Army grants wish to terminally ill boy

[thedrifter]

by Michelle Bard



Ten year-old Justin Bryce grins after he is sworn into the Army as an honorary sergeant by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Sergeant Major of the Army Jack L. Tilley Oct 7. (Photo by Master Sgt. Richard Puckett)


WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 9, 2002) - With help of the U.S. Army, the Make-A-Wish Foundation was able to grant a 10-year-old freckled faced boy with a terminal illness his greatest wish -- to become a soldier.

To honor that wish, the sergeant major of the Army and the Office of the Secretary of Defense helped swear in Justin Bryce of Binghamton, N.Y., as an honorary soldier and then promoted him to sergeant in a Pentagon ceremony Oct. 7.

Bryce's 20-year-old-brother, Pvt. Raymond Bryce, a 10th Mountain Division artilleryman at Fort Drum, N.Y., was flown in to surprise his little brother and family attending the ceremony. The older Bryce said he thinks he inspired his brother's wish to become an Army soldier.

"I think I had something to do with it. I think he leaned more toward it after I joined," Bryce said.

The ceremony kicked off with the official swearing in of Bryce as an honorary soldier by Lt. Gen. John Craddock, the senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense. "The Army gets better every time we enlist a new American," Craddock said prior to the swearing in.

Bryce was then given a custom uniform with Military District of Washington insignias, a challenge coin, black beret and certificate.

Sgt. Maj. of the Army Jack Tilley assisted in the ceremony and presented Bryce with other special Army mementos including various Sergeant Major of the Army coins, an Army briefcase, a bag full of Army footballs, a Sept. 11 remembrance coin and an Army pen. He told Bryce, as the boy eagerly held his hand out, "As long as you're a good soldier, this pen will never run out of ink."

Tilley said this experience held special meaning for him.

"I have an exceptional family (member), so to be able to play a small part in something that makes you feel so good...I think it's something everybody should do," Tilley said.

Bryce was promoted from private to sergeant following the promotion orders signed by Tilley. Bryce became confused at one point in the ceremony and asked, "What's a promotion?"

"We're going to make you from a private to a sergeant so you get an increase in pay. But not much!" Tilley said.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld also participated in the ceremony and awarded Justin with a Secretary of Defense hat and pin. He praised Bryce on his advancement in the ranks.

"Congratulations on your elevation to sergeant," Rumsfeld said.

After the ceremony, Rumsfeld met with Bryce's parents, younger sister and two older brothers and welcomed them to the Pentagon. He also expressed his appreciation to Bryce for choosing to become an Army soldier.

"Thank you for choosing the Army for your wish," he said.

Jon Rosa, Make-A-Wish's public relations and development coordinator, out of Kensington, Md., said doctors, family members, and the children who have a life-threatening illness can make wish referrals.

In Bryce's case, the hospital in Wilmington, Del., where Bryce was seeking treatment made the call to the foundation and official word of Bryce's wish was made to them Oct. 3. Rosa said it was urgent to grant the wish "as soon as possible."

"We wanted to provide Justin with some quality time with his family in these last stages of his illness," he said.

Rosa said the foundation has a policy of not disclosing the illnesses of clients.

In addition to the swearing-in and promotion ceremony, Bryce also had a full day of "training" at the Pentagon, Fort Belvoir, Va. and the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Baltimore, Md., Oct. 8 to get some hands-on experience.

"He really seemed to enjoy himself," Rosa said.

Tilley said he felt honored to assist in the ceremony and grant Bryce's wish.

"We just came out today to make him an honorary sergeant, give him his own uniform and tell him we would do anything we could to help out. It's the least we could do," he said.

Sempers,

Roger

[janecallanan]

Thanks Roger.