Paul Tobalt, a 2014 graduate of Michigan City High School (MCHS), and four year Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) cadet, was sworn in as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps at Purdue University in West Lafayette on May 11, 2018. Tobalt attended Purdue on the Navy/Marine ROTC scholarship. That scholarship is worth $180,000 in educational benefits. The starting salary for a Second Lieutenant is $36,418, plus $254 per month for food. Additionally, housing, health, dental and eye care are provided at no cost.
Major Tom McGrath, the Senior Marine Instructor, participated in the oath of commission ceremony and reflected on the growth of Tobalt as a MCHS cadet. “It was very gratifying to see the progress that Paul made, from being an introverted high school freshman to becoming our cadet commanding officer his senior year, earning the ROTC scholarship, and now becoming a Lieutenant of Marines.”
“Paul’s development is something that we try to direct in all of our cadets,” said Marine Instructor Master Sergeant Jeff Benak. “He obviously continued to improve after he left Michigan City and now is a Marine officer.”
Tobalt has very fond memories of MCHS and holds the school in high regard. “Michigan City High School provides opportunities for students to become leaders, no matter what their passion may be. I’ve had the fortune to attend a prestigious university because of the opportunities I found at MCHS.”
Tobalt’s first duty station will be Quantico, VA, 40 miles south of Washington, DC. He will attend The Basic School (TBS) there, which is where all Marine officers, regardless of their military occupational specialty (MOS) or job, attend. He will learn how to lead a rifle platoon in combat. Upon graduating from TBS, he will attend his MOS school. Tobalt is hoping to become a combat engineer.