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HAMMONTON— The Kenney brothers
entered a military life to enrich their lives,
educate their minds and empower their hearts.
Matthew Kenney, 22, entered the
United States Navy in June 2007 for a six-year
term.
His current rank is Third Class
Petty Officer.
He spent the first two years in
the Navy in school for nuclear engineering in
Charlotte, South Carolina.
From there he transferred to New
York to obtain hands-on training at a power
plant.
“This is where they taught us how
to run a power plant on land before you went to
train on a boat,” he said.
He was then assigned to the U.S.S.
Philadelphia, a fast attack submarine.
“I like the challenge of it. It
is one of the most challenging jobs in the Navy.
I was honored that they gave it to me since it
is my understanding that they only give the
opportunity to a select few,” he continued.
Prior to entering the Navy,
Matthew spent two years at Atlantic Cape
Community College doing well, but not finding a
clear direction for his future.
“I needed to find a direction,
and I believed the military would give that to
me. My brother was doing well in the Air Force,
and thought that the Navy would give me the
opportunity to do that would not have normally
done as civilian. I wanted to try something
different and gain valuable experience,” he
said.
Matthew feels that the experience
has made him a more confident man.
Once he finishes his six-year
commitment to the Navy in 2013, he plans to
attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) for nuclear engineering.
Matthew acts in the capacity of
nuclear technician by day, and by night he
enjoys singing and playing music, specifically
the guitar.
He said he believes that the Navy
helped him find his way God, a major turning
point in his life.
“During the time I have served, I
have come to find Christ. I think about God’s
role in my life everyday and aim to keep a
positive attitude each day,” he said.
Matthew recently became engaged
to Ann Nguyen, and the couple plans to marry in
June 2010.
“I am so excited for my future
with Ann. I can’t wait to start my life with
her, marry and start a family,” he said.
Wayne Kenney, 24, enlisted in the
United States Air Force right after he graduated
from Hammonton High School in 2004.
His current rank is Senior Airman
in the United States Air National Guard. He will
be leaving shortly for his first tour in Iraq.
His brother recently returned home from his
first deployment.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to
do after high school, and I felt that they could
help me think about it more. I believed it was a
very constructive way to spend four years. It
prepared me,” he said.
He spent four years in active
duty stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in
Eielson, Alaska as an Environmental Journeyman
working on the computer and electrical systems
in jet airplanes.
Although not his first choice for
his path in the Air Force, he is happy for the
skills he has learned and now has a better
appreciation and understanding of mechanics.
“I now have a broader scope of
knowledge that I can use everyday,” he said.
In September 2009, he immediately
came home and enlisted in the United States Air
National Guard for a six-year term.
“It felt like a natural
continuation of my military career. This way I
could keep my job and go to school at the same
time,” he said.
While in Alaska, Wayne completed
his associate’s degree and is now working toward
his bachelor’s degree through Rowan University
in math education.
Wayne said he believes the Air
Force has given him better people skills,
leadership skills and general life skills.
“I think the immediate four years
after high school are formable years in your
life. The experiences you have make you who you
are. Those years in the Air Force have given me
confidence in myself to accomplish any task. It
taught me life skills and that the biggest thing
in life is to learn and to continue to learn. It
has given me the confidence to ask when I don’t
know and to seek out the answers when I can,” he
said.
Wayne enjoys the piano and the
arts.
Their mother, Patricia, a
longtime Hammonton resident has been torn with
both pride and fear with her sons’ decisions to
enter the military.
“I am proud of them for choosing
to do the scary thing; at the same time I
realize they are putting their lives on the
line. I am proud of my boys that they have
decided to do this,” she said.
It has given them a great
experience, a wonderful adventure and has
allowed them to see the world, she continued.
“It is wonderful that my kids
will have a college education when they finish
and be able to take advantage of all the
opportunities that are given to them without the
burden of educational debt,” she said.
She said she hopes that the
experience has given her sons an appreciation
and understanding of the freedoms they have in
this country and the benefits they have to be
whatever they want to be in life.

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