Lakeside High graduate sets his sights on Naval Academy

Martinez resident Paul Maile recently was recommended for appointment to Marion Military Academy in Marion, Ala., by U.S. Rep. Paul Broun.

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"Attending one of the nation's military academies is a tremendous achievement," said Broun in a news release.

Maile, the 19-year-old son of Corilla and Chris Maile, of Martinez, is attending Marion Military Academy. As a member of the academy's prep program, Maile is awaiting word for acceptance to one of the five U.S. service academies -- U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy or the U.S. Air Force Academy.

"My No. 1 pick is the Naval Academy," said Maile, a 2007 graduate of Lakeside High School. "But I'm keeping my options open in case something goes wrong."

Maile said he can trace his family's military service back to the times before Pilgrims.

"As far back as we can find, our family has been in the military," he said. "My father had a chance to go to West Point and didn't. I don't want to make the same mistake."

During his time in the Marion Military Academy's prep program, Maile has been focused on academic training. The coming semester will provide him with more extensive military training. If Maile doesn't get accepted to one of the U.S. service academies this year, he said he will probably stay at Marion for another year.

"I only observed Paul for one year as his senior Army instructor, but he immediately stood out as a great leader when I met him at the JROTC Summer Camp," said Maj. Timothy M. McKean, the senior army instructor at Lakeside. "Particularly the way he carried himself with self confidence and his good manners. Other instructors at camp would point him out and comment on his military bearing."

At Lakeside, Maile held the highest positions attainable in the JROTC -- senior noncommissioned officer while a junior, and battalion commander during his senior year.

"He leads by example and during his four years at Lakeside, Paul actively participated in the award winning JROTC raider, drill and rifle teams," McKean said. "He aggressively took steps to gain leadership experience and was selected to attend the JROTC summer camp, Georgia Boy's State and the United States Coast Guard Camp."

Maile said his greatest desire is to earn a degree in aerospace engineering and go into the Naval Space Program.

"I've wanted to do that since I was in about the sixth or seventh grade," said Maile, a former member of the civil air patrol. "The Air Force and Naval academies are the only academies with aeronautical programs, and the Naval Academy has the best."

McKean said Maile is a great cadet, and a great person who can be counted on when needed.

"During our Raider competitions, which are physically grueling competitions, you would always find him doing the hard jobs and carrying more than his share of the load," he said. "It is that type of quality about Paul that I will remember the most."