.Raymond Scampini ’15 talked about his decision to join the army after going off to college through the ROTC program, unlike many of his other peers.

How did you decide you wanted to join? Why didn’t you choose to do the traditional going off to college? Well I decided to join the military for many reasons. One being that they will provide me with education. Going into your second question, my family would not be able to afford to put me through college and I don’t want to be in debt to student loans for the rest of my life. Another reason I am joining is for the experience. People look at the military the wrong way, they think it is all combat. It is not. I want to travel the world and see different places. You only have one life might as well live it to the fullest. There are also benefits once you leave too, such as health care and life insurance for your family.

Which branch of the military are you joining? I want to join the navy. But eventually I want to go to do Basic Underwater Demolition/ Seal Training (BUDS).

How long do you plan on staying in the army? Well the route I’m going is to get a tuition waiver into college through the ROTC. With this, they will give me 4 years of college and put me into the military as an officer. It is an eight year commitment.

Is anyone else you know joining? I’m not sure if anyone else is joining. I’m pretty sure I heard that Linden Kerr is joining some branch as well.

What advice do you want to give people for their future? Whether you are joining the military or going to college, just do what makes you happy. Follow your passion. My dream is to be in the military although there is pain and so much that can happen, it is an experience of a lifetime.