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Bruce Hope: From Soldier to staff writer

Army veteran joins Clay Today’s staff


Posted

CLAY COUNTY – My name is Bruce Hope, and I am the newest member of the Clay Today staff.

I was born in Washington, D.C., but have lived many places, and just on the other side of the Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville is now home. I grew up in the suburbs of the nation’s Capitol, where I attended Bishop McNamara high school, in Forestville, Maryland.

Following graduation, I attended the now-defunct Kemper Military School and College in Booneville, Missouri for two years. I obtained an associate’s degree and moved to Brooklyn, New York where I lived for the next nine years. I met wife, got married and had my first child there before enlisting in the Army at the age of 27.

I served as an information technology specialist during my time in the Army, assisting in coordinating and configuring various communication devices and systems. I underwent basic training at FT. Jackson, South Carolina, and advanced individual training at FT. Gordon, Georgia before being assigned to the 64th Medical Detachment in Kaiserslautern, Germany. During that assignment I deployed to Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. After Germany I returned stateside where I was assigned to the 7th Signal Company at Ft. Eustis, Virginia.

Next was the 524th Military intelligence company at US Army Garrison Yongsan, in Seoul, South Korea. I then returned to Ft. Eustis before finishing my time in service after nine years. My family and I then moved to Jacksonville, where we now make our home.

I attended the University of North Florida where I graduated last Friday with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications with a concentration in Multimedia Journalism and production.

I am happy to have joined the Clay today as a staff writer in further pursuit of my dream of becoming a member of the sports media.

Feel free to reach out with story ideas, or just to say hello.