Proud of our Armed Forces

This week, I shook hands with a young man named Brandon Ulmer. He is now an exemplary member of the United States Marine Corps. Brandon just returned from Parris Island, S.C., and it was an honor to shake hands with him.

Two years ago, when Brandon was 16, we worked together at Camp Joy off Highway 58 in Harrison. I noticed right away that he was a smart, self-sacrificing, and hard-working individual. As Brandon was preparing to graduate from Basic Training, another young man from our area, Mitch Beard, arrived on the Island to begin his journey. Mitch was one of my students last year at Tennessee Temple Academy, and I am honored to have had the privilege of teaching him.

I am proud of both of these young men, and as they complete the remainder of their training before possible deployments, I want to commend Brandon, Mitch, and all of our service men and women who are willing to give their time, energy, and possibly their lives to contribute to a cause greater then themselves. I also want to thank all of the families making so many sacrifices and supporting their relatives and loved ones serving in our military.