Photo By Tech. Sgt. Mercedee Wilds | Airman 1st Class Cody Gilbert, an aircraft armament systems specialist with the 124th...... read more read more
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The road that leads someone to serve in the Idaho Air National Guard isn’t always the most traditional route. This is what makes the all-volunteer force of the IDANG unique, each person that raises their right hand and takes the oath has a unique story of how they got there.
Airman 1st Class Cody Gilbert, an aircraft armament systems specialist with the 124th Maintenance Group at Gowen Field, decided to join the IDANG after attending the Idaho Youth ChalleNGe Academy.
The IDYCA is part of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, a program that helps at-risk youth earn their high school diploma or GED. The program emphasizes self-discipline, personal responsibility, and positive motivation to help Idaho teens with a tough, disciplined education, all within a caring and respectful environment. The Idaho National Guard along with the state of Idaho funds the IDYCA, which is located in Pierce, Idaho.
“It’s a quasi-military school, so you have military trainers that do things to help you figure out what you’re doing with your life,” said Gilbert.
Gilbert described IDYCA as a place that helps kids who have bad grades or get into trouble to grow and become better people. For him, and many other kids, it was a turning point in their lives.
“I just wanted to be able to move ahead in life,” said Gilbert.
The program is five and a half months long and has eight core components; academic excellence, leadership and followership, life coping skills, job skills, service to the community, responsible citizenship, health and hygiene, and physical fitness.
Gilbert said he had always been interested in joining the military, but after attending the National Guard funded IDYCA, and doing additional research he decided to stay close to home and join the Idaho Air National Guard.
Although he said his experience was worth it, he admitted that IDYCA was tougher for him than going through basic military training for the Air Force, but it has benefitted him as an Airman because it’s something that most people don’t have.
“It has changed my perspective on a lot of things,” said Gilbert. “I use to be way different, but after going through the academy, basic, and tech school it changes the way you see the world.”
Gilbert said that the academy changes people and it’s not worth it to give up, a person just has to keep pushing. Gilbert didn’t give up and the challenges that he faced while attending IDYCA have led him to successfully serve in the IDANG.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2017 11:15 |
| Story ID: | 257775 |
| Location: | BOISE, ID, US |
| Web Views: | 234 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Guardman accepted the 'ChalleNGe', by TSgt Mercedee Wilds, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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