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The following was submitted by Miles for Military:
Miles for Military, a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps junior active-duty enlisted military personnel return home for holidays and other important milestones, flew two Massachusetts-based Marines home to reunite with their families this past weekend.
The Marines, Private First Class Antonio Marcucci of Fall River, from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2 and Corporal Nicolas “Nico” Serret of Winchester, an infantry rifleman, both arrived at Boston’s Logan International Airport from Camp Lejeune, N.C. Members of their families were waiting at the airport for the memorable reunions.
“Miles for Military is giving me the chance to see my family for the first time in about six months,” Marcucci said.
Miles for Military provides transport home to Marines in the program in exchange for volunteer service with a charitable organization of their choosing.
Both Marines, as part of the Miles for Military program, are volunteering for Joyful Heart Deliveries, a free, non-profit delivery service for Marines living on base, that focuses on getting Marines their mail and packages as well as bakery, grocery, meal, and other special deliveries for the holidays.
Retired U.S. Air Force non-commissioned officer Ramon “CZ” Colon-Lopez, who rose to the rank of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (SEAC), the highest enlisted rank in the United States armed forces, said Miles for Military plays a crucial role supporting the overall wellness of service members.
“Mental focus is a requirement for the American warfighter,” SEAC (ret.) Colon-Lopez, a Miles for Military board member, said. “Their attention to detail and execution of their duties is related to a healthy state of mind. Miles for Military aids to their resiliency by providing yet another opportunity for our service members to enjoy time with their families while adding value to their communities via volunteer opportunities.
“This is what a ‘whole of nation’ approach looks like,” he said. “They defend our freedoms, and we find ways to support them!”
State Rep. and Gold Star father Steve Xiarhos is ranking member of the Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs.
“As a Marine Gold Star father, I know firsthand the sacrifices our brave troops and their families make every day,” he said. “The holidays are a time for healing and connection, and programs like Miles for Military make it possible for our heroes to come home to their loved ones when it matters most. I vividly remember the joy of seeing my own Marine son return home, and I understand how meaningful it is to create those memories together.”
Marcucci is a fourth-generation Marine. His mother joined the Corps in 2001 and currently is the Inspector General and Command Evaluation Officer for the U.S. Navy’s Surface Warfare Schools Command in Newport, R.I. His father deployed twice in Iraq as a Marine and served in the unit that famously tore down the Saddam Hussein statue.
His grandmother and grandfather both served in the first Gulf War, and a great-grandmother and great-grandfather both served in the Korean War.
Serret’s grandfather is a Marine veteran; he knew since childhood that he wanted to be a Marine too. Miles for Military made it possible for him to be reunited with his family.
“I’ve been saving leave days, but I just lost track of time, and am looking forward to a long-overdue reunion thanks to Miles for Military,” he said. “For my volunteer work at Joyful Hearts, I helped throw a Thanksgiving party for fellow military members who couldn’t go home to their families and also helped make Christmas preparations for the Marines that can’t go home.”
Maureen Byrne founded Miles for Military in 2021 after flying her son, Ronan, home from his base.
“Realizing how expensive that was, and knowing the strain on mental health for those in the armed services who haven’t seen their families for two years or longer, I knew I needed to do something to help them get home for the holidays and other moments that matter,” she said.
