Brad Boaen, a UGA graduate entering the Marines, poses for a picture on North Campus. (Photo/ Lindsay Dobras)
By Lindsay Dobras
ATHENS, Ga. – As the nation continues to fall deeper into an economic recession, many recent graduates struggle to find jobs. With little options left, increasing numbers of students are turning to the military as a more stable career option.
ATHENS, Ga. – As the nation continues to fall deeper into an economic recession, many recent graduates struggle to find jobs. With little options left, increasing numbers of students are turning to the military as a more stable career option.
University of Georgia graduate, Brad Boaen, from Savannah, Ga., began thinking about joining the military during his last semester at UGA. Boaen, who studied horticulture, says he thought more and more about joining the military after graduation because of the economy.
He signed with the U.S. Marine Corps in March.
Although Boaen had a horticulture-related job lined up after graduation, he worried about the stability of the career. According to Boaen, it is a seasonal job that offers little benefits. Joining the Marines would be his safest option right now.
“The military has some undeniably amazing benefits that I think will be very helpful in the future,” he said. “Whether our economy bounces back or not, I think I have made a really smart decision.”
Some of the benefits offered by the military include healthcare, which covers intermediate family, and guaranteed pay raises every couple years. Military personnel begin receiving retirement after 20 years.
Boaen explains that he has to pay off his student loans within the next five years, but will eventually be reimbursed by the Marines. They will pay his tuition if he decides to continue his education and complete a second degree. After retirement, he may choose to get an additional degree in teaching.
Amanda Schwartz, a 21-year-old accounting major from Duluth, Ga., and close friend of Boaen, says she is supportive of him and agrees that the military benefits may be helpful to him throughout his lifetime.
“I hate that he is joining the Marines because it is one of the most dangerous options he could have chosen for a career,” said Schwartz. “I’ll worry about him every day, but I support him in his decision. He will be going in as an officer, which is the best way to go in. I can’t really deny that it wasn’t a smart decision.”
Other students at UGA have chosen similar options. Paul O’Connell, a 23-year-old UGA graduate from Douglasville, Ga., chose the military when he couldn’t find a job. Much like Boaen, O’Connell worries about his future in this economy.
“I’m getting married in a few months, and I need to be able to support my family,” he said. “I joined the Army because I needed to. It was the best thing I could do for me and my fiancé.”
Boaen, who leaves for Officer Candidate School this week, says he never thought he would join the military. His decision to be a Marine has left him anxious, but excited for the journey.
“I didn’t choose the Marines just because it is a smart decision,” he said. “I joined because it is something I can be proud of. I am nervous about it all, especially about passing OCS. It’s going to be really tough. But in the end, I will be proud to be able to call myself a United States Marine.”
Edited by Marcie Opraseuth
Lindsay, Marcie,
ReplyDeleteThis is a good story idea, and you've got a couple of good interviews here. You have to do more to support your assertion of a trend, though. You say increasing numbers of students are turning to the military, but you offer no evidence to support that claim. You can't just say something like that unless you intend to prove it. A military recruiter would be a good source for this story and might also be able to point you to numbers that bolster your claim -- or steer you away from it.