Gulfport Seabee chooses fire station for reenlistment ceremony - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

Gulfport Seabee chooses fire station for reenlistment ceremony

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By Trang Pham-Bui - bio | email

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ST. MARTIN, MS (WLOX) -

By Trang Pham-Bui - bio | email

ST. MARTIN, MS (WLOX) - Thank goodness there was no fire to respond to in St. Martin Friday morning. That's because Morgan Rector was in the middle of a very special re-enlistment ceremony.

"That I will support and defend the constitution of the United States," Rector pledged as she raised her right hand.

The 23-year-old Gulfport Seabee could have had the ceremony anywhere, but she chose to do it at the Fort Bayou Volunteer Fire Station in St. Martin.

"I just appreciate that chief gave me the honor that I was even allowed to do it here," said Rector. "The fire department has been a big part of my life since I've been down here."

"Normally, we have it on base in front of the command. It's pretty unique to be out here at the fire department," said Chief Robert Green, a Gulfport Seabee Instructor.

Growing up, Rector always wanted to be a firefighter. Her grandfather was a fire chief in Ohio. So, Rector joined the Fort Bayou Fire Department about a year and a half ago.

"I don't have any family down here. They're all from the north. They're all from Ohio. So it's kind of like my home away from home. This fire department is like where my family is and I wanted them all to be a part of the reenlistment," said Rector.

"I was proud that she wanted to come here and do it in front of her family. Because we all try to be a family around here and help each other out," said Patti Crandall, a firefighter and secretary at the fire department.

Surrounded by her firefighting family, Rector pledged to continue defending her country for the next three years.  

"And I'm getting ready to deploy again," said Rector. "I've been gone a lot, all these deployments.  But they still support me. It's pretty amazing to know my family. They're going to be there no matter what."

Rector first enlisted in the military at the age of 18. Since then, she has been deployed to Japan, the Bahamas, and Afghanistan. Her next mission is Rota, Spain.

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