05/28/2025
So incredibly proud to be this young man’s recruiter! If you want to be like PFC Marintzer, hit that inbox and let’s get the ball rolling!
TMP-M student: A man of many uniforms
By Diane Gasper-O’Brien
The Register
As a student attending Catholic schools in Hays his entire life, Caleb Marintzer is no stranger to dressing in some type of uniform every school day.
A couple of different uniforms represent significant events to the Thomas More Prep-Marian senior during his last semester of high school.
Marintzer was honored while wearing his Boy Scout gear in January when he was recognized for having completed his Eagle Scout project last year.
He will don yet another uniform later this month.
Just one week after graduation, Marintzer will take off for Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for 10 weeks of basic training with the Army National Guard.
Those green fatigues have special meaning to Marintzer. Besides the overall experience he will gain, his commitment to serving in the military will help pay for his college education.
Following basic training, Marintzer will attend nine weeks of advanced individual training to become a CBRN officer (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear officer).
So his college career won’t begin until the January 2026 school year, when he begins work on his nuclear engineer major at Kansas State University.
But he’s OK with that.
Marintzer will get to enjoy a little break from school and activities when he returns to Hays from Missouri – something to which he isn’t accustomed.
At TMP-M, Marintzer competed in sports all three seasons. This year, he is a student council representative for the senior class. He is a member of FFA and his school’s liturgy team. And he helped the Monarch scholars bowl team qualify for state four years.
This semester has been an especially busy one for Marintzer, whose Eagle Scout project was coordinating the restoration of a large crucifix and its foundation in the St. Joseph Cemetery.
He also is active in his parish at St. Nicholas of Myra, where he helps coach younger altar servers.
As the oldest of seven siblings, he helps out around his home, including the family mowing business.
An honor student, Marintzer knew he had several academic scholarship opportunities with high grades and ACT score.
But he also knew how expensive college can be, and he was familiar with the National Guard, in which an uncle of his served.
So after talking to a recruiter at a career fair, he looked more into it and decided to join.
“That’s Caleb. He knows he’s not the only child his parents have to raise, so he’s going to make his own way,” said Bob Leikam, a former teacher of Marintzer’s at TMP-M. “He’s a very unselfish person.”
Marintzer is finishing up his last season competing in sports for the Monarchs as a distance runner for the TMP-M track team.
Should he or any of his teammates qualify for the state meet the last weekend of this month at Wichita, he will have to miss it for basic training.
“I have really enjoyed being a senior leader on the team,” Marintzer said. “So I’ll miss that. More than just competing myself, I enjoy cheering my teammates on, helping them out. So I can see myself being a coach someday.”
Engineer. Coach. Military Officer. Whatever the future holds for Marintzer, Leikam is confident he will succeed.
“In my opinion, he will go a long, long way in life whatever he does,” Leikam said. “He’s a leader, not a follower. He knows what’s right, he knows what he’s been taught, and he is going to do the right thing. He has a tremendously level head on his shoulders. I give credit to his parents for that.”
