In an exclusive interview, St. Louis High School reporters had the opportunity to interview Nate March, a U.S National Guardsman with a pocket full of dreams, a heart full of patriotism, and nerves of steel. 

Recalling his experience from a summer spent at boot camp in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. March told SLHS reporters that the reason he joined the Guard was that he needed a way to pay for college and the GI bill was the ticket. When asked, March described the average day in boot camp as waking up at four in the morning, getting ready, and standing in front of bunks at five, and, if the drill sergeants found anything out of place, there would be push-ups all around.

Later, they would go out to the drill pad and do physical training all day which mostly consisted of waiting around because the drill sergeants were brutally outnumbered 16 to one. These activities were followed by dinner, mail, shower, and then finally, sleep. 

When the topic of benefits came up, March commented, that he gets free tuition along with veteran’s discounts and free healthcare. March’s advice to anyone thinking of enlisting in the National Guard is to know why they feel more motivated. 

Food was surprisingly very good at boot camp, he added. 

March mentioned that the biggest challenge he faced in boot camp was that he was surrounded by people that he wouldn’t trust to keep him alive. 

The number of years March signed up for is eight years; six will be in the National Guard and the last two will be as a call-up if they need him. According to March, the worst part of boot camp is the rucking, which is lugging 65 pounds of gear for miles in complete silence. This tore March’s feet up something terrible and has caused some issues for him to get back to cross country shape.

March will go directly to his training after high school graduation to specialize in his chosen career field.