Central Hinds’ Lewis planning on devoting life to U.S. Coast Guard

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 11, 2002

Adam Lewis, a senior at Central Hinds Academy, stands in his United States Coast Guard uniform as an American flag flies in the background. Lewis spent the summer in boot camp and will enlist after his senior year. (The Vicksburg Post/SHANE MARQUARDT)

[09/11/02]RAYMOND For one high school senior the world speaks of imminent possibilities in the sound of waves slapping against the hull of a boat and the seagulls that cry off the coast.

Many high school students use the summer before their senior year as a chance to get away from it all, to take a break; perhaps a chance to go somewhere exotic and as far away from school as possible.

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Central Hinds Academy’s Adam Lewis isn’t any different, except his break was spent in Cape May, N.J., in the Coast Guard’s boot camp.

“I decided to go in the Coast Guard about the middle of school last year. I’ve been talking with a recruiter, and my uncle, he was in the Navy, he said that if he had to do it all over again, he’d go with the Coast Guard because the Navy kind of just does circles in the sea, but the Coast Guard, they do so much from tagging polar bears in Antarctica, to law enforcement, search and rescue, as well as we go overseas during war time,” Lewis said.

Lewis is not oblivious to what he is getting into. His family has a military background and he is aware of the responsibilities and commitment that comes with his line of work. His uncle was a first class petty officer in the Navy and his grandfather fought in World War II, Korea and was enlisted during Vietnam.

Lewis’ path is slightly different than his predecessors, but much like his family, Lewis’ wish is to serve his country. He wants to be a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard, but is prepared for whatever his country may call on him to do.

“Adam has always been interested in the military, but I think his interest escalated after 9/11,” said Suzanne Lewis, Adam’s mother. “At first I was a little worried because of the times we’re in now. I asked, Do you really want to do that?’ But now I couldn’t be prouder. It’s a great thing, and Adam has always been a patriotic person.”

And a team player.

Lewis finished eight weeks of boot camp and went straight to the Cougars’ two-a-day football practices.

“It made me physically fit to take on the season, and it taught me to be a leader. As a senior it’s part of my job to lead this football team, and the boot camp really teaches you to be a leader,” Lewis said. “Hopefully I’m doing a good job so far.”

Coach Kenny Granberry enjoys sharing one particular example of how Lewis’ leadership skills have blossomed since his return from boot camp.

“We were having a problem in the dressing room with kids just putting their stuff up, so I asked Adam one time to kind of help supervise, and by the time he finished, all the helmets faced the same way, and everybody’s stuff was in the locker the same way,” Granberry said. “That’s just something he learned at camp and set to good use with us. And I think he’s got a lot of respect from it.”

Lewis is quick to point out that his two worlds, one as a senior football player at CHA and the other as a recruit in the Coast Guard, are not that far apart.

“There is a comparison. It takes a lot of self discipline to come out here (for football), get beat up, and then the next day just come out and do it again. Both require a lot of self discipline,” Lewis said. “I must say the running isn’t as hard as it is at boot camp, but I wasn’t used to getting beat up at boot camp.”

The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder plays defensive end and offensive line, and though his coach will point out that Lewis is quiet and polite off the field, he was always a warrior under the lights and between the painted lines.

“My freshman year we played Rebul Academy, and we’re really whipping up on them, and coach throws me in at middle linebacker. They had this big fullback, Todd Montgomery, and he ran up the middle, and I was really small back then,” Lewis said. “I stopped him dead in his tracks and busted a big old hole in my helmet.

“It was pretty crazy, and one of my most memorable moments.”

That is, until he got to boot camp where his daily routine consisted of a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call, morning chow, classes (history, seamanship and damage control), lunch, physical training, evening chow and then the dreaded time with company commanders that could mean personal instruction or serving demerits, which most certainly amounted to the same thing.

“Kill, kill, kill and hustle. Don’t give up, quit isn’t in my vocabulary,” Lewis said. “They really taught you up there, don’t give up, don’t quit, and everything is going to be cool if you do it like that. Gung-ho all the time.”

And for those that thought two-a-days were tough and their football coach was merciless, try a boot camp instructor for a summer.

“My company commanders were like coaches up there, a lot meaner though, and expected a lot more out of you,” Lewis said. “That’s because up there they treat you as an adult and not as a high school kid.

“But I miss them a lot, they were really inspirational.”

The Cougars have noticed the change, and Granberry has pointed to the fact that Lewis’ experience has not only helped him on the football field, but in life.

“Adam made the statement that when he was with the Coast Guard, and going through their training, it got to the point where you knew that you would die for the guy that was sleeping in the bunk beside you, and you knew he would do the same for you,” Granberry said. “I think the camaraderie is a wonderful experience.

“I wish all my kids could experience the same thing because I think he’s brought back a lot of positive qualities that are going to help him the rest of his life.”