Having completed basic combat training over the summer, Charles Page High
School senior Lindsey Seymour is looking forward to graduation and getting started with her career in the Oklahoma National Guard. Seymour said she decided to join the National Guard when she was in middle school. “I first wanted to join the military in middle school, after hearing about my grandfather’s service. By my junior year of high school, I decided to go with the National Guard since it would give me better opportunities to go through college and become a doctor, while still giving back to my community.

Seymour aspires to be a cardiovascular surgeon and plans on using her educational benefits while serving in Oklahoma. “I plan on using everything I can to help me pay as little as possible through medical school. I want to be a cardiovascular surgeon one day and serve in the U.S. Army,” said Seymour. “I choose to be a healthcare specialist since it will give me the opportunity to have better healthcare training while becoming a doctor.” Being familiar with military service certainly left an impression on Seymour. “My family history is mostly Air Force. My half-brother, Andrew, my grandfather on my mother’s side, Charles, and my cousin, Seth. My
grandfather on my father’s side was in the Navy as well,” Seymour said.

The recruiting process and basic training were both learning experiences for Seymour. “The recruiting process was a really easy process that went fairly quickly for me. A lot of paperwork though, and it will continue through your entire career no matter what you choose,” said Seymour. “Basic training was sometimes difficult.
You train your body every day, but that’s not the most difficult part most of the time. It’s the mental fight of being pushed to your limits, having none of your home comforts, and having to work in a team with strangers when you are all stressed. It really pushed me to be a better person and I came out stronger than I thought I could
be mentally.”

As a senior at Charles Page, Seymour is involved in many activities including marching band, and HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) Club. She also serves as the vice president of YAG (Youth and Government) Club, vice president of NSAS (Native American Student Association), and vice president of the National Honor Society chapter. Seymour offers this advice to anyone wanting to join the National Guard. “Talk to a recruiter. They may seem like they are “just there to recruit”, but they aren’t. SSG Sloan is the one who has taught me this. They give your
career advice and try to help you make your best-informed decisions, even if that isn’t the guard.

No one wants to see another person fail because they were tricked or misinformed about something. I also say, to ask all the “stupid” questions. If you want to go to college, the National Guard is a great way to help pay for that and serve your state and community,” said Seymour.