Photo By Terrance Bell | Olympic gold medalist and former champion boxer Ray “Merciless” Mercer poses with...... read more read more
FORT Lee, Va. (Feb. 2, 2017) -- More than 70,000 military members and civilians receive logistics instruction here annually at the Army’s Sustainment Center of Excellence.
Of that number, it is not uncommon to see relatives – siblings, cousins or even couples – undergo training at the same time.
It is not an everyday occurrence, however, to see family members in training – twins in this case – who are related to an Olympic gold medalist.
Not just any gold medalist, either.
Former infantryman Ray “Merciless” Mercer is one of the few Army boxers to have accomplished the feat, beating out his competition in the heavyweight division at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
The 55-year-old was here Friday to witness 19-year-old daughters Ramia and Raina Mercer graduate from the Quartermaster School’s Automated Logistical Specialist Course at Mullins Auditorium. He said the pride he felt seeing the pair put the finishing stamp on their initial entry training is comparable to his gold medal moment.
“It’s right up there,” he said of the achievement by U.S. Army Reservists assigned to Golf Company, 244th QM Battalion. “It feels the same way, really. I’m proud of them, told them they look great … and they’re going to achieve great things in the future, and I’m proud of that.”
Mercer and his wife Krystal, along with other family members, traveled here from Fayetteville, N.C., to see the pair rewarded for nine weeks of advanced individual training. They are third generation Mercer Soldiers. Their grandfather Raymond is a retired first sergeant and brother, Ksan Hamilton, served a stint as a cavalry scout. The twins seemed eager to carry on the legacy.
“It feels like being part of a team,” said Ramia, “with us being family and everything and battle buddies, but we all have to protect each other… I hope the family continues to carry on that tradition.”
Raina echoed the sentiment of her sister.
“It kind of motivated me more to do it because I never thought I would do it before, but given the option and looking back (knowing) my father was in there, I was like, ‘Yeah, this might be a good thing going,’” said Raina.
Krystal, whose pride was often reflected with a wide smile, said she foresaw the possibility of military service when the twins were growing up.
“I thought they would always be in something positive,” she said, “and they love their country, and I’ve always influenced them to go for their goals in anything they wanted to do.”
Ray, who had 10 years invested in the Army when he decided to concentrate on what became a lucrative pro career, said the military is good choice for those who need a stepping stone.
“I think the military is a great place to start your life after high school, college or whatever,” he said. “I think it offers a lot of opportunities now that we didn’t have back in the day.”
Mercer’s daughters were surely thinking of opportunities when they enlisted. Both plan to enroll in college and later become pediatricians, an ambition that reflects their will to “do everything together,” said Krystal.
Her husband followed in the footsteps of his father and joined the military in 1979. He took up boxing two years later when a coach asked him to spar with another boxer. He went on to make a name for himself, earning the U.S. Amateur Heavyweight Championship in 1988 and winning an Olympic gold medal the same year.
That 1988 Olympic boxing team boasted one of the best collections of boxing Soldiers in history. It included Kennedy McKinney and Andrew Maynard, both of whom captured golds as well as Anthony Hembrick, a gold medal favorite who arrived for his bout late and was disqualified.
During his pro career, Mercer went on to earn titles in the North American Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization, defeating Bert Cooper and Francesco Damiani, respectively. He also fought Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield, losing to all three on decisions.
Mercer dabbled in kickboxing and mixed martial arts beginning at the turn of the century and ending well into the 2000s. These days, he said he makes celebrity appearances, fishes and takes “his granddaughter to school in the mornings.”
| Date Taken: | 02.02.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 02.02.2017 10:32 |
| Story ID: | 222277 |
| Location: | FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 160 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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