Switzer Returns Home After Enlightening Journey

After 23 weeks away from home, a Clearwater-Orchard graduate can proudly say she is a United States soldier. In late November, Jaiden Switzer, a 2017 Clearwater-Orchard graduate, made her return home after a spur decision to join the National Guard.

As the end neared to her senior year of high school, Switzer began to scan what option she would choose for her future. Without hesitation, she decided to enlist in the National Guard.

“It was kinda just like a will to join. I didn’t have anybody talk to me, I just decided to out of the blue, saying this will definitely be something for me,” she said.

The beginning of summer 2017 was the start of a journey that “wasn’t anything easy” as she headed off to Fort Jackson, South Carolina for basic training. Looking back, Switzer explained the difficulties that she had to face. One of the most memorable challenges for her was known as the shark attack. This drill tested her strength mentally and physically with endurance conditioning.
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Despite the difficulty of each challenge, Switzer picked out one in particular that was her favorite. The drill gave a feel of what it is really like to be on the front line with guns firing 40 inches above the tallest person, and grenades blowing up on each side.

“When you got done, you couldn’t breathe. The sand was in your mouth, you were covered in dirt. I think when I got done, I had blood dripping down my arms from my elbows from crawling. My knee pads were all way down to my ankles, halfway off my feet. We had some people pass out because it was so hot,” she said. “I didn’t like it when it happened. But, it was my favorite part. It gave you a good experience of what it is like on the field, if you were on the front line.”

After finishing basic training as a Bravo 313 soldier, Switzer continued her training for another 13 weeks. She received her individual training at AIT where she was educated in 91 Foxtrot small arms, artillery repair.

Finally, the day came for Switzer to come home, November 21.

Switzer said, “It was exciting to come back. I had made a few changes to myself. But, ultimately it is just great to be back. It is a little shocking. You go from a military schedule to not having a schedule at all, to sitting there thinking, ‘Okay, now what do I do?’”

Even though she has returned home, Switzer continues to attend drill each month and using her knowledge while working in the armory.

Looking back on the experience, she is thankful for all of the knowledge she has gained and hopes to share this knowledge to better the world today.

Hoping to spark interest in others, Switzer said, “If people are looking to go into the military, I’d say go into the National Guard first. You’ll still go through the same training as the Army, but you’ll get to come home and you won’t go straight to your duty station after AIT. It’ll give you a good aspect of what it’s like, a good look at the Army. If you’d like to go forward, you still can.”

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