With strong family ties to the military, a Ferris student decided to leave the college life to pursue time in the Navy.
Ferris junior criminal justice major Vic Tocco originally went to Ferris for the criminal justice program but ended up using Ferris as a learning platform for his future in the military.
“Words really can’t describe [my time at Ferris],” Tocco said. “[Ferris] is where I found my way and grew up. When I stepped back, I realized that I had my fun and it was my time to grow up and start my career.”
Originally, Tocco planned to go into the Marines but was turned down for the length of his arm tattoo. He plans to go into the special warfare program in the Navy.
“I have always had an idea of [going into the military],” Tocco said. “Something just hit this summer to where I decided to act on it.”
Tocco’s grandfather was a Prisoner of War (POW) in the Korean War, and his father served as a Marine military police officer in the Gulf War.
Much of Tocco’s time at Ferris was spent in the fraternity Pi Lambda Phi. He plans to take the aspect of teamwork he learned in his fraternity to the Navy.
“It doesn’t fully hit you until you’ve put in all the hard work- the blood, sweat and tears- then you finally grasp the team or brotherhood that you have,” Tocco said.
Tocco isn’t sure of his plans after the Navy. He may retire and use his experience for a federal job, do a few terms in the Navy or return to college.
Ferris sophomore accounting and finance major Tyler Satkowiak is Tocco’s fraternity little.
“I know how much of a hard worker and how determined Tocco is towards [the Navy],” Satkowiak said. “I have no doubt that he will [do well in the Navy].”
Tocco said he isn’t leaving to find something better; he is leaving because the Navy is what he needs to do.
“The navy is my next step, my next career and my next family,” Tocco said.