Student Soldiers-A Call to Honor

It’s their call of duty, patriotism, bravery and dedication that keep our future Penn Manor soldiers eager to protect our country by enlisting in large numbers every year.

This year is no different even though President Barack Obama has made the choice to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, a surge designed to end the conflict.

Students at Penn Manor who will be enlisting in the military after they finish high school will most likely be  impacted by this decision and be some of those 30,000 who are shipped into combat.

“At Thanksgiving my aunt said she thinks joining the military would be suicide because of all the troops getting shipped off to Afghanistan,” said senior David Karabaich.  “She also doesn’t believe we will be treated fairly because of the economy.  I disagree entirely.”

Karabaich is just one of the many Penn Manor students who  will be joining the Army Infantry after their high school graduation. Although some of his family members disagree with his decision to join the military, he is standing his ground.

Karabaich isn’t the only brave student getting ready to serve our country.

When Kenny Weidman, junior,  learned of the Afghanistan troop surge he felt up to the challenge anyway.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, “I just always wanted to do something for my country.”

Weidman is joining the Marine Corps and his way to prepare for fighting is to “stay in shape” and “get ready for basic training.”

But his mom is not as thrilled.

“She doesn’t want me go overseas.  She doesn’t want something to happen to me.”

Those two recruits are content with President Barack Obama’s judgment, however another isn’t exactly a fan of the Commander-in-Chief.

Joe Gordon, a junior, who is most likely going into the Navy, isn’t scared of getting injured in the heat of battle; he believes that it “comes with the job,”  but what really makes him turn and toss in bed, he said,  is the president himself.

He said simply,  he just doesn’t trust him.

Gordon’s sole purpose for joining the Navy is to support his college plans. If he gets a scholarship though, he most likely won’t enlist.

No matter what these future troops think of the decision to build up forces in Afghanistan, they will be fighting as one, standing by each other through the perils of war, struggling to keep a high morale, while defending the United States of America.

By Katlin Blake and Jake Shiner

11 thoughts on “Student Soldiers-A Call to Honor”

  1. As a Desert Storm Veteran, I commend these young people, and regardless of what war we are involved in, they should be supported in their decision to join the armed forces. If everyone ran scared…where would we be today? If you enjoy your freedom, thank a vet…freedom isn’t free.

  2. I don’t like Obama in almost any way, but i like that he sent more troops to Afghanistan. After i graduate i’ll be going into the Army and i can’t wait to leave and hopefully get deployed somewhere near their. Everyone knows the troops aren’t getting out of Iraq anytime soon, no matter what our comrade Obama says. Can’t wait.

  3. Nice article, although I am already enlisted in the Army Infantry, not the Marines Corps. I start BCT on July 14 and will be deployed after I finish AIT. Most likely because of the troop surge I will be deployed to Afghanistan although where I will be sent is not certain.

  4. Davies been ready to go to war since i met him in 9TH grade. Hes proally the only kid I know who would go Overseas and fight without any second gusses

  5. obamas choice to send more troops over seas was is best choice yet. i dont care for most of his decision but this is the only logical one he has made. with this decision we should have the war ended no to long from now!

    USMC

  6. I am Enlisted into the Marines already as a senior at Penn Manor. I believe that we are in Afghanistan for a reason, whether we like it or not. The increase of troops will allow us to accomplish our goals faster and get our Marines and soldiers home quickly. I felt it was necessary to do something selfless and protect my country and serve no matter who my Commander-In-Chief is. I leave for Marines Bootcamp at Parris Island after this semester (January 15) and I feel its the right thing to do.
    “We signed up knowing the risk. Those innocent people in New York didn’t go to work thinking there was any kind of risk.” – Pvt.Mike Armendariz-Clark, USMC

  7. We do belong in Afghanistan because we are there for a reason were the to claim whats ours and i dont like obama and im a retired vet to so suck it up and save our country even if it cost you your life then you know ur a hero

  8. Small critique — “Men of Honor” excludes all the current and future women serving in the military. While I realize the article focuses on two young men, no doubt there are young woman at PM considering the same challenge.

  9. Obama promised no new deployed troops once he becomes President… its on video and millions heard his words, not to mention read it off the teleprompter… He lies.

  10. I really appreciate how I post a comment trying to correct this a few months ago since I was inaccurately quoted and nothing happens. A member of the staff approached me and we talked about what I was upset about and he claimed they would correct it. The only thing the staff did was remove my original comment. Removing the complaint does not remove the problem. I won’t lie at this point, I am fed up with the staff and their complete incompetence. I only asked for my comments to be corrected, not for the article to be taken down or completely rewritten. A person called Mom asked for the title of the article and the staff complied with that request. I would like the same respect. I hope that I this comment is not removed as well.

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