Enlisting students desire to represent their country

Towards the end of the year, graduation parties are planned, seniors start looking into where they’re going to go after high school, and they must begin to consider future plans and the next stages of life.

Whether they make the decision to attend college, trade schools or go straight into the workforce, students have big decisions to make for their futures.

Other students choose the  noble and brave option of enlisting right out of high school.

Joining one of the armed services is extremely courageous, and these students should be recognized. The students in this year’s graduating class that have already enlisted include Ronnie Savage and Kevin Kim, who are enlisting in the Army; Anne Noble, who will be joining the Navy; and Eliot Koivula, who is joining the Marines.

Enlisting in the military is like a contract. Depending on each branch, there are different time requirements for how long a student must serve, and how long he/she would be on active duty.

When a student is on active duty, his/her full-time job is the military, and he/she is  more likely to be deployed. Once in reserves, most soldiers have another civilian job, but one can be called back into service if ever needed.

Everyone has different motivations for going in, but in one way, all gave a similar answer: they were proud to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

“My biggest motivation is having a sense of pride for doing something that is greater than I am,” said Kim. The Military is known for its special bonds between soldiers who became extremely close, like family. When talking with these students,  it became apparent that none of them were scared about their decision; the comfort of knowing they’ll make those bonds made it easier to join.

When most people hear that someone is going into the military right out of high school, they assume that they couldn’t get into college, but for these four, it really couldn’t be further from the truth; most of them expressed an interest in using the military to pay for college or trade schools after they’ve served, so the benefits of such an opportunity are really being used to the full extent.

“When I get out, I plan on taking advantage of the free education and going to college,” said Noble.

After learning about all these benefits and opportunities, going into the military seems like a smart decision. Motivated individuals get to learn life skills to become part of a team, have his/her schooling paid for if  he/she chooses to serve full time on active duty,  but people must remember why enlisting in the military out of high school is rare and brave.

As of 2019, the United States is deployed in seven different wars, and most of them have been going on for longer then these students have been alive.

The war in Afghanistan just became the longest war in US history at 19 years and it shows no signs of stopping, so the possibility of being deployed within the next four years is likely.

“My job as infantry is to fight my nation’s wars, and if it happens I’ll be happy to fight for my country,” said Savage.

The threat of war seeing armed conflict is more of a possibility to Kim, Savage, and Koivula, specifically because of the MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) that they chose. Those three are specifically going into the infantry.

Kim wants to apply for Airborne school and RASP, while Savage is going to apply to ranger school. Koivula is entering the Marines and wants to work his way to sniper school. Noble isn’t going into the Infantry, but her job is equally as important; her MOS was in Advanced Electronics, and her job consists of training in all fields of electronics from computers and radars to weapon control systems on missiles. At first, hearing that their  peers have enlisted in the military is great, and students are proud of them for making that decision, but even more so what they’re giving up and sacrificing to go and protect our country. It makes one think if about his/her own level of courage and willpower.

“I’m joining the Marine Corps because protecting this beautiful country is the right thing to do,” concluded Eliot Koivula.