Tuesday, February 10, 2009
As children, many people dreamed of what they wanted to be when they grew up: an astronaut, a firefighter, a ballerina or a teacher. Josh Thomas’ dream for as long as he could remember was to fly jets. But unlike most people, whose fanciful childhood dreams eventually give way to stark adult realities, Thomas said he was working every day to ensure his lifelong dream came true.
Thomas, Lexington Park, Md., senior, will graduate and pursue a career in the military. It is in his blood — his father was a flight engineer in the Navy and his grandfather, uncle and aunt have made the Navy a family profession. When Thomas ventured from Maryland to Kansas to study at the University, he said he wanted to carry on the family tradition. By the end of his freshman year, after talking with a pilot in the Marines, Thomas’ plans changed slightly — he knew he wanted to be a Marine.
Josh Thomas, Lexington Park, Md., senior, looks forward to his deployment with the marines. Thomas says he plans to serve for 20 years but must finish flight school before his first deployment. Thomas said of his flight training, "I always wanted to be an aviator but now being exposed to the Marine Corps, I've realized that there is a lot more to it than just individual goals."
Today, in light of a struggling economy and growing unemployment rates, more Americans are opting to take the oath and pursue a career in military service. According to a Jan. 27 broadcast on National Public Radio, for the first time since 2006, the military is meeting or exceeding its recruitment goals. Thomas said he put a lot of thought into the decision.
“You know, everyone has their own calling to the military or whatever career they decide to follow,” Thomas said. “The military, regardless of the branch, has something about it that is a little more intimidating than most jobs where you can just throw down the towel and say, ‘I quit.’ It’s called commitment. When you join, that’s it — you’re in it for at least four years. Needless to say, it takes some thinking about before you raise your right hand and swear an oath.”
Maj. Ted Culbertson, Army ROTC officer and Kansas Army National Guard liaison, said there were several reasons for the Army’s recruiting boom. He said a college graduate entering the Army as a Second Lieutenant could expect to make roughly $43,000 as a base salary.
Lt. Juri Groenland, Navy ROTC adjunct instructor and aviation advisor, said a college graduate with no prior service would earn approximately $31,000 per year, but said the benefits to service were not just monetary.
“The tangible benefits are a very solid career with a steady paycheck, excellent health care benefits and training,” Groenland said. “The unspoken benefits vary from individual to individual — things like a sense of purpose, honor, duty and patriotism.”
Thomas said he thought an unspoken benefit would be the ability to see the bigger picture. He said he used to just think about his personal goals as an aviator. But, since joining the ROTC, he had become more unselfish and more willing to serve the Marines to the best of his ability.
“When I retire, I want to be able to sit back and think ‘you did it right,’ ” Thomas said. “I really hope that I will be able to make a positive influence on many people’s lives.”
Megan Hill, associate director of the University Career Center, said she would encourage students researching the military to speak with those who have previously served.
Thomas said pursuing his lifelong dream would not be easy. He said the thought of combat made him nervous and that he worries how long deployments will affect his marriage and family life.
“The military is not for everyone, but that’s what makes it so unique,” Thomas said. “We get the very best — serving our country and protecting the rights that we have been so fortunate enough to have.”
— — Edited by Justin Leverett
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Economy a factor in military enlistment
Did anyone else notice the headline was about how the bad economy is a factor in more people joining the military, and the article says as much, but none of the people interviewed said they were joining for that reason? I guess we can't let the facts get in the way of a good story.
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