Staff Sgt. Joseph Thurn, NCOA S-3 Operations sergeant.
“Originally, it was for family. I had children, got married, I needed a steady job. I had friends who were in the military, told me great things about it.
I figured out it was going to be for me and after that, just joined.
It’s been 12 years now. It’s been good for my family. The Army has taken care of me.”
Sgt. Lekendra Chancellor, NCOA.
“I joined the Army because it was expensive to go to college.
So I joined and (thought) ‘Ok, if I really want to set myself up for success, then I’ll have that foundation that I need for more education.’”
Staff Sgt. Duvaughn Pinkston-Parker, NCOA informational assurance security officer.
“I got tired of working mulitple jobs. I said ‘Let me try this Army thing out. If I don’t like it, I’ll get out.’
So, 15 years later, I’m still here.
I’m very optimistic about my future in the Army. I want to go as high as I can go. I want to make a difference and affect change.”
Staff Sgt. Nathan Hale, NCOA, Engineer ALC small group leader.
“It sounded fun. It was always something that I was considering.
I took the ASVAB in high school and after that I just started having recruiters talk to me.
I went to college for a couple years. (The recruiter) said ‘You can come over, join the Army, and they pay for college.’
I’m the first one in my family to join the military.”
