Semper Fidelis

By Jake Schwartz

Kevin Thomas Lenahan, 22, lives a life that, while seemingly chaotic due to the sheer mass and variety of activities and responsibilities, is kept, through his herculean effort, ordered and balanced. This is partially due to a single thread, a concept, a principle that runs through it like a spine, guiding and focusing his thoughts and behavior.

Kevin Lenahan in Boyd Dining Hall

This principle is “Semper Fidelis,” or “Always Faithful.” As a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, Kevin takes his duties to represent the organization very seriously.

“When you go out, you think 'what do I have to do today.'” said Lenahan. “When I go out, I think 'how can I represent the Marine Corps to the best of it's ability.”

Lenahan, has many extracurricular activities as well, including running marathons (for both charity and pleasure), playing guitar, cooking, volunteering, reading autobiographies, and, in his own words “sampling the local flavor.”

Lenahan understands the importance of hydration

However, there is a definite hierarchy to his priorities.

“I would say I consider myself a Marine before a college student,” he said. “This nation doesn't decide whether or not to get involved in a particular conflict based on whether or not I have to go to school.”

In fact, Lenahan's commitment to the Marines pervades the deepest and most philosophical reaches of his mind, as was apparent when he was asked to speak aboutArlington National Cemetery, which serves as the burial sight for veterans killed in combat.

After a silence both brooding and dignified, Lenahan opined that his personal connections to the resting place have given him a different perspective not only onArlington, but on life and death.

Lenahan out for a walk

“When you see all those graves, those flowers and fields, you see that your life is as valuable as theirs was, and you realize how insignificant you are. I don't think a lot of people understand what that means. They just think 'oh that's a lot of dead people, that sucks.' They don't understand,” he said.

Rankings of the United States Marine Corps (chart taken from tattoodonkey.com)

Lenahan hopes to graduate from Ohio University, in which he is currently a fourth year student, with a degree in chemistry and mathematics, and move on from there to flight school. His ultimate goal is to become a jet pilot for the Marine Corps.