Sauk Rapids-Rice Students Sign Military Commitments at School Ceremony

(KNSI) – Life is full of doors that lead to new paths, and sometimes, greater risks.

For students at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School, when the opportunity for something greater came knocking, they didn’t hesitate.

The school hosted a signing event on Thursday, May 21st, where several juniors and seniors committed to serve in the Minnesota National Guard, Marine Corps and Air Force. Several guest speakers addressed the group, offering remarks and encouragement. Among them was Shawn Manke, the adjutant general of the Minnesota Army National Guard.

“You will rely on each other, you’re going to learn from each other and you’re going to discover strengths you never knew you had,” said Manke. “The late Gen. Colin Powell said that there are no secrets to success. It is a result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure. That’s true in the military and in life.”

Senior Wyatt Greene is joining the Air Force, driven by a desire to help people and by a family legacy of service: both his grandparents served for 20 years. He will begin basic training in Texas within the next two months.

From there, Greene will transfer to Washington to begin Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training. Developed by the Department of Defense, the program trains military personnel to survive in hostile environments, avoid capture and resist interrogation if caught.

Senior William Tachney III is enlisting in the Marine Corps as an aviation mechanic. He cited his family’s history of service as motivation, including a great-great-grandfather who served in the Korean War and a great-uncle who served in the Gulf War. After graduation, Tachney will begin training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. He hopes to eventually serve on active duty along the East or West Coast in a senior role.

Senior Sarah Amberson is joining the National Guard as a 68 Whiskey combat medic. After finding no openings for dental specialists, she pursued a combat medic role instead.

Amberson will begin training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. Looking ahead, she hopes to determine whether to continue pursuing dentistry or transition into nursing.

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