To the U.S. Military, thank you

The duty of every military personnel is to protect and preserve the freedom of fellow Americans. They are “on the job 24/7” and have to “be professional every hour and day” of their lives.

People in our community and throughout America devote their lives to keeping our country safe.

Even as seniors in high school, some already know their calling to service in the military. Class of 2018 members at LHS, Tyler Soper and Zac Lindung, are officially enlisted in the Marines. Lindung is most looking forward to being deployed and “earning [his] title as a United States Marine.”

The future Marines have been preparing themselves. Lindung, Soper and other “poolees” in the delayed entry program for the USMC, have “PT sessions” every Tuesday and Thursday. Soper also goes to the range for target practices to improve his skills.

Thank you Lindung and Soper for your commitment to our country and accepting this potentially dangerous future. By graduation in May 2018, many more Lancers will take on a military future as well.

Over the years, many students from LHS have joined the military. Class of 2013 graduate, Andrew Schiller, is now Second Lieutenant in the army. He attended McDaniel College and earned a Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science. He decided to go into the army because he felt that it is his “duty to serve the country and protect the American people.” Schiller also wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps, as they are retired military officers and role models to him and his siblings.

Mr. Lee Schiller, is a retired Colonel and Mrs. Chris Schiller, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel. Andrew has two younger brothers and a younger sister. The family of six has lived in six different states over the years, which is not uncommon for military families.

“It was tough moving every three to five years, but good things came out of each move. I met great friends along exploring new places and I will always consider New Market my ‘home’ because of the time spent here,” said Schiller.

Although he grew up in a military household, having the job himself has changed his lifestyle, the way he “thinks, speaks and acts” and it has brought a “new sense of pride” to his life.

Second Lieutenant Schiller said, “as of now I have no orders for any deployments, I relish the opportunity to some day be deployed with a group of soldiers.” He is currently a student at the Army Logistics University in Ft. Lee, Virginia, learning the concepts for becoming an Army Logistician.

Retired Colonel Lee Schiller, was deployed four times during his army career. The most recent deployment he had was from 2011 to 2012 where he served in Iraq for a year. He said, “time away from my family was always a challenge. I missed an entire year of their lives. That is something you can never get back.” During his time away, his four children and wife kept in touch as much as they could and made sure he was doing alright.

While retired Lieutenant Colonel Chris Schiller wasn’t deployed on combat tour, she served overseas in Korea and Honduras (where she met Colonel Lee Schiller.) For over 20 years, Schiller was an army nurse helping wounded soldiers and other persons.

In 2004, less than year after a deployment, Mrs. Schiller was diagnosed with breast cancer. The family took on the battle with her and helped her beat the cancer, she has been in remission since her last treatment in 2005. Mr. Schiller said that having a wife who is retired from the army created a “special bond” in their marriage and it is what got them through times they were away from each other, multiple moves and her breast cancer.

Second Lieutenant Andrew Schiller said he is thanked at least twice a day. He said whenever a soldier is allowed to go ‘off post’ they are most-commonly thanked by many. Being thanked brings him great pride because it lets him know that he is “doing his duty everyday.”

Every military personnel should get this feeling, this sense of pride and accomplishment.

As of January 2017, 1.4 million people serve in the United States armed forces. That is roughly five percent of America’s families that go through the process of changing homes and towns, the heart-wrenching feeling of stress and anxiety while waiting for their loved ones to come home and in unfortunate cases, the agony of losing loved ones overseas.

Whether the individual is on the front lines in battle, administering medicine to the wounded, or photographing the action, they deserve recognition. To all U.S. Military personnel and the Schiller family, thank you for everything you do and have sacrificed for our country and freedom. We appreciate you. May all of the fallen heroes rest in peace.