MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- Brady Jernigan, an Eagle Scout with Troop 425 aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, was presented with the Congressional Bronze Medal by Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, 2nd District of Hawaii, during a small ceremony at the Chaplain Joseph W. Estabrook Chapel, June 3, 2014.
The Congressional Bronze Medal is awarded to youths who work with an adult advisor to set and achieve goals in four program areas: 100 hours of volunteer public service, 50 hours of personal development, 50 hours of physical fitness, and 10 hours and one overnight in a planned expedition.
“I feel very honored,” Jernigan said. “I wasn’t expecting it to be as fun as it was. When I first started I wasn’t too excited about it. But I realized the 100 hours of community service helped support people I really care about. If I hadn’t done this, I probably wouldn’t be able to play the piano and sing right now. I’m grateful for the opportunity and the challenge. The congressional award is a great challenge to help push young people to meet their goals and make goals they otherwise wouldn’t make.”
Jernigan primarily fulfi lled the volunteer portion through the boy scouts, but also served Tripler Army Medical Center’s Fisher House by stringing Christmas decorations and fi lling shoeboxes with toiletries for Operation Christmas Child with the Samaritan's Purse organization.
For personal development, he took piano and singing lessons, and acted as the Wizard in the "Wizard of Oz" play put on by the Hawaii’s Education of the Arts organization at Windward Community College’s Paliku Theater.
In physical fitness, Jernigan learned to play a new sport, lacrosse, and met the goal of a greater winning-to-losing ratio for faceoffs.
Finally, Jernigan went to Washington D.C., where he spent a week hunting for a Hawaiian presence in our nation’s capital. He came across exhibits in the Smithsonian museum, postal stamps from before Hawaii’s statehood, and a King Kamehameha statue. Jernigan said there were more Hawaii-related artifacts in D.C. than he thought.
Jernigan began the award as he was turning 15 and, after accumulating two years worth of hours, said the work got easier as time progressed.
“I think I would summarize my bronze medal experience (as) the longer you persevere the easier your goal gets,” Jernigan said. “When I first started, I dragged my feet a little bit, but once I started getting into it, it was significantly easier because once you realize what you’re doing is something special and not everyone does it. It helps people.”
Gabbard presented the award to Jernigan during the ceremony.
Gerald Kinro, a retired state employee of the state department agriculture, served as Jernigan’s adult supervisor and signed off on his award. Kinro said Jernigan approached him in the traditional manner, by knocking on his door.
“When we sat down to discuss this award, I told him that whatever you do in terms of this or other programs you’re in or involved in, don’t think of it as something you’re doing for right now,” Kinro said. “Think of it as something that is going to help you 20 or 30 years down the road. “
Gunnery Sgt. Joseph James, quality assurance noncommissioned officer at Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24 and scoutmaster for Troop 425, said he was extremely proud of Jernigan’s accomplishment.
“Brady works very hard on his leadership,” James said. “If you ask any (of the Boy Scouts) who a good leader is, they’ll tell you Brady. He’s probably one of the most selfless adolescents I’ve ever met in my life. And I think that is the strength of his leadership — his commitment to help others."