Honoring Marines By Educating Their Children

Perhaps the greatest gift one can give, is the gift of education.

In 1962, BGen Martin Rockmore USMC (Ret) read a New York Times article, concerning a Medal of Honor Recipient who could not afford to send his son to college. Rockmore, who was inspired by this, vowed to make sure that every son and daughter of a Marine would have the opportunity to gain a college education.

Ever since Rockmore took that vow, 25,000 scholarships valued at $50 million have been awarded to children of Marines through the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.

The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation provides educational scholarships to children of marines with a "particular attention given to children whose parents have been killed or wounded in action."

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse at Patriot Place hosted the Eighth Annual Scholarship Foundation Seminar Series, sponsored by The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation on March 4.

The seminar series featured speakers LtCol Todd M. Caruso and LtCol Benjamin T. Watson.

LtCol Caruso graduated from Medfield High School in 1986 and joined the United States Marine Corps shortly after in 1989 through the Platoon Leaders Course entry program.

In March of 1994, LtCol Caruso earned his wings as a Naval Flight Officer and completed aviation training as an Electronic Countermeasures Officer in the EA-6B Prowler. After graduating from Naval Postgraduate School with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering, LtCol Caruso was transferred to the Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squardon Four.

LtCol Caruso was deployed to operation IRAQI FREEDOM in 2005 and operation ENDURING FREEDOM Afghanistan in 2010. He spoke of the harsh conditions in both Iraq and Afghanistan and his combat missions.

"It was eat, sleep, fly. That was a 24/7 operation. Whenever the ground forces called upon us to do so," said LtCol Caruso.

LtCol Benjamin T. Watson, attended Cornell University in 1991 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps through the NROTC program.

In 2006, LtCol Watson deployed to Iraq as a Future Operations Planner in the G-3. Shortly after, he commanded Battalion Landing Team 3/1 as the Ground Combat Element for the 31st MEU in the Western pacific before deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

LtCol Watson spoke of the success that he has witnessed in Afghanistan.

"This is a war that we are winning," said LtCol Watson.

The seminar also included items, in which participants could bid on to aid in raising money for the foundation. Items included framed Marine posters and one of the final pictures taken of the Twin Towers in August 2001 from the window of a Marine fighter.

For more information of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, visit their website atwww.mcsf.org.