Former Marine returns home to serve his city
MERIDEN — A city native who once guarded the president of the United States has returned to guard his hometown.
http://www.record-journal.com/articles/2005/10/29/news/news05.txt
MERIDEN — A city native who once guarded the president of the United States has returned to guard his hometown.
Jason Welles, 23, protected the U.S. Marine Corps helicopter Marine One, often standing silent with his hand held firmly to the brim of his hat. He traveled to London, Rome and Prague, and played basketball with the president at Camp David in Maryland. Still, he yearned to come home and serve the city in which he grew up.
Welles has wanted to become a Meriden police officer for as long as he could remember. He rose quickly through the ranks of the Meriden Police Explorers program, which is designed to provide experience for young people interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement. Joining at age 13, Welles often talked about graduating from the police academy and enlisting with the department.
“That’s all he wanted to do. That’s all he talked about,” said Officer Mike Lane, former Explorers’ advisor. “Before he even left the Marines, he tested for (police officer). He just showed total dedication and had the foresight that this is what he wanted to do. He worked hard at it.”
Since he didn’t meet the department’s age requirement of 21, Welles joined the Marine Corps and was assigned to guard the president’s helicopter. Putting his experience is difficult to put in words, he said.
“I don’t know how to describe it,” Welles said Friday afternoon. “A lot of the time when I did it, I thought, ‘Wow. If people could see what I can see now.’ ”
Despite the moments of exhilaration, Welles said, there is a lot of down time when he sat in a hangar waiting for his next mission. He thrives on excitement in small doses, he said, which led him to Meriden.
“It’s not a Cheshire, where there’s nothing to do. It’s not a Hartford, where I fear for my life every day. It’s a diverse community,” Welles said. “I can’t find another career that has such a diverse atmosphere. I love driving around and meeting new people and having new experiences.”
Chief Jeffry Cossette said Welles’ enthusiasm and military background would help him thrive within the department. “Their structure, their discipline, the way they’re able to control their emotions — all are very useful in our field,” Cossette said.
jmanes@record-journal.com
(203) 317-2230
By Jennifer Manes, Record-Journal staff