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Marine of the Year finds time for community

Nominations for the 2007 Military Times Service Member of the Year poured into the newsroom for months and, at a July 12 reception in Washington, D.C., the winners were hailed for their professionalism, dedication to other service members and service to country.

For the seventh consecutive year, the Capitol Hill event was packed with congressional, military and business leaders, and with the service members’ peers and families.

Marine Corps Times Marine of the Year Maj. Theodore Wong, 42, was honored for his extensive community service, despite having been deployed 42 of the past 60 months.

He mentors youths; leads students in exercises; maintains a letter-writing campaign for deployed troops; organizes volunteers to greet returning troops; visits wounded troops; speaks to local veterans organizations; and promotes the Corps enough to have 15 enlistments to his credit.

“It’s definitely an honor I share with everybody else who either nominated me or has done community service themselves. They set the example for me,” said Wong, of Headquarters Company, 23rd Maine Regiment, San Bruno, Calif.

“In the Reserve you’re a citizen-soldier and you support the community you live in. You are part of your community, and you should set the example for your community,” he said.

Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., hosted the awards ceremony, with Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

The other 2007 Service Members of the Year are Army Capt. Scott Smiley; Navy Ship’s Serviceman (SW) Angela Crawford; Air Force Staff Sgt. Matthew Patnaude; and Coast Guard Health Services Technician 3rd Class Anjelica Hopkins-Slayton.

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