Scrawny.
That’s what he was when he departed from his hometown for Annapolis, and he can’t deny it.
Joey Minor, the oldest of four children raised by Bryan and Maria Minor of Wheeling, began his college career at West Virginia University but quickly decided Morgantown was not his destiny. Instead, Minor, a graduate of Central Catholic High School, accepted an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and is now a 2020 graduate with a five-year commitment to the Marine Corps.
Minor’s next step involves The Basic School in Quantico, Va., in September for officer training and to acquire his Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designation, or his job. From there, the young man will begin serving his country, and if it becomes a career, it becomes a career.
That decision will depend on where life leads this second lieutenant.
Now that you have been graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, what do the next five years have in store for you?
I’ll have a five-year commitment to the United States Marine Corps as an active duty ground officer. Until September, I’ll have temporary duty in Annapolis as a Physical Education Assistant with the new plebes. In September, I report to The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. For six months I will learn the ins and outs of being a Marine Officer, how to lead a rifle platoon, and find out what my Military Occupational Specialty (MOS, essentially what particular job I’ll have) will be. After that, it depends on what MOS I have and where the Marine Corps’ needs are.
What are the reasons for your deciding that “job,” and what others did you consider?
As far as deciding to join the military, I really just felt that I wanted to serve my country. Obviously, there are a lot of other factors to consider, but I knew I wanted to serve. I chose the Marine Corps as my desired service assignment because it fit my personality very well. The Marine Corps requires a commitment to physical fitness, which I think I have. The many Marines I have come across over the past four years have also influenced me, and I strive to mirror their leadership and character traits.
For what reasons did you opt to attend the U.S. Naval Academy, and how do you believe it will benefit you during the rest of your life?
I had a lot of different thoughts in my head while I was at West Virginia University for a year. On one hand, I loved being with my friends and being close to home. On the other, I didn’t really like my course of study and was wondering how I would be best suited to serve. The Naval Academy just seemed like the place that best suited me, for a variety of reasons. I really wanted a challenge, and it provided that. It provided me with a host of opportunities not just in the past four years, but in the present and future as well. We have an extensive alumni network that I hope to keep in touch with, and I’ve made lifelong friends from all over the country — what I consider my greatest takeaway from USNA.
Your brother, Thomas, has accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy. What advice have you offered him thus far?
I haven’t really offered him much, honestly!! I always ask him if he has questions, or if he’s concerned about anything, but he never does. I think he’s ready to blaze his own trail, though. He’s always been a bit more reserved than I have, but I think that will suit him well during his first year. If he goes over there and works his tail off, he’ll be just fine.
Do you plan on making the military a career? If so, why? If not, what do you wish to do following your five-year commitment?
It’s tough to know what the next five years have in store and how that will affect my decision. As of right now, I’d love to stick around the Marine Corps for a career. I love dealing with people and staying active, and those are two things that a career in the military would give me. At the same time, I’d like to see where life takes me and how my family is doing. I’d like to start a family of my own at some point, so that’s another consideration. Regardless, I’m honored to be in the Marine Corps, and I’d be even more honored if I were to be kept around for a career.
