopher Diaz, who serves as a seaman, also 15, agrees with her. He said that in the program girls and boys work as a support team.“They are like my family,” he said.

Today, women have more opportunities to fill higher positions.

“There weren’t a lot of ladies back then, especially in combat,” said Howard Horowitz, 60, who served as an Infantry Platoon Officer in the Vietnam War. Most women served as nurses, Red Cross workers and clerks at recruiting stations, he said.

Miami Herald reporter Meg Laughlin saw first-hand how women are treated in the military. From her experience with female soldiers, Laughlin has gathered that women generally join because they need job skills and training.

Other reasons, Laughlin said, can be attributed to if women come from a line of relatives who have served in the military. She said women may join as a patriotic calling to serve or fight terrorism. The military for some, she said, can be a boost of self-esteem.

Laughlin said she was touched to see the fascination that Iraqi women had in seeing American women fighting side by side with men.

On one of her assignments, Laughlin said she stayed in a tent with 20 other women who were all commissioners, a high-ranking position.

She says the conditions in the tent were miserable, hot, and crowded. On the other hand, the male commissioner tent was air conditioned and more comfortable.

ALEXIS PATTERSON/ MONTAGE STAFF

GET UP, STAND UP: From left, cadets Marisely Lopez, Stephanie Ramones, Michelle Jaramillo and Ana Campos are 'standing up for what they believe in' by joining the Naval JROTC program at G. Holmes Braddock High.

SHE'S AN ENLISTEE, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLE WOMAN Beginning at the JROTC level, females are making gains in the military. The Army has the most women with 72,542.

Service and Rank

Number of Women

Percentage of Total Personnel

Total DOD forces Enlisted Officers

2,199,850 168,805 31,045

14.7% 14.7% 14.5%

Army Enlisted Officers

72,542 61,871 10,671

15.3% 15.5% 14.2%

Navy Enlisted Officers

50,771 43,010 7,761

13.99% 13.8% 14.7%

Marine Corps Enlisted Officers

10,338 9,387 951

16.0% 6.1% 5.3%

Air Force Enlisted Officers

66,199 54,537 11,662

19.0% 19.4% 17.2%

Coast Guard Enlisted Officers

3,538 2,768 770

10.2% 10.05% 11.2%

Figures based on 2001 statistics: http://www.factmonster.com/cgi-bin/id/A0004600.html

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

For most of her life, people have tried to fill Stephanie Ramones’ head with the idea that women aren’t as strong as men. And certainly, they didn’t have the mettle to make it in the military.

Ramones, like a growing number of young American girls, refuse to accept suggestions that women are inferior.

“I wanted to prove them wrong,” said the 15-year-old, who serves as a public affairs officer in the Naval Junior Reserve Officer’s Training Corps at her school, G. Holmes Braddock High.

“Women should be equal,” she added.

Overall, the benefits of enlisting in the military include financial aid for education and the development of job skills and training; all depending on a person’s family history and economic status.

Minority women particularly have flocked to the military to find opportunities not available in the civilian workforce. According to the Department of Defense, black women make up more than half of the female enlistees in the Army.

Ramones, who is in her second year of JROTC, said she is pleased with the people she’s met in the program. She said there is a large number of girls enrolled, and most hold high-ranking positions such as commander. Ramones said she hopes to attend Boston University’s naval program after high school, and finds JROTC challenging.

A program like this, she said, gives her positive feedback, and boosts her confidence. “It hasn’t really made me patriotic, but it teaches discipline and gives me more respect toward my country.”

Although Danielle Rodriguez has no interest in joining the military, the 16-yearold said that women have made strides by overcoming traditional ideas.

“Women live here, too; we

are proud, and we need to show it,” said Rodriguez who attends Southeast High in Bradenton.

Feminism is still alive in America. Despite the adversity some may face, teen girls are working to fill occupations that many would call a man’s job.

In 1994 most jobs were opened to women and currently women fill 15 percent of the positions.

Yet women are still not allowed to go into the front lines. Air Force Master Sgt. Gerald Williams said of the 152 jobs available in the Air Force, there are 150 open to women.

The two jobs that are not open are peer rescue and combat controller. Williams

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GIRLS GONE MILITARY

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Cyan Magenta Yell Black

Documentary puts spotlight on president FAHRENHEIT 9/11

were killed and 304,000 were wounded. An estimated four million North and South VietnamIn the 1960s’ era of flower ese were killed; one million of power, young people were en- those were combatants.

Feelings of animosity and recouraged to make love and not war. To many people, teens today bellion aroused among young have retained the sex, drugs and protesters became a way of life. rock n’ roll values of the hippie They not only expressed their era, but not the political aware- disdain toward government offiness. cials but also took their anger out “The circumstances were dif- on the returning soldiers.

At the Los Angeles Internaferent,” said Vietnam veteran Howard Horowitz, 60. “At the tional Airport, “there were hiptime the country was so divided. pies standing outside the fence People realized their right to in lines and had signs saying ‘Are protest.” you proud of what you did?’ and The war in Iraq hasn’t affect- ‘How many babies did you kill?’ ” ed people in such a great way, said Navy veteran Al Perez, 59.

The nation was split, filled he said. “You don’t scream that it’s too hot in a room until you’re with reasons for and against the war, reflected hot.” in songs. Barry McOne key difference ‘Most teens between Vietnam and Guire's “Eve of Dethe Iraq war is the don't know struction” was used draft, which required to depict the hellish men from all socio- what's going experience of war: “The eastern economic and reliworld, it is explodin’/ gious backgrounds on, which Violence flarin’, bulto serve. Despite that two out of three men leads to a lot lets loadin’/You're who served during old enough to kill, but of ignorance Vietnam enlisted, not for votin’/You there was a tense at- and apathy.’ don't believe in war/ but what's that gun mosphere as many Americans resented —KATIE HERSH, you’re totin’?”

In terms of recent being compelled to a 16-year-old Quaker in the Miami area activity, protest muserve in the armed forces.

Of those sic is not large on the drafted, 30,000 fled to Canada radar. There are some active muto avoid military service. Others sicians, however. Some groups chose to enlist and apply for jobs took it upon themselves last where fighting was not involved. spring to promote the freedom “I first came to Miami because to protest at the “Rock Against of opposition to the war and the Bush’’ tour. It featured punk rock draft,” said Warren Hoskins, a 56- groups such as Sum 41, Good year-old legal assistant. Hoskins Charlotte and Green Day. is also a member of the Ameri“I’ve made a commitment to can Friends Service Committee, war opposition because I believe a faith group with the Religious that it is always wrong to take a Society of Friends, also known as human life. Most teens don’t know what’s going on, which Quakers.

“A dynamic issue is that there leads to a lot of ignorance and is no draft. There is currently an apathy seen in teenagers,” said all-volunteer [army] so there is Katie Hersh, a 16-year-old Quakno intrusion into people’s private er in the Miami area. lives,” Horowitz said. “The draft Still, many teens would rather will accelerate divisiveness,” he watch television than pick up a added. “More will discuss and picket sign and march for peace. protest. It will have direct effect “We’re too lazy to do anything on intensity.” ourselves,” said Brandon Hirsch, Lasting 10 years, the Vietnam a high school junior from Fort War was the longest lasting in Branch, Ind. “I’m just too laidAmerican history. During this back to get up and do something time 58,226 American soldiers myself.”

North Miami Beach High

Written and directed

by Michael Moore Distributed by Lions Gate Films Inc. and IFC Films Running time: 122 min.

M

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

Absence of draft muffles protests against war in Iraq

BY NUOLA AKINDE

★★★★★

ichael Moore is addicted to controversy the way some teenagers are addicted to Starbucks coffee. In his previous films, he attacked General Motors (Roger and Me) and Lockheed Martin and gun control (Bowling for Columbine). In Fahrenheit 9/11, released June 25, his main target is the Bush administration and its policies regarding Sept..

11 and the war in Iraq.

A hot topic even before its release, Disney, the DAGNY SALAS film’s original MIAMI PALMETTO distributor, HIGH refused to allow subdivision Miramax to distribute it for fear of alienating certain groups. Miramax co-founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein bought the rights to its distribution, and eventually found a taker in Lions Gate Films.

At the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Fahrenheit 9/11 won the Fipresci “In Competition” Prize and the Palme d’Or, the equivalent of best film. All of the uproar has sparked a frenzy of media attention and interest; the movie debuted at an unprecedented No. 1 at the box office, grossing $21.8 million in its opening weekend to make it the highest grossing documentary ever.

The film focuses on the 2000 presidential election; how Bush handled the threat – and then the reality – of terrorism; and his sloppy treatment of the war in Iraq. Moore uses his sarcastic wit to supply the audience with Bush’s possible thoughts. At many points

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NO. 1: Michael Moore's documentary on the Bush administration debuted as the highest grossing documentary ever.

throughout the movie, Moore metaphorically jabs Bush and his team with an electric cattle prod, parading video that showcases the administration’s apparent hypocrisy. However, in one case, Moore points out the ties between the Bush and bin Laden families, and then concludes a conspiracy that feels too stretched. Because Moore is not a journalist who provides a fair and balanced view of the truth, but a filmmaker who prefers his own account, the audience is not always given the complete story.

Once the film moves beyond Moore’s satiric commentary, he tends to let the images, however graphic or amusing, stand by themselves and lets view-

ers decide for themselves.

In one instance, Moore simply plays the audio of the moment the airliners hit the towers on Sept. 11 and people’s reaction to it.

The screen is blacked out, reflecting the chaos and confusion of the moment, which is a compelling impression by itself.

Moore also incorporates many soldiers’ personal stories, including one from Moore’s hometown of Flint, Mich.

One of the most emotional moments is when the soldier’s mother attempts to read her late son’s last letter, but cannot finish.

This kind of moment is what moves Moore’s film beyond a parody of Bush’s mistakes and makes it a powerful experience.

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BRASS ARE TOO BRASH

IRAQ'S NO VIETNAM

Military recruiting tactics unfairly tempt teenagers

2 wars fought for different reasons and outcomes

T

a nine-year war to 33 casualties in a 42-day war is beyond outlandish.

The vast majority of American casualties in Iraq, 96 percent, have come during the period of occupation. There was never a period of occupation in Vietnam so no comparison can be made there. It is true that 858 American casualties in Iraq are 858 too many, but this number comes nowhere near any figure of casualties in Vietnam.

It is clear that while the problems in Vietnam came in war, the ones in Iraq came during occupation. A more suitable comparison to Iraq would be the U.S. occupation of Japan after World War II. In both cases, the United States was seen as evil at the beginning of the occupation by many of the people in the nation they were occupying. Little by little, that perception changed in Japan. And it most likely will change in Iraq.

CHANGE OF HEART

IMMIGRANT ENLISTEES

Joining the military could be the best option for some

Some risk their lives for a bite of the American dream

I

n just the first year of major battles, 5,008 American soldiers were killed in combat.

No, this is not the case in Iraq. These soldiers were killed in Vietnam. Often-touted Vietnam-Iraq comparisons are illogical and baseless.

The main comparison between the two conflicts is that both wars have been “quagmires.” That case can easily be made with Vietnam, where we spent years without progress.

Iraq has had a regime change.

President Bush has declared an end to major military operations on May 1, 2003. Iraq’s sovereignty has been restored.

All of this has taken place in just 15 months. That doesn’t sound like lack of progABEL DELGADO ress to me.

G. HOLMES Our motives BRADDOCK HIGH for entering the two conflicts also were completely different. In Vietnam, we entered a civil war on the side of a “lesser evil” - the corrupt South Vietnamese government, which was fighting the communists. Supporting a corrupt government only hurt us in the end.

In Iraq, the hope was we would end the reign of a dangerous dictator and help build a democracy in the Arab world.

With all the setbacks that have occurred, Saddam Hussein is out of power and set to go on trial for crimes against humanity. Iraq is set to have democratic elections in six months.

Our enemies in the two conflicts also have little in common. In Vietnam we were fighting guerilla rebels, who had North Vietnamese backing. In Iraq we are fighting insurgents and foreign terrorists with no state backing.

The Vietnam war lasted 10 years. The conflict in Iraq began March 19, 2003. Baghdad, the capital city, was liberated on April 9, 2003, and an end to major military operations came on May 1 of the same year.

Comparing 58,148 casualties in

ILLUSTRATION BY CAMILLE JEAN JR..

I

’d rather lie in a tub of acid than go through an obstacle course. I don’t do well listening to orders, much less following them. Holding a gun and shooting at something?

Preposterous! I don’t even like to eat meat.

If two weeks ago someone had asked me to consider join-

O

ur understanding of the meaning of American patriotism would not be complete without considering the pride and commitment immigrants demonstrate on behalf of the United States. Their service in the U.S. military is a strong indication of the great sacrifices they have made in

defense of America throughout our history.

In the American Revolutionary War, at Yorktown, Frenchmen outnumbered Americans almost three to one (11,000 Americans to 29,000 Frenchmen); during America’s Civil War, there were roughly 185,000 Irish immigrants (out of the 2,763,670 Union and Confederate soldiers; African Americans, who were not considered full citizens at the time, fought in the Revolutionary War and on both sides of the American Civil War; and today about 60,000 immigrants are on active duty of the 1.4 million active force in the U.S. military.

“Joining the military was my way of saying thank you to this nation for all the opportunities it offers,” said Marine Sgt..

Lazaro Galindo, a Brazilian who fought for America in Iraq.

Since our ALEXIS PATTERSON military’s enlistMARJORY STONEMAN ment is voluntary, DOUGLAS HIGH the immigrants who enlist show a commitment to their adopted nation that equals that of a patriotic American.

In return for their dedication, President Bush signed an executive order in 2002 expediting naturalization for legal aliens and non-citizen nationals who serve in active-duty status during the administration’s “war on terrorism.”

However, these non-citizens may just be putting their lives at risk for a bite of the American Dream. They may not really be serving America but the “dream” – the promise that America entails. Immigrants are drawn to what America offers: unprecedented freedom, unlimited growth and no established social classes to hinder their progress.

When noncitizens join the U.S. military they must agree to serve in uniform for a minimum of 10 years, after which they and their immediate family would be naturalized as American citizens. All their dedication and patriotism for their adopted country may be all for attainment of a U.S. citizenship.

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

he military has begun to use popular culture to lure teenagers into enlisting. Unfortunately, they may be going too far. Recruiters realize they can attract teens through common teenage leisure activities, as if selling the latest sneakers. Military ads are in magazines and are flooding television screens nation wide.

Many teens are pulled in by deceptive advertisement. Commercials show the good side of enlisting and leave out the potentially harmful side such as going to war.

The combat video game “America’s Army” is played by many teens. Links to the game pop up when the Army website is GORETTI DUNCKER opened, and the games are given MIAMI PALMETTO out at most Army HIGH recruiting stations. The game gives teens the notion that war is fun; The blood and gore are just a part of the game.

Students, especially recent high school graduates, complain that recruiters constantly mail information, even calling them at home.

Whitney Reed, 18, who graduated this year from Booker High School in Sarasota, said when she visited a military recruiting office, the recruiter wanted her to take the ASVAB, a test to see where the applicant stands academically. When she told him that it was not a convenient time, he insisted, even offering to give her a ride home.

A complete stranger was insisting on driving a teenager home. Is that how far the military will go to get an extra recruit?

The military is not looking out for the well-being of teenagers. It is brainwashing teens through all the elements of popular culture from video games to camouflage-printed clothing.

Teens shouldn’t be tempted to make decisions they aren’t ready for.

ing the U.S. military, I would have made a rude hand gesture and walked off.

The closest I’d ever been to the military was when I watched “Pearl Harbor,” and I only did that because actor Josh Harnett is the chicken soup for my soul.

One reason I joined the high school journalism workshop at the University of Miami was to expand my ideas. But I came in with strong anti-military feelings.

On the first day of the workshop, the two guest speakers were military recruiters.

“Look at those smug faces," I thought as they walked in all neat and prim in their uniforms.

“Stop with the propaganda,” I murmured as they handed out brochures. I was not enjoying myself.

As time went on, I found myself LIS MESA listening. They SOUTHWEST MIAMI seemed honest HIGH and relaxed, not the high-strung, push-up enforcers I had pictured officers to be.

They talked about the many benefits (educational, health, personal) and reasons why so many people joined. I began to realize that the military was the best option for some people.

Not everyone needs to go to college and work behind a desk to be considered successful.

People are different and they have diverse needs.

As my man Aristotle once said: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

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OUR VIEWS

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‘I'll never forget Goretti's “drilling” double entendres.

They had the whole staff laughing hysterically.’

‘My favorite memory is of the discussions we had at dinner about politics, religion and life in general.’

—NUOLA AKINDE, North Miami Beach High

—GRACE LAPPOST, Coral Gables High

‘We stayed up late one night talking about everything that came to mind. I'll miss the laughter shared here.’

‘Scoring three-pointers on Greg and Camille during a friendly game of basketball.

Unfortunately, no one saw it.’

—ELVIA BRAZIL, Miami Northwestern High

—MIGUEL LORENZO, Felix Varela High

‘My favorite moment was when Greg was scared of a butterfly and ran away.’

‘I'll always remember all of us skipping along, singing out loud on our way to the dorms after a hard day's work.’

—ALEX CUMANA, Hialeah High

‘The in-depth “Family Guy” discussions at the breakfast table.’

—ABEL DELGADO, G. Holmes Braddock High

‘Having a mellow moment with my “peeps” at the “swingy” benches and talking about the visual crew!’

GROUP PHOTO BY MELISSA BLEMUR/MONTAGE STAFF. INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS BY DAGNY SALAS/MONTAGE STAFF

BY THE BAY: Before exploring the inner workings of The Miami Herald in downtown Miami, the group takes a few minutes to enjoy the view.

Tight deadlines,

tighter friends IN 10 DAYS 18 STUDENTS LIVE TOGETHER AND GROW AS JOURNALISTS

—GORETTI DUNCKER, Miami Palmetto High

BY ILEANA MORALES

G. Holmes Braddock High

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DOW JONES HIGH SCHOOL MINORITY WORKSHOP SUMMER 2004

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‘Every time we stayed up all night even though we had to wake up early the next day. Visual Crew forever!’

—JOSE FERNANDEZ, Felix Varela High

‘When Mupi and Professor Wakhisi said “All right people of the press, it’s time to go” every night.’

—IMANI GREENE, Miami Northwestern High

‘One morning when we scared some annoying little kids out of the showers.’

—GREG IGHILE, Coral Reef High

‘After Greg screamed at the kids in the shower and chased them down the hall into the elevators.’

—CAMILLE JEAN JR., Design and Architecture High

School is out – but we’re still working.

High school students from Miami-Dade, Broward and Sarasota packed for 10 days and collaborated to create the 2004 edition of the Montage newspaper.

With all the events occurring in Iraq, teens in the military seemed a fitting theme for this year’s Dow Jones University of Miami High School Journalism Workshop.

“I was thrilled about the theme,” Abel Delgado, 16, said. “I’m interested in the military and covering foreign issues as a journalist. Throwing in the teen perspective adds another interesting aspect to it.”

However, for Kristal Roberts it was an unpleasant surprise.

“The theme wasn’t something that appealed to me,” Roberts,

18, said. “I wasn’t ‘gungho’ about it, as they like to say around here.”

Regardless, at orientation the group was booming with ideas. By the end of the day everyone was assigned at least one story. And as days filled with coffee runs, press conferences and late-night talks rolled by, some students’ opinions of the military changed.

“I used to think the military wasn’t worth it,” Goretti Duncker, 15, said. “Now that I have found out so much I have actually considered joining the military.”

Within a few days we also accepted dorm life.

“I love everything from the small bed to the small showers,” Lis Mesa, 17, said. “It’s been great. It’s practice for when I really go to college.”

Then, there was the walking.

“You could take a

shower, walk out your dorm, walk to the computer room and it feels like you’ve been working out for three hours,” Greg Ighile, 15, said.

“You get that sweaty.”

About six times a day we walked to or from the dorms to the School of Communication. “When we’re walking, whoever you walk next to, you just start talking to them and really get to know them,” Dagny Salas, 17, said.

“That is how I got to meet all of the wonderful people attending this workshop.”

The workshop has become for some students their sweet home away from home.

“I’ll be happy to go home on Friday. But at the same time, sad to leave,” Jose Fernandez, 17, said. “The staff has become like a family because we spend all day together, laughing and joking, and we’ve bonded.”

—LIS MESA, Southwest Miami High

‘I woke up to Grace and Lis laughing at me because I was dreaming about food and was actually chewing in my sleep.’

—ILEANA MORALES, G. Holmes Braddock High

‘The morning that my roommate made up a song and dance about looking for her clothes.’

—MARIANA OCHOA, Coral Gables High

‘When we were all on the swings and Jose made us all burst out laughing.’

—ALEXIS PATTERSON, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High

‘My favorite moment was when Greg asked me what comes after the letter “S” – “U” or “T” ?’

—WHITNEY REED, Booker High

‘The moment I busted out laughing when we were all talking about the movie “Bringing Down the House.” ’ —KRISTAL ROBERTS, Pompano Beach High

‘I loved it when every single one of us was on our cell phones at the same time in the elevator. It was so loud!’

—DAGNY SALAS, Miami Palmetto High

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