Hopefully folks won't run into a paywall, it's a great story.
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Military
100%, without question, if a high school student has no idea whatsoever what he or she wants to do, I always suggest looking into the military. It is absolutely incredible what the military offers.
Three vignettes.
The linked story at The Dickinson Press is of a Native American female who enlisted at the age of 17. Because she was not yet of legal age, her mother had to sign for her. Upon enlistment, she takes a test; qualifies to become a medic, i.e., an enlisted "Radar" or "Klinger" you might see on M*A*S*H. Twenty years later she is a physician in the National Guard with real-world experiences.
Our son-in-law, similar story. Enlisted in the US Navy at age 17. His mother had to sign for him for the same reason for him to enlist. He tests and scores high enough to teach nuclear weapon courses to incoming engineering officers. After a couple of years, he boot-straps himself into an ROTC engineering course at the University of Arizona. He returns to active duty officer as a nuclear submariner and after 15 years in that role, one step from commanding his own submarine, he applies to and gets accept to Harvard Business School. He is now chief information officer / chief operating officer for a Fortune 500 company based out of London. And it all started at age 17, taking a qualifying exam in the military.
For me, I was in the process of applying for my advanced degree when my mother sent me a notice that the military was offering scholarships (or "full rides") in return for four years of service. I applied, was accepted, and enjoyed it so much, I stayed 30 years and a day.
Have echoed same thing here. The Military is a great place to start. I did and stayed for 8 years (should have stayed longer) Oldest son joined at 20 after Mortgage business career didnt pan out, went in basic infantry, is now Chief Warrant officer with CID (think Gibbs of NCIS with better personality) now SAC at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, with MBA and specialized training in computer forensics.
ReplyDeleteSecond son did 10 years in Subs and Instructor at Norfolk VA, is now procurement officer for Major engine propulsion company in Houston. Us Military is the best in the world and a great place to find your niche in the world
Wow, those are great stories, thank you. It is amazing how fast those years go by, and the years seem easier as one goes along.
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