J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 1 7 4 9 Heroes courtesy photos Meet the home-grown stars of the U.S. Navy who, even in uniform, wear Maine on their sleeves. Makayla Van Blarcom, 18, Cryptology Technician-In-Training hereareyou? I’m in Pensacola, Florida. I just finished boot camp. I should be hearing where my first deployment will be any day now. Whatwillyourspecialtybe? Well, it’s actually pretty top secret–but I can say it will involve signals analysis. WheredidyougrowupinMaine? In the Thomaston/St. George area. I went to Oceanside High School in Rockland. Whatinspiredyoutoenlistrightoutofhighschool? Well, I grew up listening to my grandfa- spent so much of our time on the water. My first job in Maine was actually clam- ming for my grandfather! BiggestdifferencesbetweenFloridaandMaine? There’s no sea breeze like Maine’s. Interviews By Olivia Gunn Commander Paul N. Rumery, 57, Chaplain Corps, USN WheredidyougrowupinMaine? Right here in Portland. I was born in Maine Medical Center. I’m a graduate from Deering High School–go Rams! I’m the oldest of five children and the only one to go into the military. Whatinspiredyoutoserve? My dad was in the Air Force–that really influenced me. I enlisted into the Marine Corps shortly after high school. While in the Reserves, I went to college and on to a seminary school. There was a Navy Chaplain recruit- er there, and I knew I still had some mili- tary in my blood. WhatinterestedyouintheChaplain’srole? I grew up in a family of faith. We attended Stroudwater Baptist Church on Congress. I was influenced by my mentor, who’d been in the Signal Corps during World War II. I was haunted by the photographs he took in the concentration camps and the devas- tation that took place across Europe. I re- member listening intently to his experi- ences. As a person of faith, while I was in the Marine Corps I attended chapels and learned that the Navy provided Chap- lains to the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The beautiful thing is that in our First Amendment we protect the right to express our faith. TakemebacktoyourchildhoodinMaine,whatarethe detailsyouremember? I think of a very close-knit family and a great quality of life. I loved being right next to the ocean. We’d go down to Casco Bay and ride the ferry. After high school, I trav- eled on the Caribe–the ferry that went from Portland to Nova Scotia–and I remember thinking, “Wow, this is really neat. There’s just something about being out at sea.” Whenyou’vebeenawayonassignment,whatmakes youhomesick? The view from Munjoy Hill. Real Maine lobster with warm butter and a drizzle of vinegar. The salt air. The quality of life. I’ve traveled around the world–I’ve been down range to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once as well as many other deployments–but when I get on the highway and see that sign Welcome to Maine: The Way Life Should Be, it always makes me smile. That’s the quality of life I’m referring to. ther’s stories about the Navy. He was an EN (Engineman). He talked a lot about travel- ing. I always wanted to travel while still get- ting an education. And college is really ex- pensive these days. WhatsetMaineapartduringyourchildhood? The nature, ocean, and the region’s agricul- ture. I feel so lucky to have grown up there. Every day I miss being in Maine. Takeuscloser. We spent every summer at a campground in Appleton with my family. The entire summer! We’d go fishing, hiking–we