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Most Marines, whether serving on active duty or in the reserves,
don't have as many opportunities to celebrate holidays with their
families due to service commitments. It is normal and expected to
miss out on holidays spent with loved ones including this Father's
Day, June 19, 2016. Despite this, there are two Marines at
Integrated Training Exercise 4-16 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground
Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California, that have the unique
opportunity to celebrate the holiday together this year.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Tyson, chief staff-noncommissioned
officer in charge, environmental services division, Marine Forces
Reserve, joined the Marine Corps March 9, 1987; he got out for two
years in two-thousand then rejoined and is currently serving his
last enlistment culminating his thirty years in the Marine Corps.
His son, Sgt. Stephen A. Tyson, a squad leader with India Company,
3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, MARFORRES,
had the opportunity to spend Father's Day with him before the next
evolution of the ITX kicks off.
June 19, 2016 - Master Gunnery Sgt. Mark A. Tyson, chief
staff-noncommissioned officer in charge, environmental services
division, Marine Forces Reserve and his son, Sgt. Stephen A. Tyson,
a squad leader with 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine
Division, MARFORRES, had the opportunity to spend Father's Day
together during Integrated Training Exercise 4-16 aboard Marine
Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. Reserve
Marines gathered together to train during ITX and hone their skills
as a Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Sara Graham) |
The military has been a part of both of the Marines lives
early on and has had a great influence in their decisions to
join the Marine Corps.
“Ever since I was nine years old that is what I wanted to do. I
grew up a Navy brat, my dad was a command master chief with Seal
Team One, so I grew up in a military family, there was also a Marine
that had recently graduated from boot camp that was a member of my
uncle's congregation who was a pastor, and he called my parents to
see if he could get a meal and a comfortable place to sleep,” said
Master Gunnery Sgt. Tyson. “I just remember sitting there listening
to this young Marines stories and I was just awe inspired, and ever
since then when I was nine years old I wanted to join.”
His
son has had similar influences in his life but made the decision on
his own to become a Marine. Not only did he grow up with the
military influence from his dad and family, he just knew that it was
something that was going to be a part of his life since he was
young.
“I always knew I was going to be in the military, I
didn't know to what capacity until I was older, but I would say I
knew from the time I was four or five, it wasn't until nine or 11
that I knew the differences between the services and wanted to be in
the Marines Corps,” he added. “I kind of grew up in that household
and I would hear the stories and watch the movies and at a young
age, it stuck along the way and it's all I wanted.”
Though
they are together for this Father's Day, that has not always been
the case. They have served in the military together for ten years
but have never had the opportunity to serve in the same exercise at
the same time.
“It is pretty unique, his brother, my other
son, are a unique family and we have another family member that is
Marine Corps also,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Tyson. “At one point
all three of us were in active duty at the same time. This is the
first time we have had the chance to be in an operational
environment together, we both have been on active duty at different
times but now we are both in the Reserve capacity.”
While
they are both training at ITX together, they have different jobs to
complete. Master Gunnery Sgt. Tyson serves in the environmental
compliance division.
“I do the environmental compliance,
hazmat compliance; we go around doing ground safety inspections. We
go to the motor pool lots making sure there are no spilled or mixed
hazards materials, and we go to the ranges doing walkthroughs,
making sure there is no left over dunnage or debris, or any
environmental impact.”
While he his ensuring the
environmental impact during the exercise is low, Sgt. Tyson is
getting ready to concentrate on his job as an NCO and ensuring his
Marines are ready to fight any time and place.
“My job is to
lead Marines to train them and develop their tactical and technical
skills to make sure they are proficient in their weapons systems and
knowledge.”
Sgt. Tyson's father has had the opportunity to
watch his son develop as a leader and continues to offer him advice
throughout his career.
“I see someone that is very purpose
driven that is an NCO, we have had a couple of different talks, the
leadership role is to be expected. I also tell him to do right thing
and you can never go wrong, take care of your Marines and they will
take care of you.”
The father and son duo will serve through
Father's Day. During the exercise, all Marines participating focus
on completing the combined-arms exercise ensuring they are able to
combine all elements of Marine Air Ground Task Force. With this in
mind, Master Gunnery Sgt. Tyson took only a quick pause to share a
laugh with his son over the home made Father's Day card, made of a
torn piece of paper and scribbled writing found on his rack this
morning, he also took one more quick moment reflect on the unique
opportunity he has to serve with his son and the pride it brings him
as a Marine and father.
“I feel pretty proud I don't think
there are many opportunities in the Corps to show up in the Mojave
Desert, and see your son get off the bus and you kind of realize
maybe you did have an impact on his life.”
By U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Sara Graham
Marine Corps News
Copyright 2016
The U.S. Marines
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