A Salute to
Veterans Special Pages of the Addison Independent • November 5, 2015
Anchors aweigh: first year at Annapolis Cornwall youth experiences life of a ‘plebe’ By EVAN JOHNSON
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Joseph Hounchell has hardly had a typical introduction to the college experience. As “plebe,” or first-year, in the Brigade of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, the Cornwall native is in uniform at all hours, can recite the menu of the next three meals from memory, and is working toward a career in the Navy or Marine Corps after he graduates. It’s far from the trappings of many college freshmen, but that’s exactly what he enjoys. “It’s not always the most fun and it’s not a normal college, but in the big picture I really think I’m part of something bigger than myself by being here,” he said in a recent phone interview from the academy in Annapolis, Md. Pursuing a career in one of the most exclusive undergraduate institutions in the country wasn’t always part of his plan. As a senior at Middlebury Union High School last year, Hounchell, who is 18, hadn’t considered any of the service academies. But on a trip with his parents to tour colleges in the Washington, D.C., area, he found himself with an extra day. His father, Eric Hounchell, a 1992 graduate of the academy who served for five years in the Marine Corps, suggested they take
a tour. Impressed by what he saw, Joseph Hounchell decided to apply. In addition to writing essays and providing transcripts and advanced placement test scores, Hounchell submitted physical fitness results and received congressional nominations from Rep. Peter Welch and Sen. Patrick Leahy. Up until spring of his senior year his top two choices were the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and Annapolis. Finally, he made his decision for the academy. “I liked what it stood for and I liked the opportunities that it seemed to provide,” he said. WELCOME TO THE NAVY Hounchell’s journey started on Induction Day, July 1, which marked the start of “Plebe Summer,” a six-week indoctrination to naval and military codes of conduct and intensive physical training. He and the other plebes received uniforms and military haircuts, underwent medical evaluations and learned to render a salute. Plebes also each received a copy of “Reef Points,” a 225-page handbook of information about the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the Naval Academy’s history and traditions, the administrative chain of command, and the general (See Hounchell, Page 9)
JOE HOUNCHELL IN his spiffy new white uniform stands with his father, Eric, in Annapolis, Md., near the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy. Eric Hounchell graduated from the institution and Joe is a first-year student.
Veteran finds his voice for peace after he leaves the army By GAEN MURPHREE
MIDDLEBURY — “Even today, when I stand up at hockey games for ‘The Star Spangled Banner,’ the first thought in my mind is Charlie Lee,” said Reg Spooner. Spooner, 78, has lived his whole life in Middlebury. His dad worked for Monument Farms. Spooner worked
there some too. His high school physics teacher encouraged him to go to college and get a degree in engineering. But back in the 1950s, there was little of today’s public funding for students to pay for college. The relatively new G.I. Bill was for vets only. So Spooner knew college was out of the
question. Instead, he enlisted in the Army soon after graduating from Middlebury High School in 1956 to study electronics and to fulfill his obligation to serve in the military. “There was a boy from Middlebury who went into the service the same day I did,” Spooner continued. “We rode the
bus together down to the induction center down in Manchester, N.H. His name was Charlie Lee. Charlie and I sent letters back and forth to each other on occasion. He was in electronics school in the Air Force, while I was in electronics school in the Army. He was in Colorado, not too (See Spooner, Page 2)