Matt Hamilton/Daily Citizen-News Coahulla Creek High School senior Eli Sissom shakes hands with Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Logan Orr as Sissom signs on to join the Marines during a military signing reception at the school.  

VARNELL, Ga. — During a Memorial Day ceremony in Dalton a few years ago, Kevin Rice, then a member of the Dalton-Whitfield Community Band, decided to join the military.

“Someone read names of people from Dalton who died in the war,” he said. “The list was extensive, just with people from our area.”

Rice said hearing those names inspired him.

“I said what am I doing, besides sitting around doing nothing,” he recalled. “If I joined the military not only would I be able to serve my country, but also make myself a better human being.”

Rice, a senior at Coahulla Creek High School before the school’s recent graduation, signed to join the Navy last month during a military signing reception at the school. He is scheduled to leave for basic training on Aug. 20.

Rice said he chose the Navy because it offers many options.

“It allows you to do so many good things regarding your future,” he said. “The Navy pays for practically everything so it’s a wonderful way to prepare yourself for the rest of your life.”

The reception was held to honor the Coahulla Creek seniors who were signing to join a branch of the armed forces. Like Rice, Naomi Clark and Michael Fowler are enlisting in the Navy. Ethan Amos and Jacob Smith signed with the Air Force, while Eli Sissom chose the Marines.

Rice said he plans to work as a hospital corpsman.

“As a corpsman I can do medical work in the Navy and Marine Corps,” he said. “I hope I’ll be able to help a lot of people.”

Naomi Clark

Clark said she decided to join the military to help pay for college. After the Navy, Clark plans to enroll at Kennesaw State University and major in an engineering-related field.

“I’ve never been on a boat and originally was leaning toward joining the Air Force,” she said. “I wanted to fly planes.”

Clark said she instead plans to be a mechanic.

“I’m excited about the Navy,” she said. “I’m mostly looking forward to traveling and broadening my horizons.”

Clark said she’s thankful for high school because it helped prepare her for the military.

“I went to the (Northwest Georgia College and Career Academy) and took engineering classes,” she said. “I got interested in doing engineering because of the robotics team. It was one of the greatest times in high school.”

Clark said she’s motivated to succeed and provide for her family.

“I want to strive to do better, I don’t want my (future) kids to struggle,” she said.

Michael Fowler

A “rough past” was enough for Fowler to want a better life.

“I figured going into the military would give me an opportunity for a good life and a chance for my future children to be raised in a good home,” said Fowler.

He said although he’ll miss the countryside views of Cohutta, where he is from, he’s excited about leaving in November for basic training.

“A lot of my family have been in and out of the military and I figured it would be a good fit for me,” he said. “I want to be one of the first in my family to attend college.”

Fowler said he was originally interested in the Marines.

“I talked to recruiters and went back and forth between the Marines and Navy,” he said. “I finally decided on the Navy, I think it is a good decision.”

Fowler plans to work as a cryptologic technician, intercepting and decoding messages among other tasks.

Ethan Amos

Amos said he had known he wanted to join the military for a long time and started talking to recruiters last year.

“My grandfather was in the Air Force and told me a lot of good things about it,” Amos said. “They offer a lot more job opportunities.”

Amos said when he first started talking to the recruiters he was interested in the Army.

“I was set on the Army, then my mom told me I need to talk to the Air Force before I do anything else,” he recalled.

“The recruiter (Desmond Boone in Cleveland, Tenn.) gave me a lot of information and showed he actually cared about what I wanted to do,” Amos said.

Amos said he wanted to do something he would be able to use as a transferable job once he left the Air Force.

“I took my ASVAB test (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) and scored an 88, the highest score is 99,” he said. “When I got my scores back my recruiter told me I could choose any job.”

Amos said he’s glad he decided on the military.

“I feel that instead of high school students feeling they have to go to college or technical schools, they should consider other options,” he said. “Ever since we were in elementary we’re told to go to college.”

Amos suggests that students see what other options are available.

“The military offers more than people may think,” he said. “Once you get job training it can go toward college credits.”

Jacob Smith

Smith said one reason he decided to join the Air Force is to “mature.”

“I was very immature at a young age and my dad felt the military could help me mature,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about the Air Force since my freshman year.”

Smith said he talked to recruiters from each branch before deciding which to select.

“When I got to the Air Force office the recruiter was very helpful,” Smith said of Boone. “He made it clear he cared about my future.”

Smith said the GI Bill, which among other things provides financial assistance for servicemen to attend college, was a deciding factor.

“It’s not the only reason I joined,” he said. “I joined because I want to serve and help people.”

He plans to work in the medical or paralegal field.

“The military is a great opportunity,” he said. “It’s definitely the way to go.”

Eli Sissom

Sissom was close to signing to join the Army, but said “something” kept pulling him in the direction of the Marines.

“Every time I would go into the Army recruiting office at Walnut Square Mall I’d walk by the Marines office,” he said. “There was something telling me to go in the office.”

“I was just going to get information about the Marines, but as soon as I walked in I felt like family,” he said. “The more I sat down and talked to them the more I felt included without even being enlisted. The recruiters showed so much concern about me.”

Sissom said he “wanted something that would allow me to travel. I’m grateful for an opportunity to serve as a Marine.”