Childhood Mentor Helps Sussex Grad Choose Army Career Path

As 18 year-old Jacob Beringer strode into the lunch room at Sussex Hamilton High School last fall, he spotted a familiar-looking U.S. Army recruiter setting up his monthly display table.

“I thought to myself, 'I’m not sure where I know him from but I know I know him,' ” Beringer said.

The uniform name tag said “Sgt. Nicolas Dimiceli.” Suddenly, everything clicked.

Beringer remembered being a first-grader at St. Agnes School in Butler. A certain eighth-grader named Dimiceli was his mentor in the school’s Buddy Program.

“We read books, went to the zoo,” Dimiceli recalled. “We got together once a month and we would make a special lunch. I hope I had a positive impact on him.”

The two shared boyhood memories before discussing life after high school. Beringer was interested in diesel mechanics and was considering automotive programs at local technical colleges.

Then came Dimiceli’s simple question: "Why not the Army? You can get into diesel mechanics, exactly what you want.”

The more Beringer thought about it, the more the idea made sense to him. And, after all these years, he knew he could still trust Dimiceli as a friend and mentor.

“He was a role model back then as he is now,” said Beringer. “He’s someone to look up to. I didn’t have an older brother to look up to, so I thought of him as an older brother.”

Beringer headed to Fort Jackson, SC, July 17 for basic training and a start to his new career. All because of a friendship that began when he was in first grade.

“My personal satisfaction is to see somebody that I grew up with have his head on straight,” Dimiceli said. “It’s good to see that I’ve got a true blue, red, white and blue American that’s passionate about the decision he’s making.”