The Few. The Proud. The Marines. In less than two years, one of Lancaster High School’s graduates has found success in the military. Lance Corporal Ty Hedges spoke to journalism students about his experience in the Marine Corp.
“There’s a lot of pride that goes along with being a Marine. I really wanted to work on airplanes, and I work on all of the electrical components of the V22 Osprey,” he said.
The V22 Osprey is used for the transport of troops, equipment, and supplies from assault ships and land bases. It is a dual-piloted, self-deployable, medium lift. The V22 is designed for combat, combat support, and Special Operations missions worldwide, according to the Marine Corps Aviation.
Hedges said he wanted to reach the level of a master technician.
“I would like to teach others about how to do the right things when working on these aircraft because there’s a lot of little things that new people don’t know how to do,” he said.
Ty is the middle child of LHS Auto Tech teacher Troy Hedges who described his son as somewhat of a perfectionist.
“Ty from a young age has always had a great attitude and demeanor about himself, his work ethic is outstanding, he always over achieves at everything he does,” said Troy Hedges.
Coach Dugan Bentley, who coached Hedges for years in wrestling, said he’s not surprised that Hedges is doing well in the military.
“As an athlete at LHS, Ty was always a leader. He wasn’t really the best wrestler on the team, but he was always one of the hardest workers. His hard work, toughness, and his thoughtfulness as a teammate are the reasons he was always well respected, and naturally caused people to follow his lead,” he said.
Coach Bentley said Hedges has always been tough but humble.
“He never felt a sense of entitlement for anything, and he always respected coaches and authority. I am extremely proud of Ty and his successes in the Marine Corp. However, I am not surprised. Ty is a “blue collar” wrestler who is as tough as nails. He was built for this type of task,” said Bentley.
Boot camp isn’t all about physical training, according to Hedges. With his experience in the military, he briefly explained how aspiring military members can prepare for the grueling challenge.
“Make sure that you are very active, not just physically, but socially. You have to give speeches and read promotional warrants. You’ll also get an hour a day to write letters home. It’s nice because you can decompress from the day– it’s a game changer. It boosts your morale and gets you ready for the next day.”
Hedges was recruited by Sergeant Nathaniel Will when Hedges was still a student at LHS. Since then, Sgt. Will said he has noticed a lot of growth in the young Marine.
“He has always been mature but he is even more mature now. He definitely demonstrates the aspects of a leader. I was only on the job for a month when I met Ty. I am very proud of him,” said Sgt. Will.
