Noble Neis

It’s the middle of summer and Trevor Neis is sitting in the beef barn at the Douglas County fair. A Marine, who has just returned from boot camp, walks into the barn and strikes up a conversation with Neis about his career path. Before Neis could impress another judge with his showing skills, he had decided to become a reservist in the Marines.

“People say that it’s really cool that I am going to the Marines. People are proud of me and think it’s an awesome thing to do. That makes me feel really good,” said Neis.

Neis is currently at a fork in the road along his path to the future. He can choose to go to boot camp this summer or wait until the summer between his sophomore and junior year of college to engage in a process similar to boot camp.

Heading off to boot camp this summer would involve three months of intensive preparation for the Marines. Another month after that would be dedicated to combat training. Following that is 30 days of Military Occupation Service School where Neis would specialize in ammunition, serving as an ammo technician.

Dana Neis, Trevor’s mother, is very proud of her son for his decision to join the military, however she is a little somber about him possibly going away.

“One of the hardest things about him joining will be not hearing from him for 13 weeks if he attends boot camp!  He’s not allowed a phone; he can only write letters and I don’t think he’s going to have the energy or much time to do that!” said Dana.

If Neis decides to put off his training until later in life, he wouldn’t have to risk being deployed during college. However, he wouldn’t receive the same benefits. Enrolling in boot camp for the summer means that Neis would have 75% of his college paid for and he would receive $200 each month for participating in drill. Although those benefits sound great, they might not be worth the risk of deployment during the journey to a degree.

Joining the Marines prepares people for life in ways that they may not experience anywhere else. Participating in boot camp and many other activities through the Marines can help any person develop leadership skills. A wonderful retirement plan is offered through the Marines, as well as a “seat available” program. If a military plane is leaving a Kansas base and heading to California, a Marine can hop on the plane and travel to Calif. for no charge. That sounds like the perfect deal for Neis who has visited Europe and a dozen states in the United States.

Throughout high school Neis has been heavily involved in agriculture classes and clubs. Last year, Neis and his agronomy team took first place at state. Neis has also been a part of state judging teams through the years. While Neis isn’t busy with agriculture related activities, he enjoys fishing, hunting, and turning wood on the lathe. In fact, Neis has taken trips to various states in order to further immerse himself in his hobbies. Neis visited both Texas and Louisiana for fishing trips. He ventured to Minnesota to participate in a wood turning convention a couple of years ago. Aside from various hobbies, Football has also been a big part of Neis’ life through high school. The team made trips to the playoffs and even the state championship when he was a freshman. Years of playing football prove to be beneficial in preparing for a physically demanding career in the Marine Corps.

Neis’ girlfriend Sydney Shain, Jr., is glad that he will be involving himself in something that will positively shape his character.

“I think it’s cool that he found something challenging to participate in,” said Shain.