Marine surprises sister’s class

Cpl. Jeraldo Cotto Jr. speaks to a class at Winslow Elementary on Monday. Staff photo/Cody Glenn

U.S. Marine Cpl. Jeraldo Cotto, Jr. paid a surprise visit to kid sister Jassidy's school on Monday.

Donning his military uniform, Cotto spent more than an hour answering the questions posed by a classroom of Winslow Elementary School second-graders.

For Jassidy Cotto, it was the first time seeing her big brother, who was most recently stationed in Iraq for 75 days,  in nearly a year. That, she said, was the real holiday present.

"I knew she would be taller, and she sure has grown," Cotto told DJ Staff Writer Cody Glenn of Jassidy. "She's prettier, too."

Cotto spoke about what guns he carries and what vehicles he drives to whether he sees many spiders in Iraq.

While in Iraq, the 23-year-old Vineland native worked as a heavy machine operator and prior to that served in the U.S. Army for three years.

"It definitely gives you a different perspective being back home from Iraq," Cotto said. "It makes me want to take advantage of the different things like college. I'm just really thankful to see my family and everyone around me."

Cotto has been stateside for about a month as a reservist in Baltimore. The Marine does not expect to be redeployed to Iraq, but said he could be sent to Afghanistan.