The Military Option: Senior Students Commit to Military Service After High School

For some students, College is not their first option. Students planning to join the military after high school share their motivations.

By: Isabel Barycki and Carissa Chavez

After high school, college is typically the way to go for most students. However, out of all high school students a small percentage plan to join the military. Whether it’s something they’ve always planned or encouragement from family and recruiters, every student has their motivations.

Going over all the military branches available and choosing which one to be a part of can be challenging for students. Things like benefits and careers offered in the military make this decision easier. These benefits are major motivations for some students.

When deciding on the Air Force, student, Angelina Jimenez, ’25, says, “There is a lot of good technical careers that I am interested in.”

For students to feel secure and safe in their careers is very important. Jimenez did not find interest in any other branches of the military and felt like the Air Force was the best option for her.

There are many diverse careers in military branches that can fit each individual to help them go into the job that will best suit them and the military branch.

“My goal is to be a clinical social worker in the Air Force and just enlisting and being in school while I’m enlisted and working my way up to that career to be successful,” Jimenez says.

Jimenez says, “I feel like the Air Force will take care of you the best.”

Jimenez has also participated in many stepping stones that could benefit her and give her a head start on her career in the military. She says, “I’ve gone to a few PT (physical training) workouts for the military. I’ve also taken the ASVAB test.”

With the help of an advisor, students can lean on someone who has experience and knows the ways of the military, which can be beneficial and helpful to students hoping to pursue a career in the military.

Mr. Adam Higareda, a history teacher and retired Marine, says, “I feel like I am able to give students a realistic understanding of the military and the benefits associated with military service.”

As he had a lot of opportunities in high school and easy access to the military, Higareda says, “I want to give students access to the same opportunities I had when I was their age.”

This is important for students to know exactly what they are getting themselves into and the real basic pieces of training that are given in the military. It can be really rewarding as an advisor to see your students fight for their country as you once did. Higareda says, “There is nothing better than seeing a former student in a uniform.”

As the military is not an easy career, it can be nice to know that there is someone on your side willing to help you train for your future career in the military. With the help of Mr. Higareda, many students can get a taste of what they are signing up for and experience a lot of the expectations for training.

There are many influences on students that could have helped them decide on enlisting in the military after high school. Many students have their parents who believe that the military can be a great choice to fall on even if you are not sure about what you want to do after high school.

When asked who influenced her to join the military, Jimenez says, “Probably my mom, she always got it in my head that if you don’t know what to do go to the military. They always take care of you. It’s a good stepping stone.” 

When he decided to join the Air Force, Cody Abney, ’25 says, “At the beginning of the year I really wasn’t thinking about it at all until my parents started talking to me about it, and they said it’s a good way to get everything paid for in the future.”

But military service isn’t always the first choice. Abney says he didn’t always want to join but, “my sister, influenced me the most probably on joining the military.” After his time in the Air Force Abney plans to attend college.

Redwood student Gabriel Saenz, ‘25, and future Marine says he was influenced by the challenging boot camp the Marines offer. Saenz says, “I chose the Marine Corps because I think other branches are too easy with boot camps and regular training, and I wanted to challenge myself, and I wanted the pride of serving my country as a United States Marine.”

In his time in the military Saenz also hopes to gain engineering skills by joining a position called general engineering within the Marines.

When preparing for the Military after school, physical training and specific tests like the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which helps decide which jobs you can do after you enlist, are necessary. Students Jimenez, Abney, and Saenz have each taken the ASVAB test while also conditioning for the military through physical training or sports.

Saenz personal process began when he saw a recruiter at school. Since then, his participation in the Delayed Entry Program has also helped him prepare for the Marine Corps. Saenz says the Delayed Entry Program, “helps future Marines get trained physically and also in etiquette.”

Saenz recommends that any student looking to join the military start with the Delayed Entry Program because “it will give you all the training you need to go into boot camp as soon as possible.”

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