As a young man, local resident Adam Gresham began to heed the invigorating call of military service. While in the eighth grade, his interests began to focus on attending the Naval Academy and a potential career as a military officer.
"I maintained good grades and was very active in athletics," Gresham said. "I realized that in order to get an appointment to a military academy, those would be necessary steps."
His hard work paid off when former U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton nominated the high school senior for both West Point and the Naval Academy.
Receiving acceptance letters from both, Gresham chose the Naval Academy, "because I knew I wanted to be a Marine."
A 1993 graduate of Jefferson City High School, Gresham traveled to Annapolis, Md., where he began the four-year process of earning a college degree while at the same time learning the history and nuances of the military culture.