He walks past photos of framed men and women in camouflage uniforms, each with a hard glare. He notices a single photo of a young boy in a man’s arms. The father isn’t smiling but his eyes are kind and soft. He steps back in awe at everyone who served for the country he calls home. “This is what I want to do,” he says to himself. “This is what I’m meant to do.”

Growing up in a military family, Myles Wilson had always been interested in joining the Army. He was always fascinated by his father’s job and aspired to be like him. After Wilson graduated from high school in 2018, he decided to go to boot camp.

“I’ve been in the Army [for] six months now,” Wilson said. “I’ve always wanted to be in the Army. I just feel like this [is] where I belong.”

Being apart from his family for the first time, Wilson felt lonely, however, he quickly learned to adapt and thrive in his new environment. Although basic training was exhausting, he continued to push himself to new limits and improve himself both mentally and physically.

“Basic training was definitely a new experience,” Wilson said. “A lot of people didn’t make it. Either their body broke first because of the strenuous continuous physical exertion or the games [the] drill sergeant played on people’s minds. They break you down and you realize all you got is a bunch of strangers who [are] going through the exact same thing. They’re really good at making you feel what isolation truly is [but] you learn to get through it.”

After finishing basic training, Wilson became an aviation operations specialist and is in charge of scheduling and dispatching tactical aircraft missions to keep large fleets of aircraft running safely and efficiently. He was deployed to Europe for nine months on Thursday, March 7. But Wilson understands enlisting in the U.S. Army is a life-changing decision to make and it’s not for everybody; it’s a decision that requires research, commitment and sacrifice. Resources are available for students to educate themselves on all the branches of the military like the U.S. Army Recruiting Office. Army recruiters including Sergeant First Class Luis Moyano exist to clear any misconceptions that prevent positive first experiences of the army.

“Most people think I’m just here to trick people [to enlist] in the Army but it’s more of a mentorship,” Moyano said. “This is a big decision so I’m not here to convince anybody to join the Army, I’m here to give people the information if they want to join, then it’s my job to mentor them and ensure they’re doing what’s going to be best for them and their careers. The first experience of the Army needs to be a positive one, so that’s what I’m here to do. It’s also about informing the public about what we do and how we operate because there are so many misconceptions [about the Army].”

Although he already graduated, Wilson continues to motivate his former classmates to enlist. He enjoys educating and reassuring anyone who comes to him with questions regarding the military, specifically the Army.

“Myles inspired me to go to the Navy,” senior Marcelleus Morehead said. “He’s a good person. I want to get in the Navy so I can learn more about the military and see if that’s really what I want to do the first year so I’m just going to join an academy about [the Navy]. [I’m hoping to gain] guidance, strength and knowledge. [I hope to] be able to control myself during certain situations and learn how to handle pressure. I’m scared I’ll give up but I think I’m going to push [myself] and make my family proud.”