Jennifer Eikenberg, class of ’09, did not spend her summer like any typical alum. Eikenberg completed part of her military training by driving a submarine for a day, spending three days aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard, flying a Seahawk helicopter, and experiencing tear gas for the first time in her life.
Eikenberg said she joined the military because she wanted to “do something challenging and different with [her] life.” Eikenberg is currently a midshipman in her second class year at the United States Naval Academy studying English and four different sciences.
“The academy has a very rigorous academic schedule especially as a freshman, or ‘plebe,’ due to dealing with not only academics, but also plebe rates,” Eikenberg said. A plebe is a freshman in the Naval Academy, and plebe rates include freshman professional knowledge, daily information they have to know, and dealing with the upper-class.
Along with academics, Eikenberg must complete military training. “Protramid” is a part of training where military trainees spend 4 weeks finding out more about possible service selections. Each week is a different area of service: submarines, surface warfare [ships], aviation, and marine corps,” she said.
After graduation, Eikenberg hopes to “service select” Marine Corps and pursue a job in the intelligence branch after completing officer training camp. “I feel as if I had to grow up a lot faster my freshman year… It was definitely a sacrifice in the beginning, but it has been well worth it,” Eikenberg said. Eikenberg is only one of the many recent JC alumni that has answered the call to serve in the U.S. military.
Kendra Wade, class of ’10, is another woman challenging herself with the military. “I joined because I wanted to serve my country and be a leader in ways I couldn’t in the civilian world,” Wade said. Currently Wade is in Army ROTC, which stands for Reserve Officer Training Camp. She attends the University of Arizona where she is majoring in nursing, in addition to ROTC.
“While finishing my college degree I meet with ROTC every morning at 5 a.m. for Physical Training and have a two hour class twice a week. I will go to Basic Training and possibly Air Bourne school this summer for 28 days,” Wade said.
Wade plans to graduate from the University of Arizona and Army ROTC in 2015 as a 2nd Lieutenant with her Nursing degree. She hopes to be stationed in the Nursing Corps in either Germany or Hawaii.
“The benefits are definitely the leadership skills you learn. You are not only in charge of yourself, but also members of your battalion and you all depend on each other. It has shaped me as a leader in more ways than I could express in words,” Wade said.
Ryan Eilerman, class of ’11, joined the military in June 2011.“It’s my duty, but also my privilege to serve my country and to give back to those who have given it all, and those who are giving right now,” Eilerman said. He currently attends the United States Naval Academy.
According to Eilerman, he faces difficulties such as “giving up a normal life, a normal lifestyle, risking your life, sacrificing the ability to start a family properly, and not being able to be there for important family events.”
Eilerman plans to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. He hopes to be commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps and work in intelligence.
“Those who serve in the military love it…The benefits are having a guaranteed job, and a dream job at that. It has put me on a fast track to a successful career and countless opportunities to make a positive impact on the world we live in,” Eilerman said.
Stephanie Meadowcroft is a Lifestyles Editor for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.