Major based at Marine Corps Logistics Command discusses giving back

ALBANY — An officer working with Marine Corps Logistics Command (LOGCOM) at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany originally from the Czech Republic got her start in the United States through the generosity of others, so the concept of giving back is an important one for her.

She shared her story to the Dougherty County Rotary Club recently, while praising the club’s efforts to give back to various causes — one of which received a donation from them during the same meeting.

Maj. Petra Seipel, who has served with LOGCOM since 2014, moved to the United States at the age of 14 to Washington, D.C. with her family. She was in the Marine Corps Reserves before basic training, and became the first woman accepted into The Citadel. Among her assignments while in the Marine Corps has been a deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The wife and mother of two sons, she was initially cool to the idea of living in Albany — but the city has grown on her.

“I think this is a great town with a lot of opportunity … its the small things you do for people that make a difference,” she said.

Seipel’s father worked for the embassy, so she never considered herself an immigrant — but carried that status nonetheless. Her family could not afford a college education for her, and scholarships were not obtainable at the time because she was an immigrant. In her youth, her parents packed the family minivan and took them on a cross-country trip, believing in the value such a trip could have.

When it came time to apply for college, she saw The Citadel as a good opportunity. She participated in JROTC and had good grades. She was ultimately able to get in after someone along the way made a few phone calls to raise the money for her.

“I was able to have a good education because of what others have done for me,” Seipel said. “I wanted to give back to the country that did so much for me.”

So, she decided to join the Marines. The only thing standing in the way was U.S. citizenship — which she was approved for on Nov. 17, 1999 by a U.S. Congress vote, one of only a handful of people to become a citizen that way. She was a citizen the following January, and has been in the Corps for a most of the time since.

“It’s an honor to serve a country that is great, and its great because of the (organizations out there to help people),” the major said. “That’s why I think serving others is so important.”

In addition to her duties as a Marine, wife and mother, she also mentors students at the International Studies Elementary Charter School and maintains seven acres that includes golden chickens.

Anne Milledge, CEO of Hands Extended Across Reaching Together or, H.E.A.R.T., was at the meeting to accept a donation for $250 from the club to go toward hygiene products for children.

Since 2010, the organization has given more than 3,100 pairs of shoes over the course of eight distributions to needy elementary school students in Dougherty County. H.E.A.R.T., which is about to celebrate its 36-year anniversary, also teaches life skills to Albany area youth.

“(The donation) means we will be able to continue to stay on the mission and put our best foot forward,” said Milledge.

H.E.A.R.T. depends on the good will of churches, businesses organizations and individuals to ensure every elementary school-age child in Dougherty County have proper foot wear. Checks or money orders from those wishing to help should be made payable to H.E.A.R.T. Organization, Inc., and mailed to P.O. Box 4433, Albany, GA, 31706. For more information, call (229) 883-0200.