Photo by Ron Toland
Raleigh Recruiting Battalion
Public Affairs Specialists
Three nursing majors from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) walk into a U.S. Army Recruiting Center and enlists...on the same time.
Shantrell Williams, Faviaree McClain, and Shantraice Cunningham are the three North Carolina Central University students who decided to enlist in the Army Reserves.
Shantrell is a sophomore and states that she just met the other two student yesterday, but that they all are under the same degree plan. She has enlisted as an 88N, Transportation Management Specialist.
“I needed a backup plan. I am a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) also, but doing everything is alot”, she said.
Shantrell is from Havelock, NC. She will be shipping out to Basic Training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma which is a long way from home. Nevertheless, she appears confident due to her membership in NCCU’s ROTC program.
When asked how her parents felt about her joining the Army and going so far away from home she stated, “Mom is happy. She saw me swear in. Dad is gonna have to be ok.”
Faviaree is the second enlistee. She is from Charlotte, NC and will also be attending Basic Training in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma.
“My brother, Umi, who is a Marine, gave me the idea about joining. He talked me into it and told me that I should consider it; that it was a good way to get benefits, a good way to meet people, to gain good discipline, and to travel”, she said.
Faviaree said that she expects that Basic Training will include hard work, getting up early, and lots of exercise. Unfortunately, she has not told her parents yet. ‘
“I kinda told them...actually I have not told them, but they will be alright with it”, she said.
Shantraice is the third enlistee. She is a junior at NCCU. She has selected the 42A, Human Resource Specialist, as her MOS. She proudly states that she was able to secure a $20,000 bonus and will be entering the military as a Private 1st Class.
“I intend to use that bonus money to pay off student loans”, she said.
Shantraice said that joined the Army Reserves as a backup plan to her nursing degree and to get the benefits.
According to Shantraice travel is not a big desire, so that was an additional benefit of joining the Army Reserves.
“My best friend’s husband is in the Army, so I talked to her about what the Army life was about. I do not want to travel. Being in the Army Reserves allows me to be home and finish my degree”, she said.
Shantraice says that she told her family, but that they did not think that she was the type of person that would join the Army.
“I guess you can say that I am a little lazy now, but I wasn’t before. I intend to train with my recruiter in order to get ready for basic”, she said.
Shantraice states that she believes Basic Training will be a rude awakening, but that she expects to become a new person.
When asked why she joined the Army Shantraice said, “This will be good for me. Right now I am more laid back. The Army will make me a more active person.”
“I joined the Army so that I can provide for my parents”, she said.
Shantraice informed me that there was another nursing major student from NCCU that enlisted in the Army prior to their enlistment.
Perhaps we are seeing a trend at colleges.
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