Photo By Maj. Spencer Garrison | Keith and Kyle Nickel, twin brothers from Scappoose, Ore., received a sneak peek at...... read more read more
JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD, Wash. - Twin brothers from Scappoose, Ore. received a sneak peek at Army life before joining the ranks during a visit to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, March 14.
The recruiting station in Longview, Wash., invited Kyle and Keith Nickel and more than 50 other new and possible recruits to JBLM.
The brothers are seniors at Scappoose High School and enrolled in the Army’s Future Soldier Program. The twins have chosen Infantryman as their military occupation skill.
Although the twins are choosing the same career field, they are drawn to it for different reasons.
Kyle looks forward to excelling in marksmanship and welcomes the physical and mental challenges the combat arms occupation can offer.
Keith looks forward to the adventures he will experience.
“I want to be an infantryman, I want to feel like I’m doing something,” he said.
The program prepares new recruits for their Army career by supplying them with training and experience that will help them mentally and physically prepare for the rigorous demands of basic combat training.
“This experience got me excited for boot camp,” said Keith. “It was everything I expected and more.”
The Nickel brothers were sure of their decision to join the Army before visiting JBLM. Unlike Kyle and Keith, not all of the students were as confident in their commitment.
“We had three high school students that were on the fence about joining and were interested in the medical field, said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Lampl, recruiter, Longview Recruiting Station. They had an opportunity to talk to a trained Army medical professional about the opportunities we provide. That information helped solidify their decision,”
Lampl, served as a guide for the future Soldiers and sees the great importance this trip has on the new recruits, who sometimes receive some misinformation about Army life. For Lampl, the truth of the matter is, not every new recruit actually makes it to basic training.
“This event allows us to not just tell these recruits what they can expect in their military career, we can show them the barracks rooms, they eat in the dining facilities,” said Lampl. “When they see the standard of living they can expect in the Army they are blown away. It solidifies their commitment to joining the organization,” added Lampl.
The Longview Recruiting Station, along with units from JBLM, put the student’s endurance to the test through team building exercises, physical fitness training, simulated weapons marksmanship, and casualty treatment and evacuation under fire.
“The work out was a lot different from what we do in the athletic program at my high school,” said Kyle. “The school focuses on conditioning our bodies as athletes. This morning’s workout focused team building and combat."
The brothers will be leaving for basic combat training in July and look forward to the experience that awaits them.
“Kyle and Keith are heroes in their town,” said Lampl. “Everyone knows what they’re doing and the whole town has rallied around them and supported their decision.”
The Future Soldiers Program tour JBLM every three months and provides online training for recruits and family members.
“I try to prepare our recruits for success by giving them training and access to resources they need to make the transition easy for themselves and their family, said Lampl. “If I do that, they are more likely to have a positive experience in the Army.”
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.04.2014 15:12 |
| Story ID: | 124357 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Hometown: | SCAPPOOSE, OR, US |
| Web Views: | 53 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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