JOINT BASE-MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. - School's out, and this one man takes off his graduation cap and puts on a patrol cap. Another chapter in this young man's life begins.
Being raised to help people, whether offering advice to his wrestling team or joining the Knights of Columbus through his church, this upstanding 19-year-old chooses to help another way and steps into the recruiting office.
"I still help my high school wrestling team, along with my family and my church", said Pfc. Matthew Creavey, from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, a Chaplains Assistant with the 1185th Deployment and Distribution Support Battalion in Lancaster Pennsylvania. "Because we are of the Catholic faith, I decided to join the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic Charity starting in the 1800's that helped Catholic immigrants when they arrived in America. Now they help people all over the world. Because my Family is all military I decided to serve."
Pfc. Matthew Creavey is one of the youngest competitors that has been training for this challenge. After graduating high school, Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training in December 2013, his home unit prepared him for the 377th Theater Sustainment Command Best Warrior Competition. Which he won, and since the beginning of June, he has mentally and physically been setting himself up for success in the U.S. Army Reserve Command Best Warrior Competition.
"I am competing because I was asked to. I won, because I love the Army and being a Soldier. This competition is a test to see what I am made of," said Creavey.
Drawing from his strong commitment to Family, military and religious background, he said he feels this will give him the motivation to keep him going. Even though he feels a little homesick.
"I grew up in a military Family with strong religious values and we are very close. My mother and father were both in the military when they met, stationed in Germany, both my brothers served and one is still serving with the Army," said Creavey.
Although being young, he knows he will face a set of challenges against the other contestants.
"My strongest event will be land-navigation. My weakest event will be the physical training test. I've seen some of these guys and they're pretty big, but I don't mind. I like being the underdog," said Creavey. "My unit chose me to participate because I am just out of basic. My Soldier skills are strong and I'm in great shape. Everything is still fresh for me and I am always a Soldier first," added Creavey.
Right now his goals are to learn as much as he can, and not only has he been preparing for this event, he received his Modern Army Combative Program level 1 certification and his combat lifesaving certification.
Being an underdog he has always moved forward, tried new things and succeeded.
"One of my latest accomplishments is learning how to play the banjo. I've always enjoyed folk music and bluegrass. My long term goals are to pursue a degree in Architectural Engineering at Penn State and earn the rank of staff sergeant" said Creavey. " And I am confident I will be able to complete these missions."
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