Farm Fresh Marine leaves Amish Roots.

(Image to the right. Pvt. Abner A. Miller, Platoon 1152 a former Amish Order community member)

MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO(Jan. 13, 2006) -- The Marine Corps is a cornucopia of people. It's an array of black, white, brown, red and yellow, and its varied folk practice a plethora of religions. In the last year, two recruits, who happen to be brothers, came separately from perhaps the Corps' most uncommon origin - the Amish Order."It's a very small world within the Amish community," said Pvt. Abner A. Miller, Platoon 1152. "Usually it's a 20-mile circle. We go as far as the horse and buggy take us."Miller grew up in a sheltered environment. Born and raised on a farm in Maquoketa, Iowa, he lived a farmer's life."There was a lot of hard work, but it was a good life," said Miller. "(The Amish) abide by laws that regulate the way you dress and the way you work. I don't abide by that anymore."Much like his brother, Roy A. Miller, who graduated with Company K last July, Abner Miller fell away from the traditions of his order and ventured into the world to see something beyond a farm. Roy was the first of his family in at least 200 years to join the military. Abner would be number two. "Basically, I got tired of the old tradition. I wanted something more," said Miller.Working as a farmer until he was 21, Miller left the farm and took up a job in interior carpentry, building cabinets for two years before he became a truck driver. Go to this link for the complete story by Lance Cpl. Dorian Gardner