ROSEPINE, La. (KALB) - As seniors get set to graduate high school and head towards their future, some Cenla students’ next steps will be for a cause larger than themselves.
At a ceremony on Wednesday, April 23, six seniors at Rosepine High School enlisted into the United States military. After graduation, they will serve their country and head to select military branches. The school held the signing ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments and wish those students well on their journey beyond high school.
Collin Calhoun and Brian Buchanan will enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. Fellow Rosepine student Gabriel McMurtury was not in attendance at the ceremony, but will also enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.
When asked why he chose to enlist as a Marine, Buchanan said, “The discipline, the image, the fight, the will that it takes to do. It is something that I know that I can do, and it’s always something I’ve looked up to.”
Brayden Hall, Nelson Thibodeau and Joseph Rodriguez are taking their next step and enlisting in the Louisiana Army National Guard (LANG).
Hall, an aspiring musician, explained why he decided to join the LANG.
“Well, I knew that I always wanted to serve,” said Hall. “I always wanted to serve, and I was trying to figure out the best way for myself to do that with other passions that I had.”
Hall said he realized he could still pursue his passions while serving and honoring his dad, who also served in the LANG.
“I decided to join the Guard knowing that I’d get that tuition exemption and be able to go to my dream college and still chase music,” said Hall.
John Shell will take to the skies and enlist in the U.S. Air Force.
“You know, to me personally, I like to work on computers, intelligence,” Shell said.
With a bit of persuading from family in the Air Force, Shell also remarked that he ultimately did not want to do school again.
“The Air Force just seemed right for me, and when I heard what my brother-in-law and stuff was doing, you know, it just sounded like the place I wanted to be at,” said Shell.
According to College Vine, between 37,500 and 45,000 high school graduates enlist in the military every year. Though every journey through the military is unique, these seniors marked the start of theirs together at Rosepine. From there, they will carry their torches forward, down paths all their own.
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2025 KALB. All rights reserved.