Nordonia grads to serve as members of armed forces

by Alfred Hood 

This year’s Nordonia High School graduating class included four seniors that made the decision to join the armed forces following their high school careers.

Raleigh DeBoo will be joining the U.S. Navy, Justin Zambach and Matthew Baynes are both set to become a part of the U.S. Air Force and Zachary Pelko is joining the Army National Guard.

DeBoo’s mother, Vanessa, said her son signed with the Navy in March and will be entering boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes in Illinois in August. He has been selected for a submarine IT job and will later undergo specialized submarine training in Connecticut. 

“He spent two years of his high school career at the Cuyahoga Valley Career Center, where he took the Computer Networking Academy course and exited with several IT certifications that qualified him for such a position with the Navy,” said Vanessa.

She added that these certifications and the excellent job options and signing bonuses offered by the Navy influenced DeBoo’s decision to enlist. Additionally, DeBoo has been an active Boy Scout since age 9, which fueled his adventurous spirit leading him to a military path.

Justin Zambach, who will join the U.S. Air Force, has long been drawn to the armed forces.

“I chose to join the Air Force quite a long time ago initially due to the family history I have in the branch,” Zambach said. “My grandpa and his brother both served during Vietnam, and I grew up hearing the stories of them. As I got older and had a greater understanding of the military, I knew serving my country was a career in which I’d feel I was truly doing something meaningful for myself and the people around me.”

He has already begun training in water confidence and swimming ability both independently and with the help of Air Force instructors. His journey will officially kick off with basic training in a few months. 

Zambach’s involvement in sports throughout high school and his participation in the Fire and EMS Academy at CVCC, where he earned EMT and firefighter certifications, has prepared him for his future in the Air Force.

Both students were part of Nordonia High School’s signing day ceremony in April, where parents and peers gathered to celebrate the students’ commitment to serving their country. 

While DeBoo is currently working as a backpacking ranger at the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in New Mexico for the summer, Zambach is gearing up to start his Air Force training.

Both graduates said they are excited about the opportunities ahead of them and are looking forward to embarking on this new chapter in their lives. ∞