Marine Was Steadfast in Service, a Pillar on Stage

"The young men are the girls' stability. They are there for the young ladies to hold on to, knowing that these young men won't let them fall," she said. Colin was particularly strong, she said.

The girls were one of the main appeals of dance for his son, Wolfe said, adding that ballet was never Colin's first love but that he could hold his own. His son had been dancing since he was 3 years old and performed right up until he enlisted, Wolfe said.

"Giselle" was his last performance, in May 2005.

That's when he left Manassas to join the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, in a weapons company at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Jerry Martin, a track coach and one of Colin's teachers at Osbourn, said that before Colin enlisted, they spent weeks talking about the risks of going to war. Martin, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, had taught a class on lessons of the Vietnam War at Osbourn, and Colin took it.

"I explained to him that it was easy to talk about a war, but once you are there, it's a different story," Martin said yesterday, his voice choking on tears. "He said, 'I understand that this is pretty serious, but I think I'm up to the task.' "

Colin "could have very easily fit into college, wherever he wanted to go. He was the kind of kid that made friends very easily," Martin said. "Every time I tried to steer him in another direction, he said, 'Coach Martin, I've made up my mind, and this is what I want to do.' "

Martin, who was shot and disabled in the Vietnam War, said he asked Colin about his decision one last time, right before he was deployed.

"Without hesitation, he said, 'I'm ready to do it,' " Martin said.