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| Stephanie Thomas
(left), Horne Elementary School principal, poses with her son, Michael Longpre, who graduated from Langham Creek High School in 2017 and is currently stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground CombatnCenter near Twentynine Palms, Calif. with 1st Battalion, 7th Marines. |
Molly Swanson was simply planning ahead.
In 2017, she was
serving as the summer school principal at Horne Elementary School. An assistant
principal at Rennell Elementary School, Swanson needed to be off on July 17, so
she made sure to communicate with Stephanie Thomas, the building principal at
Horne since 2012.
Swanson’s son
Seth, a 2017 graduate from Cypress Lakes High School, was leaving home that day
for the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Calif.
To her surprise,
Swanson soon found out she wasn’t alone.
“It was at that time
that she told me that her son would be leaving for MCRD just a few weeks after
Seth,” Swanson said.
Thomas’ son, Michael Longpre, a 2017
graduate from Langham Creek High School, also enlisted in the U.S. Marines.
Both he and Swanson attended boot camp in San Diego, Calif. at the same time,
albeit in different companies. The two join numerous CFISD graduates and alumni
to receive appointments to attend United States service academies or enlist in
the military.
Pfc. Swanson is currently stationed at
Camp Pendleton, Calif., with I Marine Expeditionary Force, 1st Marine Logistics
Group Combat Logistics Regiment 15.
Pfc. Longpre is currently stationed at
the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center near Twentynine Palms, Calif. with
1st Battalion, 7th Marines.
Back home, Swanson and Thomas have
bonded with each other in shared experiences as a “MoM” – Mom of Marine.
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| Molly Swanson, (left) Rennell Elementary Assistant School Principal School assistant principal, poses with her son, Seth, a 2017 Cypress Lakes High School graduate currently stationed at Camp Pendelton, Calif. with I Marine Expeditionary Force, 1st Marine Logistics Group Combat Logistics Regiment 15. |
“The support and strength found in
the friendship with another ‘MoM’ has been incredible,” Thomas said. “For
Michael, having a fellow Marine and friend from home in CFISD has been a strong
support system as well. It is a bond, a brotherhood, that is stronger than most
people could ever understand.”
Added Swanson: “It
was a comfort to both of us to know that we would have someone to talk to and
lean on through this process. That we weren’t alone and could provide support
and strength to each other. Stephanie
and I text often and always catch up on what the boys are doing when we see
each other at meetings.”
Seth and Michael got to know each other
through their time spent at the Marine Corps Recruiting Sub-Station Willowbrook
and training sessions used to prepare future servicemen for boot camp. Michael
would routinely tell Thomas about “Swanson,” while Seth told his mother about a
fellow recruit known as “Mikey.”
Their stories draw similar parallels.
Seth’s brother is also a Marine, as
was his stepfather. His grandfather served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam
War.
“I grew up around it,” he said. “It kind of fit
my personality and I haven’t looked back since I joined.”
Michael’s grandfather attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served in the Air Force, while two
uncles also served – one a Marine himself. A visit from a recruiter at Langham
Creek left an impression.
“That’s when the
thought of being a Marine became more possible to me and a good stepping point
for the rest of my life,” Longpre said.
They became more acquainted in preparing for boot camp,
also doing so with others from CFISD and other neighboring districts.
Now living their everyday lives as Marines, both said
they’ve enjoyed getting to their duty stations, learning their jobs and being
part of a team. They’re challenged daily.
But that connection to home is closer than the distance
may indicate, whether it’s through a fellow CFISD graduate or communication with
family.
“Home is never
too far away,” Swanson said.
And for the mothers, they share their admiration in
watching their sons take on this part of their lives and what it means.
“There are no words to
describe the pride I feel knowing that I have raised a son who has made the
sacrifice to serve and protect his country,” Molly said.
Said Thomas: “They say that where there is no struggle,
there is no strength. The struggles that our sons are facing together to defend
our freedom have brought these two CFISD families together to provide strength
and support for each other.”
