From a young age, Randall Crowson of Gage, Oklahoma knew he wanted to join the military. At the time, the details of getting into the Armed Forces were not a concern, but as he entered high school, becoming a member of the National Guard began to come into focus. 

“Truth be told, joining the military had been a goal of mine from a really young age. As I became determined to enlist in the U.S. Army, I was made aware of all the benefits the National Guard offered, such as college assistance, the split training program, which I opted out for, and the like,” said Crowson. 

Now a full member of the Oklahoma National Guard, Crowson is working as a 91B or Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic. 

“Prior to my enlistment, I figured that I would sign for a job which will provide skills that are not only helpful for me as an individual down the road, but also a set of skills that would help me acquire a well-paying civilian job. After I graduate high school, I will ship to AIT (Advanced Individual Training) to train for the MOS 91B wheeled vehicle mechanic. By offering this job choice to me, the Guard helped me to set a foundation to build a career upon in my civilian life,” said Crowson. 

The recruiting process was an easy one for the future soldier from Wright High School. 

“The recruiting process for me was pretty straightforward. My recruiter was very down-to-earth with me, which helped a lot with getting all of the benefits I qualified for, and mapping out my military career for the six year contract I signed,” said Crowson. 

The senior got involved in cross country after returning from basic training. 

“I started running for the cross country team soon after I flew back in from basic training. I had a huge upper hand starting in the early days of practice from the weeks of physical training I endured,” said Crowson. “My involvement in sports gave me a sense of purpose that would prove to be very useful to me as a Private facing the hardships and adversities of boot camp. I believe that without this sense of purpose, I would not have been able to accomplish as many things that I did during my time there.” 

With a history of military service in his family, Crowson said he is happy to add to that tradition. 

“Part of my reason for enlisting was because of passed down information about the military from those in my family who had served before me. As a child, I had been told stories of the fun to be had in the military, and of the bond between soldiers in the field. During my time at basic training, I saw that the ideals and realities of military life fell closely in line with what I had been told,” said Crowson. 

In his free time, Crowson said he often enjoys partaking in more physical activities, such as airsoft with his close friends.