By Lt. Col. Adam Marsh, Army Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion Commander

This is the time of year when our young men and women walk across the stage to collect their diplomas before commencing the next adventure of their life, which may look different for each student. Some may go to college or a technical school, some will go straight to the workforce and still others have another path, the military.

When you attend graduations of your children and students, who eagerly wait to hear their names called, I want you to know that there are a few select students in the crowd who deserve special recognition.

These are the students who chose to join the less than 1 percent of Americans who serve in our Nation’s military. The numbers of those who serve are few because the standards for entry are high. Only 29 percent of young Americans exceed the Army’s entry standards. As the commander responsible for all Army recruiting in Louisiana, Mississippi, and western Tennessee, I assure you that the Army of the future requires highly qualified volunteers.

The young men and women who do qualify for the Army will receive training in one of our 150 career fields, the GI Bill for college, health care and will travel and work all over the world. That is an attractive offer, but it is not what motivated most of our future Soldiers from the class of 2024 to enlist in the Army. Our young men and women chose to enlist because they had a desire to fulfill their duty as American citizens and honorably serve in their country’s military.

The Baton Rouge Recruiting Battalion helps make that dream come true for thousands who wish to serve their Nation. Some of your sons and daughters will leave home with the active-duty Army while others will stay home with the Army Reserve; however, they will all receive leadership and personal-growth opportunities. They will all be prepared to be productive members of your community when they return home.

We want to thank the schools, teachers, coaches, mentors and, most of all, the parents, and families of these Future Soldiers. We ask you, the community, to provide encouragement and guidance to the next several hundred highly qualified young men and women who are willing to stand and honorably serve our country from your communities.

Salute to our Shreveport Graduates and Future Soldiers:
Christina Rodgers Northwood High School
Dominick Johnson Southwood High School
Ashton Davis Booker T. Washington High School
Joshua Lyons Booker T. Washington High School
Malani Maldonado Caddo Parish Magnet High School
John Knox Southwood High School
Nicholas Avasso Byrd High School
Ashton Vaughn North Caddo High School
Carolina Amaya Union Parish Highschool
Gage Berry Bradley High School
Juan Prado Cordero Bossier High School
Alexis Serrano Bossier High School
Gilda Avist-Walker Natchitoches Central High School
Jace Scott Natchitoches Central High School
Kenneth Simmons Natchitoches Central High School
Jesse Lawson Winnfield Senior High School
Lavictasia Peterson Red River High School
Benjamin Neal Northwood High School
Connor Phillips Grant High School
Cadynn Hunter Grant High School
Jaylen Wilson Bolton High School
Cameron Williams-James Bolton High School
Randy Ransome Peabody High School
Tyreke Hills Peabody High School
Danielle Post East Hardin High School
Kaylin Anderson Ouachita Parish High School
Jonathan Cox West Monroe High School
Danny O’Neal, Jr West Monroe High School
Laquan Jackson Bastrop High School
William Brodtman St. Fredrick High School
Jade Harris Wossman High School
Terranetra Jamesgreeley Wossman High School
Chase Bender Neville High School
Stephen Jiang Neville High School
Daisha Moses Franklin Parish High School

Lt. Col. Adam Marsh has over 30 years of Army experience, both enlisted and as an Officer. He has conducted several deployments in support of humanitarian, peacekeeping and combat operations. http://www.goarmy.com