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By Lt. Col. Adam Marsh, Army Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion Commander

This is the time of year when our young men and women walk across the stage to collect their diplomas before commencing the next adventure of their life, which may look different for each student.  Some may go to college or a technical school, some will go straight to the workforce and still others have another path.

When you attend graduations of your children and students, who eagerly wait to hear their names called, I want you to know that there are a few select students in the crowd who deserve special recognition.

These are the students who chose to join the less than 1 percent of Americans who serve in our Nation’s military. The numbers of those who serve are few because the standards for entry are high. Only 29 percent of young Americans exceed the Army’s entry standards. As the commander responsible for all Army recruiting in Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Tennessee, I assure you that the Army of the future requires highly qualified volunteers.

The young men and women who do qualify for the Army will receive training in one of our 150 career fields, the GI Bill for college, health care and can travel and work all over the world. That is an attractive offer, but it is not what motivated most of our future Soldiers from the class of 2023 to enlist in the Army. Our young men and women chose to enlist because they had a desire to fulfill their duty as American citizens and honorably serve in their country’s military.

The Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion helps make that dream come true for thousands who wish to serve their nation. Some of your sons and daughters will leave home with the active-duty Army while others will stay home with the Army Reserve; however, they will all receive job training, leadership and personal-growth opportunities, and many benefits, such as guaranteed money for college. They will all be prepared to be productive members of your community when they return home.

We want to thank the schools, teachers, coaches, mentors and, most of all, the parents and families of those Future Soldiers. We ask you, the community, to provide encouragement and guidance to the next several hundred highly qualified young men and women who are willing to stand and honorably serve our country.

Lt. Col. Adam Marsh has over 30 years of Army experience, both enlisted and as an Officer.  He has conducted several deployments in support of humanitarian, peacekeeping and combat operations.  www.goarmy.com