Tuesdays and Wednesdays aren’t the same anymore for senior Fernando Chavez.

Come those mornings, he tosses aside his casual plaid shirts and jeans, replacing them with an ROTC uniform and shirt stays.

By 7:30 AM, he is known as Commanding Officer Chavez, a title he worked hard to gain since the ROTC program started two years ago.

He is now one of the top dogs in ROTC, but he knows that won’t be for long.

Like several other students, Fernando is considering a career in the military after he graduates from college—a choice he knows will send him back to the lowest military position, where he will have to work his way up again. Not that he minds.

“It’s like anything—you have to love it,” he said. “You got to get into it.”

While others might share Fernando’s drive, a military career is the not the easiest—or most favored—choice. According to a survey conducted around school of 531 students, only about five percent expressed interest in a military future, while another five percent were undecided.

Regardless, the military is still an option for students—and not a bad one at that.

“It’s a stable job,” said senior Jose Roman, who recently joined the ROTC class and is planning on following a military career path. “There are a lot of benefits.”

Those benefits include dental, health, and life insurance and scholarships for college.

Commander Leo, who runs our school’s ROTC program, agrees that that is a huge draw for students.

But more than that, he says that the military is a good alternative for students who are undecided about their future.

“Some students are very goal-oriented, while others are not,” said Leo. “[Those who aren’t] use the military as a vehicle to get maturity and job opportunities.”

The military is set on proving that. For the past several weeks, recruiters have offering a military career option by enticing students to join with brochures, flyers, and even a flight simulator.

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) has also given students a chance to evaluate their skills in various departments like electronics and mathematics. They could use this knowledge to determine whether or not the military is for them.

There are also summer programs held by different branches of the military, such as the Young Marines and Civil Air Patrol, that expose students to a military future.

Despite these attractions to the military, Leo stresses the importance of going to college first. He says that with a degree, students will not only have a better education, but a chance at getting a higher position in the military for their experience.



These reasons have been enough to push students like Fernando towards a military future—it’s a chance to follow the Navy’s motto: “Accelerate Your Life.”

“[Students] see the military as independence, an escape route,” Fernando said. “[It encourages you] to get on your feet and do something.”