Senior Madelyn Mies swore into the United States of America Navy this past weekend at MEPS in Kansas City.

“I liked all of the opportunities that the Navy would give me to travel,” Mies said. “Also all of the job training opportunities. I also like that they will pay for a big majority of my college.”

Mies decision to join the Navy was one she had thought about for a while, this weekend she made her first major step towards pursuing her Naval Career.

“Our proudest moment through this process is her making the decision on her own,” Mies’s mom, Stephanie Mies said. “She really didn’t look to us for much guidance but we were OK with that because it made us feel like she knew exactly what she wanted to do. We did give her our opinions at times and I could tell she took a few of them but for the most part this was all her.”

Although Mies is currently signed as a Naval Air Crewman Operator, her long term goal is to become a Rescue Swimmer for the Navy.

“I would really like to be a Combat Rescue swimmer,” Mies said. “But I have to apply to get that job, and couldn’t apply for it until I got a contract signed,” Mies said. “I signed mine for a Naval Air crewman Operator. That job gives me the opportunity to be in the same environment as those Rescue Swimmers, and help me get used to the environment those swimmers are in until I get accepted for that job.”

Mies will be headed off to Naval bootcamp on July 14–only a short time after graduation.

“I think the hardest part will be me leaving my parents and little sister for those eight weeks at bootcamp,” Mies said. “Not being able to talk to them and see them will be really hard for me, then leaving again for all of my schooling is going to be hard as well.”

Mies’s family is excited to see what she accomplishes on this journey, but are sad to see her leave for bootcamp for eight weeks with minimal contact.

“It will be hard not having our family together,” Stephanie Mies said. “It will be hard on her sister who really looks up to her. Knowing she is happy and excited about her decision will hopefully give us comfort, we will be ready and waiting for when she is done with basic to see her and all be together again, even if it’s just for a short time.”