Photo By Sgt. Tojyea Matally | U.S. Marine veteran and New York Police Department Sgt. Lynda Chervoni, poses for a...... read more read more
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NEW YORK — There are a myriad of ways those who volunteer their service to our nation are rewarded for their efforts. The Post 9/11 GI Bill helps pay for college or job training plus programs like SkillBridge give service members valuable career experience through specific industry training or apprenticeships.
Those like Sgt. Lynda Chervoni, a Marine who used her enlistment as the foundation for a career in the New York Police Department, are proof of the opportunities available to active service members and veterans. However, while focusing on these tangible assets, it may be easy to overlook one thing that ties all veterans together: the relationship between those who’ve fought and the team they once fought for.
Operation Semper Fi, an initiative to reconnect Marine veterans with present and future brothers and sisters-in-arms, gives veterans like Chervoni a chance to reawaken their enthusiasm for the Corps.
Chervoni, now a 20-year veteran in the police force and two-year NYPD Marine Association Vice President, is one of the leading forces in this campaign.
“This initiative is important because we have the discipline and the camaraderie in order to come together, but we have to also be a part of it in order to help and assist,” Chervoni said.
The campaign for Operation Semper Fi is spearheaded by Lt. Col. Rob Dolan, the director of marketing and communication for Marine Corps Recruiting Command. Though the goal is to provide inspiration and guidance from Marine veterans to the younger generation, the underlying purpose aligns with Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger’s goal to retain more seasoned Marines and make ambassadors of Marine veterans who now serve their communities in the civilian sector. Actions such as getting veterans involved at recruiting events, connecting them with local recruiting stations, and integrating them with active or reserve units at military-centric public events, are just some of the few ways the plan hopes to reignite that bond.
“We do autism awareness where we receive toys to be able to donate to [autistic children],” Chervoni added. “So we get active reserves and also veterans because we’re all in it for the same reason – to help.”
For the veteran sergeant, the ambition to capitalize on her life experience came early. Being fully independent at age sixteen meant finding her purpose earlier in life than most. Joining the Marine Corps instilled “discipline and gave [her] a sense of integrity,” which influenced her to help fellow brothers and sisters find their own. The drive to assist others and help them exceed their expectations has shaped her journey to what it is now. Being in a position to align the paths of those who’ve served with those currently serving helps keep the esprit de corps alive, thereby, inspiring future prospects to carve out their own life trajectory with someone experienced to help lead the way, she said.
“If we don’t help each other, who will?” Chervoni remarked. “I think that sometimes hits home with everyone but I think specifically the military because of the camaraderie that we all yearn for.”
Building upon the relationships that veteran Marines have made within the Marine Corps reveals opportunities not readily apparent through government-provided benefits such as the Hiring Our Heroes network, SkillBridge, or others. It touches upon the need to maintain the sense of purpose, sociability, and mentorship that drove many to serve in the first place. For many veterans like Chervoni, Operation Semper Fi allows them to continue writing the Marine Corps story, connecting the pages for those who’ve written it and those who have yet to pick up the pen.
| Date Taken: | 03.30.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2022 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 417516 |
| Location: | NEW YORK, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 688 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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