Some believed he was being courageous. Others thought he was crazy. During the Vietnam War, which shook our nation and, at its peak, killed up to 500 American men per week, Andrew Suaby enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. At the time, all healthy, able American men were entered into the draft, many reluctantly. Young men were sent to fight a battle many of them did not understand or even believe in. Many of them never returned home. However, in 1972, Suaby willingly dedicated himself to the Corps and his country. His dedication and commitment would turn out to be life-long.

He wore a jacket with the words “United States Marine Corps” embroidered on the chest. His cap read “U.S. Marine Corps Retired.” His smile was warm and his eyes lit up as he spoke of his years of service and allegiance to the Corps and our country. When asked why he enlisted during Vietnam, Suaby thought for a moment, adjusting his baseball hat. “I wanted to be measured by a different yardstick than my father,” he confessed. His father was a successful business man. Being born and raised in Bethlehem, Pa., Suaby and his family were relocated to Wilbraham, Mass. and later to Parsippany, N.J. because his father’s career demanded it. Suaby attended Montclair State University on a part-time basis where he studied distributive education and excelled in both soccer and wrestling. Suaby worked up to 20 hours per week at a Getty station near the Montclair State campus to put himself through college. All the time, however, Suaby knew that he did not want to follow his father’s footsteps as a business professional. He did not want his success and achievement to be compared to those of his father. He wanted to be measured “by a different yardstick.” As a gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps, his life and his success certainly have been.

When he enlisted in the Marine Corps, Suaby was 22 years old. He was sent immediately to MCAS, Marine Corps Air Station, in Cherry Point, N.C. Suaby’s never-ending dedication and effort in training sprouted from his desire to always push himself to the limit. Suaby recalls, “I guess it was always a fascination with the underdog.” In fact, when Suaby first began his military training he was only able to complete three pull-ups during drill exercises. The other young men could complete 15 on average. Determined to push himself to the limit, Suaby practiced pull-ups everyday. He realized that achieving his aspiration was a real case of mind over matter. With a book in hand, Suaby would go to the pull-up bars and read in between sets until he was able to complete 16. He also pushed himself in the courses he was required to take. Suaby recalled that he couldn’t tie his shoes until he was 9 years old, he couldn’t dance and he couldn’t tie a tie. However, in his Marine Corps training courses and exams, Suaby never fell behind. In fact, he scored an impressive 144 on the GCT, General Classified Test. Suaby understood that in the Corps, one either sinks or swims.

Suaby worked diligently to complete his Marine training, however, by the time he had completed his preparation, the United States had begun to pull out of Vietnam. Suaby never had his chance to fight for his country in the war; however, this would certainly not be the end of Suaby’s military career. He is a MCI, Military Commission Instruction, honor graduate. He was also named a NHSC, National Health Service Corps, honor graduate and in 1986, in recognition of the achievement, had the opportunity to meet President Ronald Reagan. Suaby stated that he is the only retiree to ever receive the Navy and Marine Corps achievement award for his years of ongoing dedication, and also holds a record for PME, Professional Military Education, for most courses completed. Suaby explained that by 2001, he had completed 423 Marine Corps Institute at-home-study courses in areas such as military leadership, artillery, and motor transport. He was always ready and willing to take a new course or a new task. He never turned down an opportunity to learn a new skill or better himself. “I would take anything they would throw at me,” Suaby explained.

After his years of active military duty, Suaby served in the Marine Corps Reserve in Freemansburg, Pa. He has served as vice president and treasurer for the Bethlehem NAACP and continues to serve as the Armed Chair for the organization. Suaby believes that his experience in the military has prepared him for such tasks. He realized that his experiences have taught him how to work with diversity and have helped him take on new endeavors. Suaby currently lives in Bethlehem and works for Protection Technology, a security agency. He serves as a “floater” security guard. The flexible schedule allows him to remain actively involved in the Marine Corps and gives him the opportunity to still “help somebody and make a difference.”

The discipline and dedication that is required by the Marine Corps has become a way of life for Suaby. Both his active military experience and his duty as a Marine Corps reservist have taught him many valuable lessons. Suaby feels that military experience “helps you bring yourself through difficult situations.” It also teaches you that in life, “you either sink or swim.” His never-ending determination and dedication have made him the accomplished military veteran that he is today. Suaby’s success and achievement in his lifetime will certainly be “measured by a different yardstick.”

Lauren B. Kennedy is a 2004 graduate of Lehigh University. Her hometown is Closter, N.J.