“I____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same: and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Some people have no idea what this is and will never know what it is. Many, however, say it everyday. It is the oath that every soldier must say before entering any branch of the military. It is their promise, their oath, that they will uphold their duties as an American soldier.”It’s indescribable, I was so proud of myself that I chose to alter my life,” senior Erica Schlarb said. “I don’t know how many words it is but it’s an oath and you keep it. It’s like making a promise that my life’s going to be better.”

Schlarb took this oath and swore in on January 30, 2010 during the half-time of a Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey game.

“It was intense,” Schlarb said. “because you’re surrounded by people who have done this. They’ve sworn in. They’ve served. They’ve done it all. Even at the Coliseum, you’re surrounded by Air Force people and Marines and Navy and Army. They were there to watch. And you could feel their pride. Like, ‘these are our new people coming in to help our country’. And even though I won’t be fighting, I’ll be doing my own part. I’m a piece of a puzzle. It’s weird to say but when I was done, when the crowd cheered for us, it was amazing.  I almost started crying out there because I was just like ‘I just did this. It’s a choice that is going to change my whole entire life and I just did it.’ I’m just happy. I’m so nervous. I was talking to Shirley [her step-mom], she’s about to go back to Iraq and she said ‘I’m going to try to come back for Christmas’ and I said ‘yeah, me too.’ And it just hit me, I’m going to be on my own. I’m going to have to take leave to come back here. Even if I’m stationed at Sheppard, I’ll still have to take leave. And it just hit me. I’m so happy and I’m so excited.”

The word soldier is a complex one with countless interpretations.

“Being a soldier means that I’m proud of my country and I will defend it,” senior Marche Wesley said.

Being a soldier means something different to everyone.

“It means being a role model for my country and knowing that I’m fighting for my peers’ freedom and their lives,” senior Hannah Gunn said.

Senior Scott Sovereign said to him, being a soldier means that he’s bringing honor to himself and defending his country.

“My dad was Air Force and my friend went Army,” Sovereign said.

Sovereign, however, has decided to go Navy. Gunn has also chosen the Navy.

“I feel like it’s the best one for me,” Gunn said. “They get to travel a lot and it will make me a better person.”

Seniors Brandon Shafer and Aaron Stevens have chosen the Army for their military career.

“I can get promoted faster,” Shafer said.

Stevens’ dad was in the Army and says they offer a lot of good benefits.

“Air Force, it was my dad’s recommendation, however, I’ve always been interested in the Air Force more than any other branch,” Wesley said.

Wesley has decided if she likes it, then she will make being in the Air Force her career.

“I hope to complete my education and successfully establish my future,” Wesley said. “Plus, the majority of my family is military based so I’ve always been interested.”

For many students, the plan to go into the military is based on their wanting to help pay for college. Although some have different, more personal reasons for going in.

“I would eventually get kicked out of college,” Sovereign said. “And my dad is very military oriented so I know I’d eventually be pressured to go into the military.”

Some just want to better their life and be a part of their country’s “fighting spirit to defend our freedom.”

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Stevens said. “I haven’t really thought of anything else to do.”

Gunn hopes for a better mental and physical state. She wants to “become the best” she can be and prove all the people who said she couldn’t do it wrong.

“I’m going to make it my career,” Gunn said. “I want to be a corpsman nurse/doctor. I plan to retire through the military.”

Stevens wants to “be successful and serve the country.”

“I want to be in there for twenty years and then retire,” Shafer said.

Most people who sign up for the military anytime soon will most likely go to Iraq.

“If I was afraid to put my life at risk then I wouldn’t have joined the military,” Gunn said.

Sovereign is excited and wants to go to Iraq.

“No, I wanna go,” Stevens said. “I think it will be a good experience for me.”

Shafer is neither scared nor nervous about going overseas.

“I’m ready to go,” Shafer said. ” I want to go. It’s my duty to go.”

Wesley isn’t worried about going over there either. “Nope, not at all.”