“Free college.” The one thing that gets most Hancock Place High School students to go serve their country. But for Senior Emily Anderson, it is so much more.

Because people in her family that have also served, set her up with the desire to follow in their footsteps. Her brother, HHS Alum, James Anderson is also in the army. Her uncle was a marine who served in Vietnam, “My dad always liked to talk about him.”

Because if you asked “What did you want to be when you grow up” she wouldn’t have answered Army right away. She wanted to be an engineer Anderson didn’t always want to be in the Army, growing up watching movies, and reading books about famous inventors, she wanted to be an engineer like Iron Man.

Because she gets to serve her country. She wouldn’t call herself a proud American, yet, she loves this country she gets to live freely in.

Because she is excited for her job when she starts in which she either gets to hand out medicine or train the new recruits in the gas chamber. Yes, the gas chamber. Don’t be fooled, this is not to kill any of the new recruits but to train them with gas masks and to be used to the sensation of the gassing.

Because everything good has a setback. The therapist at Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) told her that she may not be best suited for the military, Anderson’s mental health waiver needs to be repealed and redone. Anderson has to go back to the to talk to a therapist again.

Because she gets free college, there is always a driving force but there are many factors that play into the reason for the driving force.