By Tatianna Gomez-Lucero
From seeing her brother every day to only seeing him on the holidays.
Senior Jaelee Mattox’s older brother, Dawson Mattox, is stationed in Fort Liberty (formerly known as Fort Bragg), North Carolina. Mattox is making his family proud by joining the Army as an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) specialist.
Jaelee is one of many Delta students with family members in the military. According to statistics on the CollegeVine.com website, an estimated 37,500 to 45,000 high schoolers enlist in the military each year. CollegeVine is an AI company that helps students with their college application process.
Leaving behind their families, they serve two to six years on active duty.
Dawson Mattox first showed interest in the military at 4 years old.
He wanted to be in the Marines but they didn’t let him be an EOD off the streets. The Army did let him be an EOD as soon as he joined.
At 16 he started working out with the Army, then joined the EOD in the army. Jaelee texts Dawson and calls him on the weekends if he can. Dawson’s family is very proud of him for what he does. When he comes home on holidays they have a big get-together and invite his friends and he brings his wife and two-year-old daughter.
Jaelee’s mother has told Jaelee and her siblings to “grow up and spread your wings.”
Jaelee has considered joining the military but wants to be in the medical field. She already has her certificates and plans to go into the medical field as a firefighter after she graduates high school early.
Freshman Arian Richey’s older brothers Jadon and Gavrie are in the Army.
Since he was little, Gavrie had considered joining the Army and always dreamed of doing it. Arian said Jadon didn’t want to join, but when he saw Gavrie commit, he decided to join, too.
Jadon and Gavrie are stationed in North Carolina. They will come back after four years.
Arian said that at first, it didn’t bother her when Jadon and Gavrie left, but not seeing them bothered her. Her mother and father were impacted the most when they left. Her siblings miss them from time to time, but they are proud of them.
Jadon and Gavrie call or text their family when they get their phones. Arian gets to see her brothers on breaks they get.
Junior Sammi Raleigh’s brother Andrew is in the Air Force. He has always wanted to be a pilot. He is stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Romania and serves as a Senior Airman working in advanced avionics.
Soon, he will be returning to Las Vegas.
He sometimes will FaceTime his parents and Sammi will sometimes talk to him.
His leaving didn’t hit till a year later. It is quieter and has a lot less drama. Sammi hopes Andrew is safe and that everything is good. Sammi said when Andrew comes back they will get dinner.
Science teacher Mr. Jacob Brewer’s younger brother David Brewer was in the Army.
David joined the army because of its income and college benefits. He is not actively stationed, but he served some time in the army reserves and overseas. He is back in the United States as of now.
When David left, his brother Jacob had a scary feeling knowing that a family member was going overseas somewhere you don’t know and may not see again.
Their dad, assistant principal Mr. Brian Brewer, would organize care baskets and personal supplies. One thing that did impact them was when they couldn’t communicate with David.
When he could they would text while he was overseas and see each other at family gatherings.
They went out for dinner when David returned and had a little family get-together celebrating his return.
