Michael Hoover

Their prom, "Midnight Cove," is over, two senior trips are on their near horizon, a group of students is planning their baccalaureate, caps and gowns are waiting to be distributed and final plans for their June 16 graduation are near completion.

The 139 members of the George Mason Class of 2004 are enjoying their final few days of high school, jumping through a few last hoops and preparing for final exams. One of the school's counselors has created a large bulletin board of hand-drawn trees with branches and paste-on leaves that depict the near futures of these soon-to-be graduates. Just about every student's name has now been printed on these branches and leaves showing where they will be this time next year. As is usual for Mason graduates, about 96 percent of them are scheduled to be in either a two or four-year college next year, in keeping with the overall expectations of the Falls Church community. A few of these graduates, however, have no college listed next to their names.

This year there are five students in the Mason Class of 2004 who are planning to enter the military. At least one or two others are considering this route. All of these five hope eventually to go to college or trade school following their service in the military.

Four of these military-bound seniors are male, Jeff, Mike, Bret, and Devlan. One, Monica, is female. While the great majority of their classmates have been filling out college applications, these five have made extensive preparations for their military careers. Bret is joining the Army on July 21. Devlan is joining the Marine Corps and will "ship out" in early September. Jeff, who hopes eventually to be an Army Ranger, plans to join the Army by September. Mike plans on being in the Army by mid-summer. Monica is already an official member of the active Army and will muster on June 23, a mere week after her graduation. She has been running and working out a lot on her own to prepare herself for the grueling challenges of PT.

"It was a personal goal, a challenge that I've always wanted to pursue. Many of my relatives have been in the military," said Monica when asked about her motivation for joining the Army. Monica plans on becoming a surgeon and is banking on her plans to be an Army medical logistics specialist to "help me along that path."

Devlan also was inspired by relatives in his selection of the Marine Corps. "I have been interested in the Marine Corps since I was in middle school. I knew from the get-go that I didn't' want to go to college immediately after high school, but I wanted to do something meaningful with my life," said Devlan. Still, following plans to earn a rank of staff sergeant four years from now, Devlan plans to go to college and eventually become a force in the business world, helping his father.

Jeff decided to join the military "after I was inspired when I went to D.C. and saw the Vietnam Memorial and read the Civil War speeches at the Lincoln Memorial. I really wanted to follow in the footsteps of those who gloriously defended America before me."

Mike did considerable research, "speaking to recruiters and veterans," before making the Army his choice. "I feel like I need to help my country and protect the people in the U.S. I don't know yet if I want to make it (the military) a career, and I plan on going to college later."

Bret said that the military "was an opportunity where I could experience something, travel a bit, learn a trade, and get paid." To him the U. S. Army seemed the "most modern." Bret hopes to get "good training and an education" in the Army and "come out, go to a tech school, then get a good job."

If there is one thing that all five of these students have in common besides their desire to serve their country and their eventual hopes to continue their education, is the mixed feelings that their families have about their career choices. "My parents aren't too fond of my decision at all," said one senior. "My father was nervous, but now he accepts my decision," said another. "They didn't like it, but they support me 100 percent. They fear for me going to Iraq," said another. "Initially my mom was 'OK' with my decision, but with the U.S. involvement in Iraq has become more and more opposed," said another.

Recent happenings in Iraq have given these young volunteers pause, but, if anything, seem to have fortified their commitment. "Everything that is happening has made me stop and rethink my decision, but I still feel that it is the right decision for me," said Monica. "The recent events in Iraq made me stop and think about my decision to enlist. But it only reinforced my decision to become a soldier and I feel I need and have to help my country make the right decisions," said Mike.

As I've watched scores of seniors literally agonize over their choice of colleges for next year, I'm struck by the certainty with which these five students have made their choices and stuck by them.