CAMP KOSCIUSZKO, Poland — U.S. Army Maj. Troy Schuffert, the officer in charge of the 326th Military History Detachment, swore his daughter, Gracie Schuffert, into the Army on Feb 10, 2023, via video call.
Leading the oath of enlistment through a video call isn’t typical, but when Gracie chose to sign the dotted line and raise her right hand, Maj. Schuffert knew he wanted the honor of swearing in his daughter by any means necessary.
Maj. Schuffert is currently deployed to Camp Kosciuszko, Poland with V Corps, but he decided that no amount of distance would keep him from being a part of this monumental moment for his daughter.
“I’m extremely proud of her for making this decision,” Maj. Schuffert said. “Her decision was made while I’ve been away. It’s been hard, but thanks to video calls, I’ve been able to be with her through this process as much as I can be.”
Gracie swore-in at the Harrisburg Military Entrance Processing Station in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania as a horizontal construction engineer.
“I’ve always had an interest in the military, but I just wasn’t sure which branch to join,” Gracie said. “I really like the jobs the Army offers; they are more interesting to me. Plus, my dad being a Major in the Army kind of pushed me more towards that route.”
When asked about leaving home for basic training, Gracie expressed that although she is nervous for the journey ahead, she is also very excited and feels her dad helped her prepare for the challenges ahead.
“It’s going to be a completely new environment, and I’m not going to have my family there with me,” she said, “but I’m also excited to get away and learn from this experience. I know it’s going to be something I carry with me for the rest of my life.”
When asked how he felt about Gracie joining the Army, Maj. Schuffert expressed how proud of his daughter he was, and how confident he is in her successes to come.
“Parents say ‘I can’t be prouder of my kid’ until something else happens and you’re even more proud,” he said with a smile across his face.
Gracie expressed that service to her meant doing her part for her home.
“I have to do what I can for everyone back home,” she said. “For my friends, family, and the country I live in.”
Gracie left for basic combat training on March 20, 2023, and before she parted her dad left her with some words of advice.
“The basic training program is meant to break you down and build you back up as a team,” he said. “Once you leave that place, you’ll be part of the Army team. Gracie, you’ll forever be a member of that team. Everyday you’re in the military it will shape the rest of your life so please enjoy every minute of it.”
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