Two West Wendover High School graduates became warriors within 24 hours of each other yet half a world away, last week.
In one of the oldest cities of the world Thursday night Arieh Copelan WWHS class of 2010 marked the completion of the first part of his basic training in the Israeli Army with a swearing in ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
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Standing at the foot of all that remains of the ancient Jewish Temple, Copelan was given a bible and an assault rifle by his commanding officer and took the oath of a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces.
In one of the newest cities of the world Friday morning Colton Smith WWHS class of 2011 officially became a United States Marine in a ceremony in San Diego, California marking his successful completion of boot camp.
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Son of Donnie and Kris Andersen and Stacy Smith, Colton endured a grueling 13 week training period, known as one of the toughest in the world. Copelan, son of Advocate Publisher Corinne and Howard Copelan, had a much easier beginning with a two month Hebrew language course but then followed by three months of what is commonly referred to as Hell.
Smith now goes on to technical training to become a Data Network Specialist, while Copelan will remain with his unit for advanced infantry training including paratrooper training.
For political reasons the opportunities for Orthodox Jews to serve in combat units of the American military are few especially in Muslim countries.
Partly because of that reason the Israeli Army is the only foreign military where Americans can serve without risk of losing their American citizenship and each year hundreds of Americans join the ranks of the IDF.
Two of those Americans were Arieh’s sister Anna WWHS 2002 and brother Chalom WWHS 2005.