Many students ponder about what they wish to do with their lives. Most high school students go off to college, or go straight into the workforce, but one of the greatest honors is serving our country. Three WHS students will be joining the US military.
Heather Terry joined the Marines back in November.
“I chose the Marines because I didn’t connect with the other branches I talked to and they didn’t try to get to know me. When I sat down with Sgt. Casey, he listened to what I wanted to do and he got to know me,” Terry said.
Terry is excited about her future in the marines.
“I hope to get an admin job or a media job. I would go to the MOS training after boot camp and the length depends on the job,” Terry said.
Two other seniors have dedicated their futures to the military through acceptance to prestigious military academies. Drake Murrell was accepted into the Naval Academy.
“As soon as I found out that it was an option I knew it was for me; I felt like it was the academy that had the best opportunities and options,” Murrell said.
After a long and intense application process, Murrell became one of approximately 1,175 students selected from about 15,200 applicants to join the academy class. This appointment was celebrated at a school assembly and Murrell was recognized by Naval Blue and Gold Officer Lee Gilgour.
Jaxson Deckard was accepted into the Air Force. Like Murrell, Deckard spent months going through an intense admissions process that included acquiring a nomination. Deckard and Murrell both received nominations from U.S. Rep. Mark Alford and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley.
According to Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert Bryant, fewer than thirteen hundred 1300 applicants are accepted into the United States Air Force Academy each year out of more than ten thousand 10,000 qualified applicants. “This prestigious appointment equates to more than six hundred thousand dollars $600,000 and is the equivalent to a four year, full-ride scholarship at a top-ranked university in the nation,” Bryant said.
“As a kid, the only books I ever found any interest in were war stories and the Bible. My favorite movies were all war related and so were many of the make-believe games I played. When I was six years old, on a family vacation, we visited and toured the Air Force Academy and I fell in love with it at that time. When it came Junior year, I knew if I wanted to go, it was the time to start. I did research and applied to summer seminars to get experience at the academies to ensure it was what I wanted. I loved the challenge and the mission of the academy and knew I had to pursue it wholeheartedly. I gave myself deadlines and made my applications a priority. I am very grateful I made it a priority and got to see my hard work pay off,” Deckard said.
According to the University of Columbia, “Many service members and veterans use words like service, duty, or honor, as one of the main reasons why they join the military. Serving one’s country, defending the nation, or patriotism, are commonly cited reasons in this category.” All three seniors take great pride in serving.
Shannon Deckard expressed her pride in her son’s appointment.
“We’ve raised our boys in a patriotic and faith-filled home. His father served in the Army and Air Force and was deployed to Iraq. He has other family members who have also served including his grandfather, grandmother, great-grandpa and several uncles. We believe in putting others’ needs ahead of our own and remaining humble in success. The opportunities offered in a career in the military were enticing to him and Jaxson never gives up on a goal. He’s driven to excel at whatever he puts his mind to.”
Murrell and Deckard both plan to serve in the military for twenty years, and Terry plans to serve as long as possible.
“My hope for Drake is that God will continue his work in him to become the best version of himself through the challenges and successes of the United States Naval Academy. Philippians 1:6 states: ‘Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus,’” Cindy Murrell said.