SHS Grad Malcolm Trask Fulfills His Dream of Joining the Marines

2014 Scituate High School graduate E. Malcolm Trask is finally fulfilling his goal of joining the United States Marine Corps.  He has been dreaming of this day since he was a young boy watching movies like Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot.  As a freshman at Scituate High School, Trask was determined to be a Marine.  By age 17, he signed up for the delayed entry program and began his Marine Corps training upon graduation.

While attending Scituate High, Trask lettered in both soccer and wrestling.  However, as a sophomore, he broke his leg in a soccer game, and while at physical therapy, he knew he had to prepare and train harder for boot camp.  Corporal Trask is now a 0331 Machine Gunner for the US Marine Corps. The Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting operations with the United States Navy.

Serving in the Marine Corps has been a positive experience for Trask, as he enjoys travel: his main home base is located at USMC Hawaii Base in Kaneohe Bay, and he is deployed all over Asia. Trask was most recently deployed to Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. He is one of three recent Scituate graduates who have been stationed there. While deployed in Okinawa, Trask was one of seven men in a medium machine gun squad that was awarded The Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal in December of 2016.  Ginette Trask, Malcolm’s mother, commented on his incredible hand/eye coordination. Recently, Trask has been nominated for Marine of the Quarter and NCO of the Quarter.

Trask’s time in the Marines has been an adventure, leading him to new experiences,  “I’ll be surfing in Hawaii and the next training for an aerial assault on Ospreys,” he said.  With hobbies like surfing, fishing, spear-fishing, scuba diving, and boating, Trask enjoys living in Hawaii.  According to his mother, Trask’s hobbies helped him become a fun person to be around. “Malcolm is very fortunate to have been stationed all four years in Hawaii with his love of water sports.  I’ll never forget his first call home after surfing in Hawaii to hear about the warm water and constant waves,” she said.

At the end of January in 2018, Trask boarded a ship for several months to train in Southeast Asia.  He predicts his time in Asia will be similar, saying, “There’s always something new that’ll keep you on your toes in the Marines.” Trask said he never thought he would be deployed in Asia, but he has enjoyed his time there, calling it a learning experience.

Corporal Trask was able to apply what he learned from restoring a boat back when he was younger to his Marine training,  Ginette Trask explained,“Owning a boat and navigating the Scituate waters helped to prepare Malcolm to be a coxswain for the USMC — a coxswain navigates and steers the boat during their drills.”  

While a student at SHS, Trask participated in a service trip to Guatemala organized by an SHS math teacher Kerri Hallihan.  Ms. Hallihan shared a few words about Trask referring to him as, “Chill and “Very easy going” and Pleasant all the time.” Hallihan mentions that Trask was a very funny and that he helped make the trip to Guatemala easier because of his humor and keeping the group motivated.  When asked about a memory of him she said, “Malcolm and Jonni Ricci decided to put on their own version of dancing for us and the Guatemalans. They chose to do middle school style dancing…Very memorable.” Hallihan will remember Trask as a hard worker and a huge motivator for people even in conditions that most are not used to.  According to Ginette Trask, “Malcolm mentioned wanting to go back to Tamahu, Guatemala, to visit the families.” Even years after the trip, he still has a spot in his heart for the families who live there.

SHS front desk secretary Kathleen Ward shared a few words about Trask, remembering  him as “quiet” and having “a good group of friends.” She has a mini photo of Trask in his marine uniform posted on her board.  Former teammate and fellow graduate of SHS, Keegan True, who is a senior at the US Coast Guard Academy, shared a few words about Trask, stating, “Malcolm was always a fun guy to be around…he is also a really hard worker.” True said he knew that one day, Trask would be in the Marines, saying he always had the drive to pursue it.  

Like any other mother, Ginette Trask could not be anymore proud of what her son has accomplished in the past few years.   His mother explained when he is gone that she misses, “Malcolm’s smile and laughter. Also, hearing about his plans for the next adventure-driving cross country, hiking the Appalachian Trail or going on another backpacking trip through Europe.”  When asked if she knew Malcolm would be a marine she answered yes, “As a mother I wanted him to go to college, but more importantly to follow his own path and fulfill his dream. It’s honorable to serve your country, and so I stand by his decision.”   

Working halfway across the world for 10-11 months at a time, Trask admitted he misses his family and dogs, Xyza and Baggio. “Something that I’ve also missed is summertime in Scituate,” he said.  Trask will finally return to Scituate for a visit this summer, saying, “This July with be the first summer I’ve been home since I graduated high school, and I can’t wait to hit the Spit!”