Marysville man honors high school roots at Navy commissioning

U.S. Navy Ensign Leighton Flores recently graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York. For his commissioning ceremony, Flores returned home to pay respect to the Marysville School District’s Navy Junior ROTC program.

At a Sept. 9 ceremony at Naval Station Everett, Flores accepted his rank from his former senior naval science instructor, retired Cmdr. Randolph Brasfield. And for a Navy first salute tradition, he requested instructor Chief Kathy Wilde. The tradition has newly commissioned officers give a silver dollar to the recipient of their first salute. While they “buy” their first salute, they must earn the rest by earning respect through good conduct.

Flores is a 2013 graduate of Marysville Getchell High School. He is the son of retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Joey Flores and Leilani Supnet Flores.