Seniors Alexander Healy and Jair Rincon-Simon have both decided to serve their country and joined the military this past summer with Healy joining the navy and Rincon-Simon the army.
“I joined to give back to the country that has given me my freedom and all of the people who died to make this country what it is now. Also, my grandpa served during Vietnam and my sister is currently serving and, lastly, to help pay for college,” Healy said
“I joined the military because I want to return what this nation has offered to my parents and myself. Another reason I joined was for the college benefits the military offers and to fulfill my goal of becoming a neurosurgeon in the military. I have a personal reason too that I prefer not to share,” Rincon-Simon said.
Healy enlisted this past summer and Rincon-Simon went to Fort Jackson, South Carolina, for boot camp.
“I went to Basic Combat Training (BCT) this summer, it was 11 weeks for me, and I graduated on August 24, 2023. It is a one-of-a-kind experience, something only 1% of the United States population experiences,” explained Rincon-Simon.
“I was in Fort Jackson in Battalion 120th, Charlie Company for 9 days and Battalion 239th, Bravo Company for BCT. It is a lot of emotions that you go through as it is supposed to simulate stressful combat situations. However it comes with its reward of satisfaction and fun as I was able to shoot an M4A1, throw live grenades, go through various obstacle courses, and a lot more.
“The most rewarding of all are the friendships you make in BCT, as you make friendships for life and you get the privilege to go together through the different journeys in the army and in life,” Rincon-Simon said.
Healy joined the Navy specifically due to his family ties.
“My sister and my grandpa both are/or were in the Navy,” Healy said.
Rincon-Simon joined the army due to the benefits it gives in the medical field.
“I decided to join the United States Army because it offers the most benefits in the medical field, and it has a great Reserves branch that has great advantages. One of them is allowing me to join at the age of 17 and train at this age. This allows me to advance two years into my contract during high school,” he said..
Healy serves as an information systems technician for the Navy while Rincon-Simon serves as a water treatment technician.
Healy plans on going to college after the military to further his education while Rincon-Simon plans to stay in for awhile.
“I am going to try to get my PhD in psychology to become a clinical psychologist or college professor,” Healy said.
Rincon-Simon, on the other hand, said, “I plan to be in the Army for at least 20 years or more. However, how it would look like after the Army depends on what I do in that time. One possibility is that I retire from my military career and continue on with my medical career working in hospitals around the world. Another possibility, if I decided to just focus on the army and not study, is to just retire as an Airborne Ranger.”
Healy and Rincon-Simon also had some advice for those who are considering joining the armed forces.
“My advice would be make sure you are prepared for MEPS ( military entrance processing screening) because they are very, very particular when it comes to medical screening so make sure you square things away with your recruiter before going down and make sure you list any past medical issues because otherwise it will take like four hours to get medical done and after that you have another four hours of paperwork before you swear in.
“But seriously, if you are thinking about joining, I would recommend because in the long run there are a lot of benefits that come with being in the military, one of which is significantly raising your chances of getting into a certain college. But, regardless, even out of service you will still have a new acquired skill and job connections to use it,” Healy said.
“If you want to join the military, the first thing to consider is the reason you are joining the armed forces. The reason you joined the military is very important as it will become your motivation through your journey and define what path you take in the military. You have to understand that military life is very difficult and depending on your military job it is very physical and mental. You will have your highs and lows, but you will have to focus on why you joined and remember that it will be worth it in the end,” Rincon-Simon said.
