BARRINGTON NATIVE SOARS TO NEW HEIGHTS IN THE MARINES

Known for being one of the most elite fighting forces in the world, the Marine Corps is the ground combat element of the United States Navy. Only the top candidates who meet rigorous physical, mental, and moral standards are accepted into the Marine Corps each year, making the program extremely competitive. One such exceptional candidate is Barrington native First Lieutenant Dane Meier, who is currently on active duty as a naval aviator.

Meier graduated from Barrington High School in 2015 before earning his Bachelor of Arts in marketing from the University of Illinois in 2019. Just two and a half years ago he made the life-changing decision to join the Marine Corps.

“I joined the Marines because I wanted to support a cause bigger than myself and to seek service where I could make a difference,” Meier says.

The ethos of honesty and personal growth that was important to him while growing up has served him well in the Marines.

“It was important to be honest in everything that I do,” explains Meier. “I learned to admit mistakes when I make them and always seek opportunities to grow and learn.”

Today Meier serves as a student pilot with U.S. Navy Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) at Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi. The intensive flight program, which includes 21 stages of training and over 160 hours of flight time, teaches new aviators everything they need to know to fly critical missions around the globe in aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet.

Earning the coveted “Wings of Gold” that certify naval aviators is extremely difficult. Only half of those who start flight school go on to graduate but Meier met the challenge head-on.

“Being selected to fly jets was my proudest moment in the Marines,” he adds. “It was an accumulation of all the lessons built into me from my family, friends, peers, and instructors paying off.”

Meier recognizes the continuous sacrifices required from a Marine Corps aviator. Yet, he considers putting others before himself while defending our nation as a privilege. And he’s thankful for those who helped him reach this point.

“I’d like to thank Timothy Raynor (Barrington resident and colonel in the United States Marine Corps) for encouraging me to take the first step and always reminding me that it’s not about me,” Meier shares.

As Meier literally soars upward while learning to fly some of the world’s most sophisticated combat aircraft, his homegrown values of patriotism, humility, and service continue to ground him.

For more information, visit marines.mil.