Attend The University of Oklahoma, study some German and then join the Navy. These are the plans senior Justice Connery has lined up for his next few years.
Connery’s family has an extensive military background. His dad is in the Navy, and Connery said that is what mainly inspired him to join.
‘’My dad is a Navy Technician. He works on bombs and diffuses bombs, sometimes underwater. He’s been to Germany, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and he’s going to Africa soon with a SEAL team,’’ Connery said. “It means a lot to carry on the tradition of being in the military.”
At OU, Connery plans to do Naval ROTC and then participate in the officer training program. His ultimate goal is to go to the Naval Flight School.
“At first, when I was about 11 or 12, I wanted to be an airline pilot,” Connery said. “But then I realized that it’s hard to pay for college and the military would help. So about two or three years ago I decided to join the Navy.”
Connery’s family has mixed feelings about his decision to join the Navy.
“Most of them are fine with it, but my mom is not as supportive of it just because she knows they can do whatever they want with you,’’ Connery said. “My dad supports me because all four of his brothers and both of his parents were in the military.’’
Senior Matthew Hoard, a friend of Connery, has known him for about eight years. He said there are several reasons he thinks Connery will be successful in the Navy.
“He’s really hard working, and the military has always been a family thing with him,” Hoard said. ‘’His grandfather was in the military. His dad is in Virginia right now, and he’s been in Afghanistan. Justice has always been big on America, and big on supporting his country.”
There is more to Connery than just his goal to join the Navy. Hoard said he is a genuinely good person and friend.
“He’s really sarcastic,” Hoard said. “Sometimes when I talk to him it’s hard to know whether he’s being serious or not. I am too though, so that’s why we get along.”
Another passion of Connery, and something that will also help him in the military, is learning German. He has been studying the language in his free time, and hopes to be stationed in Germany in the future because he likes the country so much.
“My dad is half German, so it’s just in my blood,’’ Connery said. ‘’I like the language. It sounds cool. I’ve always been interested in it.”
Part of the reason Connery chose to attend OU is because it is the only school he found that offers German, a flight program and naval ROTC. Though Connery is looking forward to attending OU next year, Hoard said he is going to miss him.
“It’s going to be weird not having him around,” Hoard said. “We’ll keep in touch through Facebook and cell phones. I’ve already told him he has to come down and stay with me in my dorm at college on some weekends.”
Another friend of Connery, senior Brooks Alexander, said he expects Connery will do very well in the future.
“The military is a great and respectable profession, and I think Justice will have a lot of success there,’’ Alexander said. “I know he’s a hard worker and loves to support our country. He will make America proud.’’
