Clayton high school principal denies student right to wear military uniform to graduation

Clayton High School principal stops graduating student from wearing Marine uniform at graduation. Principal Jerry Smith insisted Eric Hile follow school rules and not wear his uniform and that he conform to standard graduation attire. On top of that Mr. Hile just wanted to wear the uniform under his graduation gown.

What a sad day when a North Carolina school denies a student serving his country the honor of wearing his military uniform for graduation. His choice to join the Marines lets him wear the uniform, protect his country and provide the freedom to make choices but the school principle has chosen to deny the student the freedom to choose to wear his uniform!

This ranks right up there with the NC Legislature's refusal in the 2007 session to stop corporal punishment in North Carolina schools. NC sometimes look pretty bad in some regards compared to more progressive states.

The complete news story follows...

News and Observer
June 8, 2007
Marti Maguire, Staff Writer

Clayton Marine won't graduate in uniform

CLAYTON - A military mom is incensed that her Marine son won’t be able to wear his uniform when he graduates from Clayton High School tonight.

Pfc. Eric Hile, 17, graduated from the school in January, but returned from his training to walk across the stage and take his diploma.

He wanted to wear his dress blues under his gown, but Principal Jerry Smith insisted he follow school rules, which require that all graduating students wear khaki pants, a dark tie and a white shirt.

“We have a standard policy,” Smith said. “Everyone dresses the same for graduation.”

But Elizabeth Hile, Eric’s mother, said wearing his uniform is an important show of patriotism.

“I can understand that some kids want to wear shorts and a T-shirt. I get that,” Hile said. “But he is a United States Marine. It’s a show that he is so proud to be in the U.S. military.”

Elizabeth Hile, whose parents and husband served in various branches of the military, said her son would violate military rules against defiance if he were to wear the uniform.

So Eric will likely compromise. He’ll go to school in his uniform, but wear only the pants with a white shirt and a tie under his gown. Then, after he’s thrown his cap, he’ll change back.

Staff writer Marti Maguire can be reached at (919) 829-4930 or marti.maguire@newsobserver.com

Read original article...

Osprey will carry Marines after 20 year development

After 20 years of testing and rework the Marine Osprey aircraft is at long last on the edge of deployment. "The Osprey takes off and lands like a helicopter, but once in the air, the two motors mounted on its wing tips tilt forward so it can fly like an airplane. The Marines say the aircraft will allow them to strike farther and faster than the CH-46 helicopter it is supposed to replace."

Exerpt from the news report...

News and Observer
March 2, 2007
Jay Price, Staff Writer

Long-hobbled Osprey finally soars
Exercise wins Marines' praise

ATLANTIC - Above the scrub-pine horizon, four small smudges appeared, then within seconds became odd-looking aircraft that swooped down onto the cracked pavement of the old airfield. As a storm of rotor wash sprayed grit and rocks, the V-22 Ospreys disgorged about 75 Marines, who dived to the ground pointing their M-16s or faded into the adjacent tree line.

Then the Ospreys clawed back into the sky, tilted their engines forward and were gone.

The Marines who took part in this exercise Thursday won a battle older than some of them: making the long-troubled Osprey officially ready to be ordered to war.

The mock airfield seizure in a remote corner of Carteret County was the final exercise for Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 before it gets an order to deploy and begins mission-specific training, which Marine leaders have said could be this year. Read more...