SMYRNA, TENN. – Eight students were recognized May 5, 2025, for their decision to enlist into the Armed Forces days prior to their scheduled high school graduation ceremony.
“This is one of the events I look forward to these past couple years,” said Mary Ester Reed, Town of Smyrna mayor. “For those current and past military service members, I just want to say thank you. You allow us to live our daily lives because you made the decision to go and defend our country.”
Stewarts Creek High School held a military enlistment celebration in the main auditorium for local military recruiters to speak about their enlistees. Those recognized were Zackary Bollinger, U.S. Army; Mariam Riad and Nathan Yates, Tennessee National Guard; Owen Myers, U.S. Marine Corps; Julian Albright, Alejandra Davila, Corbin Murphy and Alexandra Sandlin, U.S. Navy.
“Zackary Bollinger is an exemplary student and member of the Red Hawk Battalion JROTC. He has been a cadet for the last four years and most recently was the battalion operations sergeant major,” said Sgt. 1st Class Tyler K. Lang, a recruiter with the Murfreesboro Station, Nashville Recruiting Company, Nashville Rcgt. Bn.
Bollinger is scheduled to attend initial entry training at Fort Moore, Ga, where he will earn his blue infantry cord and infantry disk, according to Lang. His journey continues after where he is set to attend training at the U.S. Army Airborne School to be a paratrooper with assignment pending with the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
“Ya’ll have made an amazing commitment,” said Todd Harris, Stewarts Creek High School assistant principal. “Make your hometown proud and welcome to the ranks of becoming some of my heroes.”
Many citizens are former military as Sewart Air Force Base was a foundation to the Town of Smyrna military community, Reed stated.
“The military is so important to us, the council, as well as our citizens,” she said.
For more information about the more than 250 jobs and career opportunities, contact Murfreesboro Recruiting Station at (615) 617-6065 or visit GoArmy.com.
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