Friday, April 13, 2012

Serving at Dawn: ROTC Bravo Company ROTC

By Alexander C. Dubois
EASTON – The orange light from the street lamps illuminates the camouflaged uniforms of the group gathering in the parking lot. They pass the time with small talk, checking their equipment as they begin to form into rank. At 6 a.m., the group is called to attention.
At 6:05, weapons are distributed. Each cadet takes a rifle from the back of a truck parked nearby, breaking the silence of the morning air as they call out the weapon’s number. The rifles, only replicas, are a strange sight against the backdrop of the sleepy Catholic campus behind them. 
 At 6:10, the cadets are given instructions and march from the library parking lot, past the tennis courts and up the hill leading behind Donahue Hall.
“When I get to Heaven, St. Peter’s gonna say, ‘How’d you earn your living, boy? How’d you earn your pay?’” The cadet leading the march begins a traditional Army cadence, or marching song, each line repeated by the group behind him.
In a few years time, these cadets at Stonehill College will march down the same hill as part of a graduation ceremony.
The best way to understand the experience of ROTC cadets is to spend a morning observing them. The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps – ROTC – is an Army program affiliated with colleges and universities around the country. The goal is to develop cadets who learn the leadership qualities of an officer while earning a college degree.
These cadets are part of Bravo Company of the Charles River Battalion. The company includes cadets from Stonehill, the host school, Bridgewater State University, Curry College, Massachusetts Maritime Academy and Massasoit Community College. Out of the entire company of 35, eight cadets are Stonehill students; one freshman, four sophomores, one junior, and two seniors.
As they move across campus one early morning, the camouflage of their uniforms seen next to the purple of their alma mater, the unique experience of these eight cadets is easily understood. As soldiers, they learn to salute, handle live firearms during select trainings, and must pass an Army physical fitness test.  As students, they must fulfill the same curriculum requirements as others. They must maintain a 2.0 GPA; for those who drop below 3.0, weekly study halls are mandatory.
“The Army is meant to be a profession,” said CPT Lindsey Elder, program officer and assistant professor of military science at Stonehill. “We’re big on education, but we try not to be in competition with it. It’s about finding a balance”.
Elder, an Army officer for the last 10 years, was a member of the ROTC program at UMass Amherst while serving in the Massachusetts National Guard.
“Being an ROTC cadet first and coming back, I think I’m a better assessor now of the ROTC program,” Elder said. “ROTC cadets have to be motivated. They have jobs and other real-life things. You prove to yourself how much you can handle. I think it helps you even more.”
John Smoot, 20, of Hingham, Mass., is a sophomore at Stonehill currently completing his second year in the ROTC program. For him, ROTC offers a number of opportunities.
“If you properly take advantage of it, you’ll get huge values out of ROTC your peers can’t get from regular school. In general, you learn how to take responsibility for yourself and, in my opinion, you’re much more prepared for the real world,” Smoot said.
ROTC also offered him a second chance at serving in the military.
Smoot initially tried to enlist in the Marine Corps. Due to a medical condition, he wasn’t accepted, Smoot said. A number of his friends entering into ROTC programs told him that the ROTC was looking for candidates, and, more importantly, would be willing to look into getting him a medical waiver. After applying, he was offered a three-year scholarship to Stonehill College through the ROTC program.
“It’s not about the free tuition for me,” Smoot said. “I love the Army and I’ve always wanted to serve my country.”
While an ROTC scholarship can help with tuition costs, for Smoot and many of his fellow cadets, the desire to serve preceded the possibility of financial aid.
Sophomore cadet Ryan Forte, 19, of Franklin, Mass., hoped to get into the Air Force Academy. When he didn’t, and when he didn’t hear back from the Air Force ROTC, Forte turned to the Army where he was offered a four-year Army ROTC scholarship to Stonehill. Like Smoot, the program offered him a second chance.
“I decided to select Stonehill,” Forte said. “I finally had the opportunity to serve my country as an officer.”
For other cadets, the decision to join ROTC came after college began.
Taylor Viotto, 20, is a sophomore at Stonehill from Washington, N.J., who joined the program during the first week of his freshman year.
“I have always wanted to serve in some form of the military. Growing up it fluctuated between the branches until my senior year in high school,” Viotto said. “It was then that I decided I would attend college and go through Army ROTC. On the first day on campus I walked over to the detachment. I signed the papers right away.”
The Army ROTC program, alongside academies such as West Point and the Officer Candidate Schools, are meant to graduate commissioned officers. The goal of every cadet, including the eight currently attending Stonehill College and the 27 others in Bravo Company, is to graduate with both a college degree and an Army commission. 
The future of ROTC, however, may be towards a smaller program, said Elder.
“In the past, if we have 30 people that were healthy, happy and passing all the requirements, we would have 30 lieutenants,” she said. “Now, we can be even more selective.
Future classes could see a size cap, setting the limit of possible cadets. Until then, the program is being more stringent on allowing cadets time to bring things like their GPA or physical fitness scores up to the requirements.
“Now, knowing there is not the need for the amount of people we already have, they will just be disenrolled if they cannot meet a standard,” said Elder.
Last year the company commissioned 22 cadets. This year they expect to commission 24, Elder said.
For Stonehill cadets like Smoot, Forte, and Viotto, the future is full of possibilities.
“I don’t fully know how my Army career will turn out,” said Forte. “But I do know my experiences with ROTC will benefit me. I will develop the leadership skills needed to be an officer in the Army, in whatever field it may be.”
For them, graduation from Stonehill College will come with more than a degree and a walk across the stage. These select few, to be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army, will have serve in the military for eight years.

“Getting commissioned at the end of my senior year is really only the beginning of my learning experience,” Smoot said. “When I get assigned my platoon I’m going to want to remember to know my place. I’ll be a young guy expected to lead guys that know more than me and have been through a lot more.”

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Young, Underemployed, and Optimistic

By Kyle Mayer

For those parents out there who think they have been hit hard by the recent recession, take look at what your children will have to deal with.
According to a study by Kathryn Edwards and Alexander Hertel-Fernandez from the Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for young workers has increased by 7.1 percentage points from December 2007 and January 2010, raising it to 18.9 percent at the start of 2010.
This statistic shows that thousands of newly graduated college students could be without a job for an extended period of time.
“I have thought about not having a job once I graduate, and it’s going to be tough to find one,” said Stonehill College senior Aly Chadbourne.
“There aren’t enough jobs for our parents now, so how are there going to be any for us?” said Chadbourne.
Today’s young adults have it dramatically harder than their parent’s generation to reach their financial goals, such as paying off college debts, buying a home, and raising a family.
According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center this year, 82 percent of Americans think that finding a job for young adults is harder than for their parent’s generation.
In that same study, about 75 percent of the public says it is harder for young adults to save for the future, as rent and college payments have skyrocketed recently.
One significant hardship faced by current college graduates and the generation coming up after is the incredible cost of a college education. I am not sure we will be able to sustain this model with students graduating so deeply in debt, especially if the job market continues to be so sluggish,” said Stonehill College Communication Associate Professor Anne Mattina.
With high rent costs, tuition bills causing college debts to soar, and high unemployment rates, young adults may find it extremely hard to save for their futures.
“I’ve talked about this with my parents and friends, and it’s basically impossible for us to save money for the future right now. We’re going to have to live off of our paychecks each week, instead of putting some money aside for later,” said Stonehill College senior Ryan Fitzgibbon.
According to BestCollegesOnline.com, for tuition payments in 1973, tuition for one year at a private college averaged to $9,876, and at in-state public schools, just $2,175. In 2009, the average tuition has nearly tripled, as private colleges are around $25,143, and in-state public universities average $6,585.
For young adults, bad times don’t always squash optimism.
“I feel pretty okay about my future,” said Stonehill College senior Doug Wilkins. “I have a job lined up, and I’m applying for graduate school as well, so I feel pretty positive about the next few years.”
According to the Pew Research study, nearly 88 percent of young adults between the ages of 18-34 say they have enough, or earn enough money now, or expect they will in the near future.
“Luckily I found a job, but it did take a little while,” said Stonehill College graduate Lauren Tenaglia. “And almost all of my friends feel pretty good about where they are in their jobs right now.”
In a new survey of 842 young adults by Demos, a U.S. based research and policy center, found that almost 69 percent of 18-34 years old American’s believe the American dream is “still achievable.”
“I believe they recognize the reality of the road ahead but are facing their futures with generally positive attitudes,” Mattina said. “As a culture, we are pretty resilient, and believe that all things are possible if you work hard enough.”
According to the Pew study, there is a connection between college enrollment rates and employment decline in young adults, “A greater share of young adults are enrolled in high school or college today than at any time in recorded history.”
This jump in enrollment rates has a large impact on the employment decline of this age group, as there just is not enough time in the day to be fully enrolled at a school, and have a well-paying job.
“I have a job here at school, but it’s nothing crazy,” said Stonehill College senior Brett French. “I work at the Spoco, so it’s not high paying, but I don’t think I, or anyone else for that matter, would be able to sustain a full college education accompanied by a full-time job.”
One aspect that has remained constant throughout the years has been that once a job is attained, job satisfaction is still relatively high.
According to the Pew study, job satisfaction among young adults is relatively high, similar to what it was prior to the 2008 recession. For those young adults who are currently employed, most are pretty satisfied with their jobs.
“I am very satisfied with my current job,” said Stonehill College graduate Peter Mayer. “It is a well paying job in an field where I can branch out from, if I need to. I can take advantage of a lot of future opportunities that are presented to me.”

Friday, March 30, 2012

Fit for Success: New Health Club Opens in North Attleboro

By Caroline McBride for The Sun Chronicle
Published Sunday, February 12, 2012
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Attleboro High School graduate Eric Yeghian remembers working at State Line Scrap for $4 an hour as a young boy.

Now the president of Vikon Properties Corp., Yeghian's recent real-estate developments have created 22 jobs in the last three months.

Yeghian invested $1 million into his newest development, Olympic Fitness, which opened in October.

The Cumberland resident decided to take advantage of "wonderful commercial space" to open his first fitness club.

Olympic Fitness at 749 South Washington St. (Route 1), has taken over the site of the former Fitness Plus and Gold's Gym location near Showcase Cinemas.
Various weights are available at Olympic Fitness. Photo by John Ochiltree / For The Sun Chronicle)
The full-amenity health club charges members $25 per month with no money down. Members can access free motion weight machines, free weights and a racquetball court. The 28 pieces of cardio equipment include iPod docks and 17-inch television screens.

Members can find more fitness opportunities on the second floor of the facility. Upstairs they will find a 60-foot long turf track, a spinning room equipped with 16 spin bikes, and another weight-lifting area with increased privacy.

The men's locker room includes a sauna and the women's includes a steam room.

Olympic Fitness also offers a separate TRX membership, a higher-intensity program for members seeking a challenge.

The gym has an 800-square-foot room designated to TRX, which includes a 15-foot TRX "S" frame. In this program, members make use of their own body weight to build muscle.

The program, used by professional athletes and Navy SEALs, develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability through various resistance exercises.
Membership in the TRX Program, which lasts four weeks, costs $120 and includes two classes per week, a total of eight classes a month. In addition, members have unlimited use of the TRX room during these four weeks.

The facility offers relief for members with aches and pains. An on-staff massage therapist is available to members by appointment, for $50 an hour. Beginning this month, Northern Rhode Island Physical Therapy will open a location within the gym.

"It's keeping with the overall concept of full luxury at a discount price," Yeghian said.

North Attleboro resident Robb McCoy, who works alongside Yeghian as manager of Olympic Fitness, has a background in fitness. McCoy has worked as a personal trainer in the past and has coached at Curry College and Bishop Feehan and Norton high schools.

The gym is open Monday through Thursday 5 a.m to 10 p.m, Friday from 5 a.m to 9 p.m, and weekends from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.

For more information, visit http://www.olympicfitnessma.com/, or call 508-689-9110.


FIt for Success in The Sun Chronicle by Caroline McBride

Rising Gas Prices Fuel Concerns




Ethan McGahey spends a lot of time in his car. A student at UMass Boston, McGahey commutes each day.

Yet, with Massachusetts gasoline prices skyrocketing, McGahey might need to consider alternate modes of transportation.

"The main reason I commute is to save money," McGahey said as he pumped gas Thursday morning into his Honda Civic at the Cumberland Farms at County and Wall streets in Attleboro.

"When gas prices are like this, it makes me wonder if it's worth it," he said.

Cumberland Farms, which usually has among the cheapest gasoline prices in the Attleboro area, was selling regular for $3.63 a gallon Thursday, up 8 cents from Monday's price of $3.55. Last week, the station was selling regular for $3.43. This week marks the 10th consecutive week of increases, according to AAA Southern New England.

For drivers like McGahey, the worst is yet to come.

A sharp increase in gas prices is expected to take place over the weekend, according to senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy.com.

"I expect stations to increase prices as much as 5 to 20 cents per gallon by the conclusion of the weekend, with some stations starting to raise prices immediately," DeHaan said.

The looming increase is attributed to problems with refineries, including one which caught fire, and continuing Mideast tensions - particularly with the nuclear stalemate with Iran.

According to analysts, gas prices are very high for this time of year. Costs tend to drop during winter months, increasing in the spring and summer. With prices already over $3.60 in some areas of Massachusetts, experts predict gas to hit record levels in upcoming months. This could mean over $4.25 a gallon.

For motorists like McGahey, a drastic increase in gas prices could mean less driving.

"I was already starting to consider public transportation, and that was before I knew prices were supposed to jump over the weekend," McGahey said. "There's no way I can afford to go through over a tank of gas a week with costs like that."

McGahey was not the only concerned motorist at the pumps.

"Car companies are trying to get you to buy a hybrid or a smaller car to save on gas," Judith Roark said. "In reality, no matter what kind of car you're driving, that kind of money is gonna add up."

Roark said her commute is only 15 minutes, but it takes her husband more than an hour to get to work.

"He drives a truck, a real gas-guzzler," Roark said. "I'm sure he's not going to be happy to hear about another increase."

Tana Reyes, who drives a Suburban, wasn't happy either.

"I don't even want to think about it," Reyes said, shaking her head. "This car eats gas. I fill it up and it's empty again. I'm definitely going to have to cut back on driving."

Reyes said gas prices might prevent her from seeing family in New Jersey this summer.

"My husband and I like to take our kids down during school vacations," she said. "With costs on the rise, that might not be affordable for us this year."

At the Shell station on South Avenue in Attleboro, regular was selling for $3.65 a gallon Thursday, up from $3.59 on Monday. Last week, it was at $3.53.

For more information about gas prices, visit MassachusettsGasPrices.com, operated by GasBuddy.


Trying to KO Suicide: Walk organizer, boxing facility team up for fundraiser

By Caroline McBride for The Sun Chronicle
Published Monday, February 20, 2012, The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Alyssa Caruso knows how to get the local community moving.

Founder of the Walk for Hope, the North Attleboro native has organized two successful local walks in the past few years to raise money for suicide and depression prevention programs.

This month, Caruso plans to fight suicide and depression in a different way - in a boxing ring.

On Feb. 25, Caruso and the Walk for Hope will team up with Striking Beauties, a women's boxing facility, for a fundraiser called "20-20-20." It will feature 20 minutes of boxing for a group of 20 people and a $20 donation by participants.

Striking Beauties President
Dena Paolino met Caruso at the Walk of Hope last August.

"Dena shared her story with me and expressed interest in helping with the cause," Caruso said. "We met over Christmas to plan the details of our fundraiser."

Caruso and Paolino hope the event at Striking Beauties, 18 Church St. in North Attleboro, will help participants find their inner strength and promote feelings of self-worth and accomplishment.

"Women who attend Striking Beauties walk away with a strong sense of self-empowerment," Caruso said. "It's about more than just exercise."

The Southern New Hampshire University senior said the Walk of Hope's mission is to raise awareness, as well as eliminate any embarrassment or shame associated with depression, which affects 17.6 million Americans each year.

"Suicide and depression are two things that no one wants to talk about," Caruso said in a previous interview with The Sun Chronicle. "I wanted to bring awareness about it to the community."
The walks have received strong support from the community and have taught local residents about the warning signs of depression and suicide prevention.

Caruso said she hopes the boxing event will receive the same level of community support and increase local awareness of the issues.

Participants in the fundraiser will be provided with food and refreshments, including beverages from Muscle Milk.

They also will have the chance to purchase "confidence beads," created by Linda Waters, which are meant to provide self-affirmation.

"Each bead has a different inspirational message, such as strength," Caruso said of the bracelets. "They're meant to serve as constant confidence boosters."

A portion of the proceeds from the bracelets, will go toward the fundraiser's donations to suicide and depression awareness programs.

The programs educate people about the warning signs of suicide and depression, as well as prevention.

To sign up or receive more information, contact Alyssa Caruso at AWalkForHope@gmail.com or 508-463-5065.

Trying to KO Suicide The Sun Chronicle Link


Attleboro Mom Ensures all Soldiers are remembered: Soldiers' Angels makes care packages to send overseas

By Caroline McBride for The Sun Chronicle
Published Tuesday, March 6, 2012, The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro
Mary Elizabeth Clark is not your typical soccer mom.

A member of Soldiers' Angels, Clark is holding a donation drive through the Attleboro Youth Soccer League to create care packages for soldiers overseas.

Soldiers' Angels, is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting deployed soldiers. The organization, whose slogan is "May No Soldier Go Unloved," allows members to organize fundraisers in any way they please.

"I'm combining my family's two passions - supporting the military and playing soccer - for this donation drive," Clark said.

The Attleboro Youth Soccer League has both in-town recreational teams and travel teams through the Boston Area Youth Soccer League. At the BAYS opening day pep rally on March 31 Clark will set up a donation booth through Attleboro Youth Soccer.
"I'll have examples of what the care packages will look like, along with more information about Soldiers' Angels," Clark said. "This will make people aware of the donation drive and let them know how they can help over the course of the season."

Throughout the season, a collection plate will be passed at soccer games to collect monetary donations. For those who wish to donate supplies, a list of preferred items will be posted on the Attleboro Youth Soccer website once the season kicks off.

"The money we collect will go toward the actual supplies for the care packages, along with the cost of shipping," Clark said. "Depending on the weight of the package, this can be pretty expensive."

Janice Cizskowski, a fellow Attleboro Youth Soccer mother, will help Clark purchase supplies at discounted rates.

An Avon representative, Cizskowski has been able to help get good deals on supplies such as lip balms, sunscreens and powders.

"Soldiers' Angels provides lists of supplies that soldiers may need, and many of them are Avon products," Clark said. "Janice has been fantastic in helping us save money on these items."
Clark said that by buying supplies at discounted rates and receiving donations at soccer games, she will be able to send a great number of care packages overseas.

Players on Attleboro Youth Soccer teams will be given the chance to show their appreciation for U.S. soldiers by creating cards and letters to put in the care packages. Each care package will represent a different youth soccer team, such as the Revolution, and will include a team shirt and team photo, along with the supplies.

For more information on the fundraiser and care packages visit AttleboroSoccer.com.

The Sun Chronicle Link to article

Lucky for Life: New twice-weekly lottery game offers chance to win $1K a day for life

By Caroline McBride for The Sun Chronicle

Published Friday, March 2, 2012, The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro

A new lottery game has hopeful locals dreaming of ways they'd spend their prize money - day, by day, by day.

Lucky for Life, the first multi-state lottery game offered only to the six New England states, will give players the chance to win a top prize of $1,000 a day for life.

"I'd start by getting rid of this thing and buying a new car," Briana Lamont said without hesitation as she pumped gas at the Cumberland Farms on Wall Street in downtown Attleboro.

Peering into Thursday's gray gloom and icy drizzle, she added: "I'd take a vacation somewhere warm to get away from this bizarre weather."

Robin Sollowin, another Cumberland Farms customer, wasn't so sure what she would do with the money. "I can't even imagine what I'd do with $1,000 a day," Sollowin said. "I'd be in shock, but I definitely wouldn't mind retiring a little early."

Bipin Patel, owner of the Sun Market on Union Street in Attleboro, expects the new lottery game to be a hit with customers.

"The odds of winning will be better for players in the Lucky for Life game than they are in MegaMillions or Powerball," Patel said. "The game will only include six states and there will be many ways to win."

According to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission, the overall odds of winning a prize in the game will be 1 in 6.6 - one way, or another. There will be a total of 10 ways to win.

Players select five numbers out of a field of 40 and one Lucky Ball number out of a field of 21. Players who match all six numbers will win the top prize of $1,000 a day for a lifetime.

Lucky for Life will offer a second prize of $25,000, along with other cash prizes ranging from $2,000 to $2. Paul Sternburg, executive director of the Massachusetts Lottery, said the new game is the result of a year-long collaboration between each of the six state lotteries.

"We are looking forward to Lucky for Life's launch and the excitement that it will not only create with players here in Massachusetts, but throughout the region," Sternburg said.

Tickets for Lucky for Life can be purchased starting March 11. The first drawing will take place March 15. Drawings for the twice-weekly game will take place every Monday and Thursday at 10:38 p.m.

Lucky for Life The Sun Chronicle Link