When Chrisna Minh, senior, decided to join the National Guard, she was immediately faced with her first duty: get her parents on board.
“My parents were completely against it. They were scared I would get deployed, as most parents are, but they realized it was something I really wanted to do,” said Chrisna Minh, senior. “It was something I’ve been working really hard for.”

The National Guard is a reserve military force that is composed of all 50 U.S. states and is under control of both the state and federal governments. It consists of two reserve components: the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force.

“She’s a goofy girl, that was my first impression,” said Staff Sergeant Johnny Wadsworth, National Guard recruiter. “She’s has an outward and very extroverted personality.”

Throughout the school year, military recruiters visit various high schools in their area to begin recruiting students ages 17 and older. Minh met her recruiter during the lunch periods at HHS.

“[The recruiters] are all friendly people, and I’m pretty close to them. They make the process of joining a little less stressful. Once you’re through, it’s not bad,” Minh said.

While enlisted in the National Guard, soldiers attend drill to serve their country part-time: one weekend per month and two weeks per summer. The soldiers receive the opportunity to complete college or post-secondary schooling at little to no cost and the ability to hold a civilian job full-time.

“Normally when people come to drill, they’re nervous or scared of being yelled at, but for Chrisna, she’s always smiling and excited to get into the routine,” Wadsworth said. “She knows that if we say ‘be here at 7:45’ that means she shows up fifteen minutes early, regardless.”

Minh will graduate with her 2015 class and ship out to Fort Sill, Oklahoma on July 8, where she will spend 12 weeks in basic combat training (BCT). Immediately after BCT, Minh will ship out to Fort Lee, Virginia for the remainder of her advanced individual training (AIT).

Once she completes her training, Minh will start college a semester late in the spring of 2016.

“Going to school later than everyone else makes me a little emotional. I still wish I could have gone through the full college student life with orientation and graduating with everyone else. But, on the bright side, I do receive college credits during training,” Minh said.

During the enlistment process, potential soldiers are required to take a series of basic knowledge placement tests to determine what military occupation specialty (MOS) will fit a soldier best. This test is commonly known as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

To be eligible to enlist, potential soldiers must also meet a wide variety of medical requirements ranging from body mass index to placement of tattoos. Any health conditions that will interfere with successful military performance may quickly disqualify one from enlisting.

“It’s rewarding just passing [the ASVAB and physical] realizing you made it through what most people can’t and now, you’re able to serve your country among the less than one percent that will stand beside you,” Wadsworth said.

The ASVAB and a required medical examination is performed at the MN Military Enlistment Processing Station (MEPS).

“The stressful thing about joining is going through the MN MEPS process,” Minh said. “It involves a lot of paperwork, medical exams, and determination. That’s where recruiters can’t help you, and they didn’t pressure me at all either,” Minh said. “[The recruiters] said that if I wanted to back out before [swearing in,] they would be fine with it and pull me out.”

Since it can be difficult to request a commonly-desired occupation such as combat medic, it is typical for a soldier to transfer to a different MOS whenever a position may become available.

Minh chose 92 Alpha (automated logistics specialist) as her MOS but wishes to complete college, obtain a degree as a certified emergency medical technician, and transfer to a different MOS.

Throughout her service in the National Guard, Minh hopes to gain new perspectives from her journey.

“I hope to gain all things involving being more independent, determined and disciplined,” Minh said.