By Kate Hill

Staff Writer

On Nov. 21, Margaret Carpenter, of Cazenovia, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during a ceremony in Quantico, Virginia.

Carpenter is a 2013 graduate of Cazenovia High School, where she played field hockey, basketball and golf.

According to Cazenovia Central School District teacher/coach Maureen Carroll, Carpenter’s character and ability stood out from an early age.

“I was Maggie’s elementary physical education teacher and went on to coach her in JV field hockey,” Carroll said. “I also worked with her with the high school musical, where she was a part of our sound/microphone stage crew. I have literally watched Maggie grow up from a little girl who was an eager participant in everything she tried, to a determined athlete who was a starter on two state championship field hockey teams. She is a smart, loyal, responsible person. It is of no surprise that she has achieved this accomplishment and that she will be of service to our country.”

In 2017, Carpenter graduated from Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a bachelor of science degree in math with computer science.

After working for several years at an engineering firm in Liverpool, she applied and was accepted to the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School (OCS) — a rigorous 10-week program used to select candidates equipped with the character, intelligence and strength required to lead the Marines.

“I really missed being part of a team, I didn’t like sitting behind a desk all day, and I wanted to feel like I was making a difference in the world, as cheesy as that sounds,” she said. “I had always heard that the Marines were the best of the best, and that being a Marine Corps aviator was really hard, so of course in middle school I decided that’s what I wanted to do.”

Carpenter graduated from OCS last month. She will perform a period of temporary duty in the Syracuse area and then continue her military education at the Basic School in Quantico, where new Marine officers study weapons, tactics and leadership.

“OCS was an awesome experience,” she said. “I was challenged both mentally and physically and the dedication of the OCS staff proved to me that I made the right decision in joining the Marine Corps. I’m excited to continue training at the Basic School come May, where I’ll learn the [fundamentals] of leading a rifle platoon — something that every single Marine Corps officer is trained for regardless of their occupational specialty,”

Pending successful completion of the Basic School, she will begin flight school in Pensacola, Florida, where she will train to be a Marine pilot.

Carpenter is the daughter of Tim and Elizabeth Carpenter, of Cazenovia, and the sister of Robert Carpenter, a 2011 graduate of Cazenovia High School who now practices law at a local firm.

“Maggie has been lucky in her life to be good at many things,” said Timothy. “Schooling and sports came easy for her – she never had to work too hard. But completing the initial training for the Marines was hard, and she got it done. We’re most proud that she is choosing to use her abilities and determination for the public good by joining the military. Our family has a long history of military service on both sides, including both my wife and I, and having raised a daughter who will continue that legacy is very gratifying.”