CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
Siblings Katelyn and Noah Jack have grown up side-by-side taking part in each other’s significant milestones through the years. On Feb. 11, 2019, the two marked a new chapter in their journey as brother and sisters, as they enlisted side-by-side into the West Virginia Army National Guard (WVARNG) at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Military Entrance Processing Station.
The Jack siblings, who hail from Cumberland, Maryland, were sworn in surrounded by their family and WVARNG recruiters.
“I honestly thought it was pretty neat,” Katelyn said. “The whole day had many ups and downs, and the best part with the downs - we were able to cheer each other back up. So at the end of the day, him standing next to me saying our oath was pretty amazing.”
While Katelyn and Noah enlisted together, the two will be attending basic training and advanced individual training (AIT) separately.
Noah, a senior at Fort Hill High School in Cumberland, has opted for the split training option, attending basic training this summer and AIT the next. He has enlisted as horizontal construction engineer.
Katelyn, a biochemistry major who has attended West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, W.Va., enlisted as military police.
“I have always had interest in the military, but the past few years it has grown,” Katelyn said. “I needed a push to pursue it, and that push was a close friend (Pvt. 1st Class Brooke Puffenbarger) talking about her experience in the WVNG. So I started researching and a few days later, I decided this is something I absolutely want to do.”
WVARNG recruiter Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Hoban worked with the pair, helping through the long process, which Katelyn said she was very grateful for.
The biggest draw to the WVARNG, Katelyn and Noah agreed, were the offered benefits, which the two agreed were better than other states and military branches they had researched.
Benefits of service in the WVARNG include tuition reimbursement for up to 100 percent of tuition (up to $7,000 a year) and allowable fees to an accredited college or university located within West Virginia, to earn one certificate, undergraduate degree and master’s degree during their period of service in the National Guard, Tricare insurance, and additional paid training for duty days. Enlistment perks can also include a bonus of up to $20,000.