Veterans Day, established as a federal holiday in 1954, honors military veterans of the United States Armed Forces annually on Nov. 11. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, around 3.3% of high school teachers are veterans. English teacher Carmen Gallardo, who joined the Navy after high school, is part of that small percentage.

Americans may join the military with different motivations. For some, it could be a way to pay for their education, search for a sense of purpose, or fulfill a desire to serve their country. Ms. Gallardo joined because she wanted to be in a place where she could “thrive in structure, routine, and stability.”

“Veterans Day is an opportunity to recognize the value of going into the military,” Ms. Gallardo said. “In times where our country has been in a state of tension or conflict globally, (the fact that) they’re (military personnel) willing to fight for it is something that will never lose its value, or its meaning, or its respect.”

During her time in the Navy, Ms. Gallardo was stationed in San Diego. However, she was deployed on assignments that had her sail across the Pacific Ocean to parts of the world that she “would have never been able to see otherwise,” like the Middle East, Australia, and Guam. After six years of being in the military, Ms. Gallardo returned to her 2-year-old son and went to college where she received a degree in English.

“I left my son behind when he was 2 years old, and I knew that as much as I admired and respected families who were willing to go on deployments and leave their families for six months or up to nine months at a time, I just couldn’t commit to that,” Ms. Gallardo said.

“The sense of stability and routine” forged in the Navy became a part of her teaching style, as she puts her students on a strict schedule while they are in her classroom.

“I use a lot of timers in my classroom because that’s what the exam demands students to be able to use and capitalize on,” Ms. Gallardo said. “It’s the same concept in the military: how do you make the most of your 24-hour day?”

Some students are thinking about joining the military, such as theatre senior Samuel Schneider, who spent a week this past summer at the West Point Summer Leaders Experience, where he sampled what life at a service academy would be like. He said the experience ultimately  convinced him to apply to the United States Military Academy.

“We did this raft racing thing, which was kind of like a team building exercise,” Schneider said. “I (also) learned how to apply tourniquets. It’s a lot of hands-on military experience.”

3.7% of high school graduates enlist in the military every year, according to data collected by the Department of Defense, a relatively small percentage considering the millions who graduate annually

“I think it’s important to also remember that enlisting is an opportunity to not only feel like you’re contributing to the greater good, but also learning a lot about who you are and what you’re capable of,” Ms. Gallardo said.

Schneider, and other students like him who are interested in joining the military, are put through the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) conducted on campus by Athletic Director Matthew Vaughan, who also oversees the candidate fitness assessment for those applying to West Point Academy.

“(The test is) in the order of a kneeling-down basketball throw, then pull-ups, and then the shuttle run, sit-ups, push-ups, and the final run,” Coach Vaughan said. “Everything is to the exact second, and it’s about agility, endurance and strength.”

Coach Vaughan has veterans in his family, including both of his grandfathers who fought in World War II and recently passed away.

“I always pray for the people that have gone into war because it’s dangerous, and you never know,” Coach Vaughan said. “You’re away from your family a lot. It’s a tough job. You got a lot on your plate, and there’s a lot of pressure involved.”

This story was originally published on The Muse on November 13, 2024.