DVIDS – News – Monterey County shows appreciation for Presidio of Monterey military family

PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY, Calif. (Nov. 23, 2022) – The County of Monterey honored a Presidio of Monterey household with a framed copy of the county’s Navy Household Appreciation Month proclamation at a gathering in Salinas on Nov. 22.

Monterey County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew, a former navy baby herself, introduced the proclamation to Nicholas Morgan, 15, the Porter Youth Heart’s Navy Youth of the Yr 2021, and his household. The presentation demonstrated the shut ties between the Presidio and surrounding communities.

Nicholas accepted the proclamation along with his father, Air Drive Grasp Sgt. Vincent Morgan, mom Ashley, sisters Charlotte, 11, and Abigail, 3, and brother Jackson, 9. Elaine Vrolyks, the PoM faculty liaison officer, advisable the household for the consideration and accompanied them on the assembly.

“The Morgan household, they’re superb,” Vrolyks mentioned through the presentation. “They’re one in every of our exemplary households. Nick has been a tremendous youth of the 12 months for us.”

Nicholas mentioned he appreciated the county’s recognition of the sacrifices that navy households make, equivalent to deployments and frequent strikes.

“They’re placing their lives on the road for a larger trigger,” Nicholas mentioned, “but it surely’s an enormous sacrifice on their half and I feel that must be acknowledged.”

Volunteering on the Porter Youth Heart has been an excellent expertise, Nicholas mentioned, and he encourages different navy youths to go to the middle.

“There may be a complete group of people that perceive what it’s like, who’ve been via what you’ve been via that you may actually connect with on a deeper degree, and that may actually open you as much as new issues,” Nicholas mentioned. “It might actually open your whole world, as a result of in the future I stepped in there and it modified my whole life.”

Vrolyks informed the board of supervisors a bit of in regards to the navy group within the Monterey space, explaining that the majority navy households come to the realm so service members can attend the Naval Postgraduate College and the Protection Language Institute International Language Heart.

“Households could be right here for a 12 months to 2 years, three years relying on task, however they arrive right here to check, after which they transfer into some very severe conditions defending our nation,” Vrolyks mentioned.

The decision acknowledged the distinctive sacrifices and challenges that members of the family make in help of their family members in uniform.

“Whereas it doesn’t matter what rank or department or the place life has taken navy households, they share widespread threads of service and sacrifice,” the decision learn partly. “Whereas spouses of these within the navy are fellow residents and neighbors and their service to their households and their nation, they signify the true power of America.”

Askew mentioned that as a navy baby she moved virtually yearly for a formative interval of her life, and she or he appreciates the sacrifices that navy households make.

“It’s my honor and absolute privilege to acknowledge all of our navy households that go via Monterey County, who’ve chosen to make Monterey County dwelling and who carry a lot power and expertise and variety to the wealthy cloth of Monterey County,” Askew mentioned.

Grasp Sgt. Morgan mentioned he and his household have been in Monterey for about three years, and in that point, Nicholas has thrived on the Porter Youth Heart.

“It’s actually [Nicholas’s] efforts which have opened our household to those sorts of alternatives,” Grasp Sgt. Morgan mentioned. “We’re grateful for it, however we’re simply completely satisfied that he took benefit of the issues that had been introduced to him, the alternatives that had been on the market.”

Ashley Morgan mentioned she started homeschooling her kids after they moved to Monterey, and the Presidio of Monterey has offered numerous help with the Porter Youth Heart and the homeschool coop, which meets month-to-month and supplies alternatives equivalent to area journeys.

As a navy member of the family, Ashley Morgan additionally mentioned she appreciates the county’s recognition of navy households.

“I feel it’s good to get recognition when generally perhaps [military families] don’t really feel acknowledged,” Ashley Morgan mentioned. “Generally sacrifices go unnoticed. I feel it’s good to shine a bit of highlight as soon as in awhile in a crowd that often doesn’t just like the highlight as a lot.”