Army National Guard: ROTC Recruiter
Army National Guard
1st. Lt. Kenneth Lee: ROTC Recruiter
By Jeffery Guillermo
Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, once said, “Every citizen should be a soldier. This was the case with the Greeks and Romans, and must be that of every free state.” 1st Lt. Kenneth Lee of the Army National Guard believes in the same concept.
“Everyone should give back to his or her country,” he says. “Being in the military really teaches you discipline, and helps you get your life in line. There are a lot of benefits and incentives to joining.”
Kenneth, a 24-year-old guardsman, spends his days as an ROTC recruiter at the University of Hawai‘i, Mānoa. If he is not out in the field promoting ROTC, he is either planning for events such as the freshmen orientation and college career fairs, or taking calls from people interested in the program.
Like many students, Kenneth was initially attracted to the ROTC for its education benefits, but he later learned that camaraderie would be the true driving force. “Yes, the ROTC helps you get your degree, and gives a lot of tuition assistance. I looked at that at first,” Kenneth explains, “But as I got more into it, it was less about paying for school and more about the guys I was training with. Being in it for a while, you do it for the people around you. There are no better people. The people in the National Guard and the Army really take care of each other.”
In six months, Kenneth will transition into a new career path. He will be going to flight school in Alabama for 18 months, where he will learn to fly CH-47 helicopters. It won’t be easy; after all, the government needs to make sure they can train pilots to safely fly multi-million dollar aircraft. “It’s like giving the keys to your car to your kid,” he says. After training, he will literally embody the Army Aviation motto: Above the Best.
If you’re considering the military, but are unsure, take Kenneth’s advice. “Give the ROTC a try. A lot of new students are scared, but just try it out. Take your time, and see how you like it. It’s free. At the very least, you’re earning a few credits and learning a little about the military along the way.”
