Photo By Sgt. Stephanie Ramirez | The mayor of Nazareth, Pa., Carl Strye offers hometown hero Sgt. Tonya A. Remick a...... read more read more
Subscribe
NAZARETH, Pa. – Army Reserve Sgt. Tonya A. Remick wanted to pick a special place for her third re-enlistment. Active in her community, she decided to do it in the center square of her hometown.
“Serving in the Army is an honor, and who better to share the joy of re-enlistment with than with close friends and family in your own hometown,” said Remick, who re-enlisted in front of family, friends and community leaders June 26 in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
Remick, a full-time Soldier assigned to the 744th Military Police Battalion in Easton, Pennsylvania, joined the Army in 2001 as a supply specialist, and said she continues to pursue excellence in that field.
“I’ve re-enlisted twice already, but this is the first time I get to hold the ceremony in a place that I hold dear to my heart,” she said.
Nazareth is a small town located in the Lehigh Valley in Eastern Pennsylvania. It has a population of about 5,900 and it has easy access to cities like New York and Philadelphia.
“I think it’s really cool that I’m getting the opportunity to do my re-enlistment ceremony in my hometown,” Remick said. “Nazareth is a smaller community, and we aren’t near any large military installations, so not many people are exposed to the military; having a re-enlistment ceremony in the center square of my hometown is a great way to get people involved with my unit.”
Aside from the full-time commitment she has made to her country, Remick is also actively involved in her community. She is the senior vice commander of the local American Legion post, volunteers regularly at the local food bank, has been in charge of coordinating the town’s Memorial Day parade for about five years and engages with the police department to develop training opportunities and provide training aids.
After Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast in 2012, a lot of people in the area suffered from power outages, and some even lost their homes. Remick coordinated volunteers from the American Legion and the community to put together a shelter for people who suffered losses during the storm. The group not only provided the victims with a place to sleep, but also homemade meals on a daily basis. She also volunteered with cleanup efforts after the storm.
“Growing up in such a small, tight-knit town developed a strong sense of community in me,” Remick said. “I like to help when I can and where I can.”
Aside from having friends and family at her re-enlistment ceremony, Remick also invited Nazareth’s mayor.
“When I received her invitation, I was delighted to attend,” Mayor Carl Strye said. “I’ve known her since she was little Tonya, and now she is big Army Tonya, and everyone here in Nazareth is very proud of her and all that she has accomplished.”
“Her compassion, her love and the service she has provided to our country and to our community is truly unmatched,” Strye said.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.01.2015 20:27 |
| Story ID: | 168845 |
| Location: | NAZARETH, PA, US |
| Hometown: | NAZARETH, PA, US |
| Web Views: | 603 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Army Reserve Soldier re-enlists in her hometown, by SGT Stephanie Ramirez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT