Navy JROTC present gift of gab to Marines

Marines who are soon to be deployed in Iraq will have a little bit easier time staying in touch with loved ones back home, thanks to the efforts of a group of District 214 high school students.

The Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corp of District 214 recently presented more than 200 phone cards with 550 minutes each of talk time and a deck of playing cards to the Marines at a ceremony in Waukegan.

The junior reserve is an elective course taken on Wednesday nights composed of 122 students from six high schools: Wheeling, Elk Grove, Prospect, Rolling Meadows, Hersey and Buffalo Grove.

It is taught by three instructors, with Senior Naval Science Instructor Commander Jeff Morse being the head of the department. The school system and the Navy cosponsor Navy JROTC. Morse began teaching in North Chicago in 1994 and has spent the last six years at District 214.

"People think we are trying to force students into the military, but what we are trying to do is teach leadership," said Morse.

Each year, cadets work to raise money to purchase Christmas presents for people at the North Chicago Veterans Hospital. The cadets put together gift boxes and visit the hospital to decorate Christmas trees, play bingo, serve lunch, and visit with the many men and women veterans. This year the cadets decided to "adopt" another project by giving the phone cards to the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Weapons Company in Waukegan.

They got the idea from Marine Thomas Gabriel, the father of freshman Morgan Gabriel, who said that calling cards were very high on the list of what Marines wanted most.

The cadets raised more than $5,500 for phone cards outside of Wal-Marts in Mount Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling. They presented the phone cards to the head of the battalion, Capt. Paul Armenia.

Morse said he's impressed by how the cadets make it a personal priority to put forth their best effort.

"I guess that just shows you what really matters to these kids."