The Albion safe zone bubble creates a barrier between the college and the outside world. While campus has been altered this year due to new COVID-19 rules and regulations, some students still follow their usual regimente. Outside of Albion, individuals constantly risk their lives and dedicate themselves to a life of service for their country by serving in the military. A select few of those individuals have also made their homes here at Albion.
When Lexie Davidson, a junior from Croswell, Mich., graduates she will fulfill National Guard duties, which include training for one weekend each month and a more extended annual training in the summer.
“After I commission, I will have to go to BOLC, which is a basic officer leadership course,” said Davidson. “I’m hoping to branch into med services.”
The National Guard allows Davidson to pursue both her academic and service interests throughout her college career.
“My main goal is to be a doctor. Being in the National Guard helps me do that, and I get a lot of leadership opportunities,” said Davidson. “I get to build myself as a leader and a person throughout college to help prepare me for future life.”
Life in training and life on campus, however, are vastly different. As a result, the transition back to Albion can be drastic.
“It’s either a relief or it’s kind of like, ‘Oh I have to come back,’” said Devon Funk, a junior from Battle Creek, Mich. “It depends on the time, because, like, during the summer, you get to go to cool places for training, get really used to barracks life, living with a bunch of other Marines just doing Marine things.”
Davidson expressed experiencing a similar change transitioning from the National Guard back to campus that Funk experienced in the Marines.
“That’s the hardest thing, I think, is that change of putting on my uniform and going to western and being a cadet, then coming back here and being a normal college student, taking off the uniform and going to the science center and studying,” said Davidson.
While these students face different challenges and responsibilities, it helps strengthen them as leaders and helps them learn about life.
“That’s what I take into my Albion life, is to just learn from my mistakes, learn that failure happens and to just move on and be better from it,” said Davidson.
The experiences at military training are unique and beneficial. Members are tested through rigorous physical training while running through real life situations.
“You have a lot more perspective on things that most people don’t normally run into” said Funk.
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