 Leissner's family and friends approved of her choice of husband, describing Whitman as a "handsome young man" who was both intelligent, and aspirational.Although Whitman's grades improved somewhat during his second and third semesters, the Marines considered them insufficient for continuation of his scholarship.He was ordered to active duty in February 1963 and went to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for the remainder of his five-year enlistment.