MOUNT VERNON — When middle schooler Gary Ressing spent a day at his father Garrett’s Mount Vernon law firm back in the 1970s, he ran errands to the bank and gave the secretary a raise. When father and son reversed roles earlier this month and Garrett visited Gary in his Pentagon office, it was a bit more memorable.
“We met Samuel Alito, associate justice of the Supreme Court,” the elder Ressing said. “It was neat to chit-chat with him.”
Ressing and his wife, Sharon, visited their son in his office on June 10. They spent about a week in the Washington area, but the highlight of the trip was the day they spent in the Pentagon.
“There were four-star generals and admirals. All kinds of people. But meeting Alito was the best part,” Ressing said.
Gary Ressing is the deputy counsel for the commandant of the Marine Corps. Garrett knows his son travels frequently and oversees hundreds of lawyers, but even during the visit he didn’t learn much about Gary’s day-to-day activities.
“Gary couldn’t really tell us what he did because most of it is top secret,” Ressing said.
Instead of running errands to the bank or altering payrolls, all three Ressings attended a reception and Marine parade in honor of Alito.
It was a typical day at the office for Gary, who said he attends “a lot” of formal events every week.
Gary more or less followed in his father’s footsteps after that middle school trip to Ressing’s firm. He attended Capital University Law School before beginning a career with the U.S. Navy.
“My dad was an attorney, and growing up I saw what he did for a living,” Gary said. “I’ve worked for the Navy for 18 years, so I thought I could show my parents what I do.”
“He’s done well,” Ressing said of his son. “Six hundred lawyers report to him, so I’d say he’s done well. I don’t have anyone working for me.”
Ressing was impressed with what he saw in Washington, but he doesn’t think the trip to his son’s office will influence his own future career decisions.
“I’m happy being a country lawyer,” he said. “And I’m retiring next week.”
