Mase family sends 3 to Marines

Carrie and Larry Mase will soon be empty-nesters as, one by one, their triplets depart for service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Larry Mase said any news of troop deployments has suddenly become much more personal. While proud of her children, Carrie Mase confessed to some anxiety amid uncertainties overseas.

Andrew, Hayley and Ian Mase, 2019 graduates of Maricopa High School, all were involved in the Air Force Junior ROTC program. They also had an uncle who was a Marine and had a major influence in their individual decisions to join the military.

Andrew Mase just finished boot camp in San Diego, what he called “three months of voluntary prison.”

He said 90% of the reason he enlisted was his uncle, who prepared him ahead of time for what he would encounter and sent him encouragement.

“He would just say, ‘Push through it, push through it. It’ll be fine,’” he said.

Haley Mase, who goes to boot camp in February, said she’s in it for the challenge. She is aiming for aircrew.

“It has the hardest physical standards,” she said.

Ian Mase is preparing to head to boot camp in March. He said JROTC taught him to be “a leader, not a follower.”

Andrew said drilling was easy to do, and he was already well versed in military etiquette.

“They drilled a lot of good things into their heads,” Carrie Mase said.

The trio are part of the Marines’ delayed entry program, which gave them up to year after enlistment to report for training. That has allowed them to prepare mentally, physically and emotionally.

Carrie Mase said the various Marine parent support groups on social media “have helped so much.”

“The moderator will ask, ‘OK, what are your highs and lows today?” she said.

The triplets are Arizona natives. Originally from New York, Carrie and Larry Mase moved to Maricopa from Ahwatukee 12 years ago. Their oldest son Nik graduated from MHS in 2017.