Scott's Youth of the Year excels in school and volunteering

Photo By Capt. Amber Kelly-Herard | Jeff Martin and his brother J.J. practice playing hockey in front of their home. Jeff was named Scott Air Force Base’s Youth of the Year for his accomplishments which include coaching hockey, coaching and refereeing youth soccer, being the stage manager for Mascoutah High School’s spring musical, going to Illinois Boys State, where he won the Citizenship Award, then Boys Nation, Model UN and he is the first student editor-in-chief of his school’s newspaper, to name a few.  

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, UNITED STATES

03.14.2012

Story by Senior Airman Amber Kelly-Herard 

375th Air Mobility Wing

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. - Jeff Martin was driving home one day when he received a phone call from the Scott Youth Center. He pulled over, answered the phone and learned the center wanted him to apply to be Scott Air Force Base's Youth of the Year.

That same day, he picked up the application, listed his accomplishments, wrote a few essays, and turned it all in the next day. A week later, Jeff learned that he won.

"It was not expected," said the 17-year-old.

Jeff may not have expected it, but his package included coaching youth hockey, coaching and refereeing youth soccer, being the stage manager for Mascoutah High School's spring musical, going to Illinois Boys State, where he won the Citizenship Award, then Boys Nation, Model UN, and he is the first student editor-in-chief of his school's newspaper, to name a few.

"He's a wonderfully polite young man. We're surrounded by so many great military kids - It's nice to see good kids get recognized," said Julia Martin, who prefers to be called the stay-at-home chauffeur. "He's always helping others, whether it's helping the neighbors carry groceries, babysitting or coaching kids, he's the first to volunteer."

Brig. Gen. Larry Martin, 18th Air Force vice commander, said, "Jeff has never met a stranger. He's a military kid and like other military kids he has had to assimilate and adapt to many new environments."

J.J., 15, the youngest Martin, said, "He's the smartest kid I know."

The Martin family was stationed at Scott eight years ago for two years, but have been at Scott their second time since July of 2010, right in the middle of Jeff's high school years. In total, Jeff, like many military children, has been to seven different schools.

Brig. Gen. Martin said, "I'm very proud of him; every place we go, he finds a positive niche. He works well with others and he's very natural with young kids. He's never met a kid he couldn't cheer for. He tries his best, he's got a positive attitude about school and he's a natural leader."

In what time Jeff does have free, he reads and studies history.

To show Jeff's love for history, the Martin family told a story of when they were stationed in Hawaii and the World War II Pacific Aviation Museum opened Dec. 7. J.J.'s 10th birthday happened to be Dec. 8, so the family went there for a tour. During the tour, a docent asked Brig. Gen Martin if he could talk to him about Jeff.

"My first thought was, 'what did he do?' but the docent said, 'he knows a lot about history,' so they gave Jeff his first job as a tour director for kid's birthdays. That lasted for about a week, when the docent said they again needed to talk about Jeff," Brig. Gen. Martin recalled. "My first thought again was, 'what did he do?' and they said he knows a lot, more than the other docents, even the adults. So he taught all the docents, led tours and got 'paid' by getting to use the flight simulator and getting food at half-price - important to most teenage boys."

Julia said, "We're proud that we are always remembered for our boys. When Larry was the MacDill Air Force Base commander, it was Year of the Air Force family, and we took our boys to every age-appropriate event we could."

During those events, their sons saw first-hand great examples of service to others.

The Martins recalled an event where they turned around to see Jeff engaged in an animated discussion with Army Gen. David Petraeus. They were privileged to help with dinners for wounded warriors and their families at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center in Tampa, Fla., with their sons. While there, the boys saw leaders like Gen. Petraeus, Navy Adm. Eric T. Olson and Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen check in on and speak to wounded warriors and their families.

"Our kids have lived on base these last few years and they idolize the real heroes that surround them from our youngest soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to the most senior leaders," Brig. Gen. Martin said.

Jeff was also chosen as one of five finalists for Operation Homefront's Air Force Military Child of the Year. He did not win, but he received a free laptop from the organization.

"The kids who won really deserve it, they were all outstanding," Jeff said. "There were five finalists from each branch of service and they were all awesome."

Next fall, Jeff will attend the University of Arkansas where he plans to double major in political science and history. After college, Jeff is deciding between ROTC, becoming a history professor or working in a museum.

• Date Taken: 03.14.2012
• Date Posted: 03.16.2012 15:53
• Story ID: 85375
• Location: SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, IL, US