Since a U.S Army solider reached out a helping hand to him in a time of need, senior Chance Phillips inspired to join the Army. As a small child, he vaguely remembers his encounter with the anonymous Army solider.

“When I was about 6 or 7, I was left on the side of the road in Virginia and I was picked up by an Army guy on his way to Texas and he brought me back to my mom,” Phillips said.

Phillips said he was enlisted in the Army on Jan. 27, 2012. He plans to serve a full 21 years.

Phillips said he plans to be in airborne infantry Special Forces, and it requires him to be physically fit. Last summer, he had to take an ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test and had to receive a certain score to be accepted in the military.

After high school, he said he does plan to go to college before going to active duty. He said wherever he goes to college depends on what state the Army sends him.

Phillips said that last summer he started his training to get prepared, and has to train again this upcoming summer. Waking up at 4 a.m., he had to walk about 20 miles with a 70-pound backpack. He also had to learn and perform first aid.

He said he was excited about getting in the military, but not ready to go back to training this summer.

“I’ve wanted to this ever since I was a kid. Some kids want to grow up to be doctors, firefighters or police officers, but all I’ve wanted is to be a soldier and I made it,” Phillips said.