Photo By Staff Sgt. Bernadette Wildes | U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Maria Arzate, canvassing recruiter with Recruiting...... read more read more
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Alec Howell and Michael Cava met during their sophomore year on the Torrey Pines High School wrestling team.
From there, their friendship sparked. They proudly represented the Torrey Pines Falcons while they worked towards something bigger, together.
Cava’s father served in the United States Marine Corps for 22 years before retiring. He was determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, stated Cava.
“I learned about the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship from my father,” said Cava. “Then throughout wrestling with Alec, I found out he wanted to be a Marine as well, so we decided to start training together.”
Howell grew up watching war movies and documentaries, which created a desire serve his country, Howell stated. He wanted to make an impact and difference upon the world and knew the Marine Corps could provide that for him.
Cava and Howell bonded over their future goals and were determined to do it together. They decided to apply for the NROTC scholarship together.
“After our junior year of wrestling ended, Howell was at my house almost every day,” said Cava. “We started putting our NROTC applications together right away.”
They both had to write numerous essays, prepare for the interviews, and be physically ready to pass the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test.
Throughout the entire process, they always held each other accountable and pushed each other to be better.
Cava was coming home from a wrestling tournament when he found out he won the scholarship.
“The first thing I said was, ‘What about Alec?’” said Cava.
Howell missed the early selection board by 3 points. He needed to reduce his 3-mile run time if he wanted the chance to be selected.
“At first I was upset, but it also motivated me to be better,” said Howell. “The next day, and every day after, I woke up at 5:00 to just go run.”
Cava was alongside him every step of the way, Cava stated.
Howell improved his scores, reapplied, and won the scholarship on the main board in February.
“This kind of improvement demonstrates the grit and determination we look for in future Marine Officers,” said Capt. Katie Sliwoski, Recruiting Station San Diego’s Executive Officer.
From the start, Cava and Howell knew they were competing against each other for the scholarship, yet they worked together and built each other up like Marines do, stated Sliwoski.
“Alec is like a brother to me,” said Cava. “I am really grateful we get to do this together. We always push each other and it feels good knowing we have each other to lean on.”
Cava will be attending the University of Southern California and Howell will be at the University of San Diego. It’s just a short train ride away, stated Cava.
They plan to continue pushing each other to the finish line, both in hopes of becoming Infantry Officers.
At the end of their college graduation they will both be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
The NROTC Scholarship is a highly competitive scholarship sought after by roughly 1,300 applicants across the U.S. every year. Academically, each applicant must have a minimum score of 22 on the ACT, 1000 on the SAT or a 74 on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. Physically, each applicant must run the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test and score above a 200. The PFT consists of three events involving a max repetition of pull-ups or pushups, crunches, and a three-mile run.
Each applicant will also go through a series of interviews to ensure the Marine Corps is selecting the top applicants to become a part of the Corps.
Applicants have the opportunity to be selected on two boards, the early board and the main board. The early board rewards those with initiative and drive to apply early, stated Sliwoski. The main board is for those who were not selected on the early board that may be looked at again, as well as new applicants who apply after the early board deadline.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2020 00:36 |
| Story ID: | 371973 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 221 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Best friends receive NROTC scholarship together, by SSgt Bernadette Wildes, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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