Photo By Sgt. Timothy Valero | U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS – Capt. Gregory Veteto, the company commander of...... read more read more
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U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (Nov. 1, 2017) – Finding out the gender of a new baby is a special moment for both mother and father. But like so many Marines and Sailors of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and America Amphibious Ready Group, work calls them away from special moments that take place back home.
Captain Gregory Veteto, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, and the company commander of Company A., 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, with the 15th MEU’s Ground Combat Element, found himself in this predicament as he, his wife and 16-month old son back home on Camp Pendleton, California found out they would be getting a new addition to the family.
Gregory’s wife wanted to surprise him with the announcement of the baby’s gender by revealing it in a unique way. And amidst all the road blocks, she thought of a way to share this special moment with her husband, even thousands of miles away.
After brainstorming with a friend who did something similar, Gregory’s career as a punter in college at the U.S. Naval Academy sparked inspiration. His wife decided to fill a football with colored powder, and when her husband punted it, the football would explode with either pink or blue powder.
“I was a terrible punter,” Gregory added. “She told me ‘don’t screw it up’ I just didn’t want to miss the ball.”
Surrounded by the cheering Marines and Sailors of Company A., Gregory lined up and took aim. The excitement in the air inspired him to kick the ball right on target, revealing they would be having a little baby girl.
“It was fantastic breaking open the football,” said Gregory. “The Marines were excited about it and I appreciated that.”
Gregory and his wife did a similar gender reveal for their younger son, but instead of breaking open football, they broke some eggs for a cake.
“Our mothers-in-law made a cake that was blue on the inside,” Gregory explained. “When we cut into it, it announced to everyone we were having a boy.”
“We waited and prayed for four years to have our first child,” Gregory said. “Life in general is something worth celebrating.”
Reminiscing about his younger son, Gregory looked forward to the birth of his baby girl and spoke of the day his daughter will be able to look back at the photos of the special way his wife and his Marines revealed the gender.
“Thinking now, it is a pretty cool gift for my daughter, that she will get to see her dad and all the men around him were already celebrating her life before her birth,” said Gregory.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2017 10:15 |
| Story ID: | 254144 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 1,230 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, BLT 1/5 gains a new member to the family, by Sgt Timothy Valero, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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