Sayre resident Elmo May has pride bellowing from his voice as he discusses his grandson, Tyler.
“He graduated from Sayre High School,” Elmo said. “My wife and I brought our family to Elk City in 1994, so we have been a western Oklahoma family for a long time. Tyler’s dad, our son, is the police chief here in Sayre. Tyler was raised with the values of this place and our family, and I think you can see that now in his choice to serve our country.”
Tyler’s grandmother Shirley remembers that joining the United States Marine Corps was the young boy’s dream from early childhood.
“Back when he was a little guy, it is exactly what he said he was going to do when he grows up. It makes me proud to see him doing something that he always dreamed of doing, especially since that is something that will make a meaningful impact on the world,” she smiled.
Now 26-years-old, Tyler is ranked as an E-5, or a sergeant, and is stationed in Okinawa, Japan.
“He is really loving it,” Shirley said. “He has been there now for over a year on a three-year tour.”
Tyler and his unit, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, have been conducting bilateral exercises with the Japanese military in what is called “Iron Fist.”
“It is joint training that the military has long done to make sure that we are accurately trained and they are accurately trained,” Shirley explained.
Both Elmo and Shirley are personally familiar with the functions of the military as both put in over 20 years.
“I started out with the Marines, so it makes me especially proud to see that Tyler chose that same branch,” Elmo said.
As Alumni Weekend approaches, the beaming grandparents look forward to seeing Tyler’s classmates as he serves on the other side of the world.
“It is great seeing the ones that stayed around here,” Shirley stated. “I think that we all have to find our own path, and there are a lot of important jobs that need to be done around here. I’m so proud of all these kids, and I think it says a lot about Sayre that so many of them are off doing such neat things with their lives already.”
