by Sgt. Jon Holmes, Defense Video Imagery & Distribution System

It started with bedtime stories – stories of exotic lands with strange foods, cultures and peoples, stories of brave men and women who fought for freedom and protected the innocent, stories that extolled the virtues of honor, sacrifice and bravery.

These were the stories often heard in the Goodwyn home. There were no wizards, elves or knights. Only brave men and women who had taken up service for their country.

It was these stories, told by Hosea Goodwyn, which first kindled the flame of service in his son, Hosea Goodwyn Jr., and daughter, Alexis Goodwyn.

“Each time he told his stories, they would continuously interest me,” said Alexis Goodwyn, from Pensacola.

Their father shared with them his experiences in places like Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Spain and Dubai. Places that are as mystical and mysterious to a young mind as a fantasy world.

“His journeys inspired me to go on my own,” said Hosea Goodwyn Jr., from Pensacola.

The question for the young Goodwyns was not if to serve, but in which branch. The bond they saw among the U.S. Marine Corps solidified their decision to enlist.

 “They would help each other out through the worst of situations,” said Hosea Goodwyn Jr., a senior from J. M. Tate High School. “Everyone in the Marine Corps is like a brother or sister.”

“The Marines had a tight bond with one another,” added his sister, also a Tate senior, explaining why they chose the Marines.

As the two prepare to start their new journey, their father had one final story to share.

“You have people who stand back and watch, and then you have those who step up to the plate and make a difference in this world,” Hosea Goodwyn said.  “Honor, courage and commitment, and the words we repeat while taking the oath are not just words to take lightly.

“My father was a police officer, and each of my brothers served in the Army and the Air Forces. We don’t have followers in this family. We have leaders, and they are demonstrating this trait now. I am proud and honored to be their father.”

With their decision made, the only story left to tell is their own, which they will forge with honor, courage and commitment.

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