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thedrifter
09-14-08, 07:24 AM
Ready to serve
By Emily Arthur-Richardt
Published on Sunday, September 14, 2008
earthur@aberdeennews.com

When it came time for 19-year-old Jasper Pray to decide whether he wanted to join the Army National Guard, the Presentation College student didn't take his decision lightly.

"I thought about it for a couple of months," said Pray, who joined at the end of July. "I knew if I joined I was probably going to go overseas. I didn't just do it on a whim."

Pray talked to his National Guard friends who already had been deployed.

"I knew what I was getting into," he said. "It's a big commitment to make. I had all my school and everything planned out. I play soccer at PC too. But this was a little bit more important at the time."

He also spoke with local recruiter, Sgt. Aaron Walberg.

"Most of these kids do this because they want to serve," Walberg said. "You actively recruit people, but your biggest asset is the men and women of this area."

Like Pray, many local men and women are making the commitment to the South Dakota National Guard. While retention remains high, state officials said, recruiting numbers are also steady.

From 2004 to 2007, 52 recruits in Brown County joined the National Guard, according to numbers gathered by the St. Louis Post Dispatch from information obtained from the National Guard, U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But Walberg believes recruiting might have even been better than that. The Post Dispatch's statistics show 30 recruits joined the Guard in 2006 alone. Walberg said there were actually 36.

"That was a big year," he said.

Statewide, recruiting has also been strong. Lt. Col. Mike Oster said 2008 has been an average year so far, but the National Guard isn't hurting for people - especially at the state level.

"For the first time in a long time, the percentage of strength we're currently at (exceeds) what we're actually authorized for," Oster said.

Same goes for the two National Guard units out of Aberdeen, Walberg said.

"Both are nearly full," he said. "We've added spots we're not required

to

have.

Twenty-six

kids

joined the artillery unit alone in 2006."

While the National Guard units continue to have a strong recruiting presence across South Dakota, other military branches Ð like the active Army, Navy, Marines or Air Force Ð have struggled a bit, Walberg said. Oster said there's a reason for that.

"We're the only branch of service to have the state mission," he said. "The others are recruiting nationally, but we're right here in South Dakota. That means a lot to a lot of our locals."

It got Ryan Anderson to join. Anderson, an Aberdeen Central graduate who now attends Northern State University, joined the National Guard about a year and a half ago. Originally, he thought about joining the active Army. After talking it over with family and friends, the 20-year-old decided the National Guard was the right fit for now.

"I just wanted to be a part of it all," Anderson said. "I wanted to put on the uniform and know that I'm part of something. The money is good, but that's not what I was after."

In addition to money for college, the National Guard has a bonus payout of $20,000, Walberg said. Half of the bonus is given to a soldier after they complete basic training. The other half is given to them on their third anniversary. Walberg said the signup period is usually for six years. There is a three-year option, but it's rare a recruit will chose it, he said.

While the money can be attractive, Walberg said he rarely sees recruits who are joining for that reason.

"We have good kids here," he said. "They have the desire to serve. They come from a good work ethic, and that doesn't go unnoticed."

Sgt. Major Jay Deutscher agreed. Midwest soldiers are in high demand, he said.

"What we've found from our visits around and from talking to people is that the kids from the Midwest have a good work ethic," Deutscher said. "They're much more disciplined. When the young soldiers get down to training, they educate and train well."

Pray is hoping he gets those high marks as well. He leaves in November for basic training. He wants to be ready to deploy with the rest of the Aberdeen men and women sometime next year. The units have been given word that it will be happening.

The opportunity to deploy is part of the reason Pray wanted to join in the first place.

"I heard that they were going over again soon and I didn't want to miss out on it this time," he said. "I had friends that went last time. I loved hearing about it when they came back. I liked what they were doing. ...They came back much more grown up and their values changed. I want that for myself."

While Pray is putting his education on hold, he does plan to return, he said. Presentation College worked with him to develop an accelerated schedule, so he could finish this current semester before he leaves for basic training. And many of his scholarships have also been put on hold.

He said he's not scared to go and serve his country.

"I definitely want to do it," he said. "I have the desire to do it."

So does Anderson.

"I think a good recruit is one who wants to work hard," he said. "A person who has pride toward the United States."

Walberg said that's as good a place to start than any. While there's many qualities he'll look for in a recruit, he hasn't had any problems finding them in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.

"I really want people to realize how special these people are," he said. "It takes a lot for a 17-, 18- or 19-year-old kid to walk in here and join. The fact that they're willing to do that says a lot about the kids."

Ellie