While most kids dream of being an astronaut or a doctor, senior Sam Rapp had a much more patriotic occupation in mind. Soon, he will be one step closer to achieving his dream as he enlists in the United States military. After an early graduation from KO on May 21, Sam will join the airborne infantry.
Growing up, Sam always knew that he wanted to be a soldier. “I always grew up being patriotic and loving our country,” Sam said. “I think a big part of it was being surrounded by people who went into the military and watching lots of war movies as a kid, and the courage of those people really inspired me.”
In the past year, Sam was a member of the military reserves, often participating in weekly military drills. However, he soon yearned for more. When it came time for Sam to start thinking about life after KO, he realized deep down that he had to enlist. “Previously my work was mostly paperwork,” Sam said, “and I quickly realized that I wouldn’t be happy with just this. I originally thought I wanted to be an MP [Military Police], which typically involves a lot more paperwork. I couldn’t see myself doing that. I wanted to be doing the work and getting dirty.”
Before his enlistment, Sam had several requirements to fulfill, including a physical test of pushups, bench press, a five-mile run, and more. “I’ve been preparing for about a year,” Sam said. “I train five days a week early in the morning, doing calisthenics, weight training, and running. I used to not be able to run a mile, so I think I’ve come pretty far.” Sam also credits his athletic background playing football at KO as being a big help in the process. “The hardest part is definitely the mental aspect,” Sam said. “You could be a stud athlete, but you also need the grit to do that one extra rep, that one extra mile.”
Throughout the recruitment process, Sam says he wasn’t very nervous. “Honestly, throughout the process, I was just excited,” Sam said. “The only thing that was uncertain for a while was the paperwork, but overall I wasn’t worried about the process. This is what I’ve wanted ever since I was a little kid, and nothing’s gonna stop me.”
Despite the arduous recruiting process and difficult work to come, Sam is grateful for the opportunity to serve his country. “I love America and what it stands for,” Sam said, “especially the opportunity to really create your own story. We’re not a perfect country by any means, but I have a firm belief that America is one of the greatest countries, and I would be more than happy to lay my life down for my nation and other people.”
