As the school year is nearing an end, many seniors are planning what they are going to do with the rest of their lives after graduating. Many are already enrolled in various universities and are working on their college credits, but seniors Cheyenne Pucheta and Zoee Rogers want to start their adult lives by taking care of the country that has taken care of them. They both have plans to join the U.S. Navy upon graduating from high school this June.

Both students come from military families and they know it can help with achieving their life goals and gaining better career opportunities. Other benefits of joining the military include getting financial assistance for college and gaining work experience.

“To be completely candid, I love to learn,” Rogers said. “I love a challenge; I want to make something of myself and change the world. Long story short, there was no way a young girl from a middle class family with a little brother and sub-par college funds could afford the revolutionary education and worldly experience I craved. Luckily for me, the United States Navy has a long history with my family, going back three generations. I knew from the stories I’d heard growing up that the Navy was all about challenges, opportunity and adventure. It almost didn’t make sense for me not to join.”

Rogers and Pucheta both did extensive research before they made the final decision to join. Whether it was talking to a family member or looking for information online, both girls gave it a lot of thought before making that commitment. Pucheta said she grew up listening to stories about her grandfather in the military and started doing research on her own.

“I had always wanted to travel and go to college to become a psychologist, but growing up in a low-income household with older siblings, I knew I was going to need help to support my dreams,” she said. “Joining the military will not only pay for my school and take me all over the world, but it will help me down the road and get my children into a good college.”

Once a student shows interest in joining the Navy, they begin the recruiting process, which entails filling out the paperwork, passing the Military Enlisting Processing Station (MEPS), signing a contract, and making it into bootcamp. Each recruit is excepted to keep up a strict physical standard and uphold the core values.

“All you have to do is call your local recruiting station, talk to the branch you want to join and they will walk you through everything,” Rogers said. “They will even visit your home to speak with your parents, help you make a great score on the ASVAB and answer any and all questions with patience. Recruiters will help you any way they can and prepare you for your ship date. The only catch is you have to be honest, physically capable, and willing to work.”

From there, the recruits are assigned jobs that are based on the skills and scores he or she made on the ASVAB and MEPS tests. These are not only going to help them while they are in the Navy, but the school they are given for each job will translate over to their careers once they resign.

“My job in the Navy as a Hospital Corpsmen will allow me to have medical knowledge for the future,” Pucheta said. “I will be attending the University of Oregon for a doctoriate in clinical psychology. I feel that the Navy will give me everything I need to succeed in where I want to be in life and help me feel prepared.”

After serving their country and setting up a plan for the rest of their future, each of the girls plan to focus on their health and happiness, and moving forward in life.

“I plan to refocus my artwork, writings and ideas,” Rogers said. “By the end of my life, I aim to have the whole of my heart and brain embedded in my creative works to hopefully inspire and enlighten others. As a hobby, I will retire to be an author of both fiction and philosophical works. I also harbor a daydream of being an art collector and world traveler even in my old age.”