Born and raised in Alaska, Alex Rodriguez graduated from Skyview High School in 2012 and thought he’d try working in the oil and gas industry. “I hunted and fished a lot like most Alaskans, but didn’t really know what I wanted to do. So I tried the oil field and didn’t like that, so I did a semester of college and then took a job at a box store for a little bit and felt stuck and one day I walked into S.Sgt. Denton’s office and asked what my options were. I signed up but it was a long process and a lot of time preparing for boot camp and finally I shipped out and it was the most exciting time of my life,” Rodriguez told the Dispatch. “It’s great to be part of team that holds itself to a higher standard. All throughout boot camp we were taught about honor, courage, commitment and integrity. I wanted to be part of the number one fighting force in the world and the elite of the elite. It didn’t come easy, but I never looked back or had any regrets and I’m proud to have earned it and happy to have a career that I’m suited to,” added Pvt. Rodriguez.

Also returning home recently was a member of the SoHi class of 2016, Thomas Flores who was born and raised in Soldotna and became Squad Leader during boot camp which earned him his first strip. “It’s a big difference from what I felt just a few months ago. A lot of it is mental, but it’s a really big change to go from being in high school straight into boot camp,” said Flores whose two brothers are also Marines and grandmother served as a Marine during the Vietnam War. “They helped encourage me to follow their legacy, but didn’t tell me anything about boot camp so that it would be a surprise for me and it was, but it met all my expectations. S.Sgt. Denton worked with me a lot and made sure I was physically fit and that was what helped me get my meritorious promotion in boot camp. I made my brothers proud,” he said. Flores is also proud of the economic advantages offered by the Marine Corp. “I’ll be able to take college courses while enlisted and hope to become an officer and a pilot and when I graduate I’ll be debt free,” added Flores. Alex Rodriguez and Thomas Flores, two of Alaska’s best now two of America’s best and our Hometown Heroes.