Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Dakota Helvie | Kansas National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have been assisting communities with the...... read more read more
College students double down during Kansas National Guards COVID-19 response – Part 1
(This is a series of three stories on college students who are members of the Kansas National Guard and are mobilized to support the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Kansas National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have been assisting communities with the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Spc. Gabriella Guzman is one of those Soldiers. Guzman, in addition to being a combat medic with the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, Hutchison, is also a college student currently attending Wichita State University. She is earning a bachelor’s degree in health science with plans to be a physician’s assistant.
“I have been supporting communities with the Million Meals mission to package and distribute food to food banks across Kansas,” she said. “I also assisted with delivery and distribution of personal protective equipment when I was assigned to Manhattan.”
She is proud to be helping the citizens of Kansas as part of the Guard’s mission.
“During the COVID-19 response we are doing everything we can to get food to Kansas communities and to the families in need,” Guzman said.
She advises those interested in joining the Kansas National Guard to do their research.
“I asked a lot of questions when I joined and I had a great recruiter. My advice is to learn as much as you can before you come in,” Guzman said. “It’s your career and the more you know, the better it will be.”
One of the biggest benefits of joining the Kansas National Guard is the tuition assistance program. The program provides funding for tuition and certification to those who chose to join. This allows members of the Kansas National Guard to focus on their future without additional financial concerns, while gaining valuable real-world experience in the KSNG.
“I always knew I wanted to go to college but didn’t have a way to pay for it,” she said. “Right when I was getting ready to enlist, the Kansas National Guard came out with 100% state tuition assistance and that sold it for me.”
Guzman encourages everyone to work hard, try to exceed and push for more.
“Complacency is something that we should always push against,” she said. “My dream job is to become a cardiac surgical physician assistant which the Guard has been helping me obtain through experience in the medical field and tuition assistance.”
| Date Taken: | 08.03.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2020 13:31 |
| Story ID: | 375418 |
| Location: | TOPEKA, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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