I am an American Soldier.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am Jake LaBelle.

On June 27, 2017 Jake LaBelle will leave Mequon, Wis. to start basic training in South Carolina to determine his future as an American Soldier. At age 18, LaBelle is willing to put in the long and tireless training hours away from home in order to become one that honors and protects his country’s rights, freedoms and All-American life as we know it.

LaBelle is set on becoming a “91 Bravo” or a “wheel based mechanic” to keep America’s humvees, tankers and cargo loaders to mention a few intact. Having multiple family members in three of the four military branches and being the handy person he is, LaBelle has the natural attraction to a six-year Army contract to use his skills for the betterment of his country, opposed to going down the traditional four-year college path. In a way, the PT (personal training) LaBelle has attended, including weekly workouts in West Bend, online training and learning all of the basics of the Army such as the phonetic alphabet, make up LaBelle’s “four-year college experience.”

Unlike most 18 year olds, LaBelle sees joining the Army as a way to be useful and give back a bit to the country. Taking this route in life is easy for no one as recruits spend months upon months away from their family, working hard and potentially risking their lives, which is exactly what LaBelle has signed up for. Even though he wants to be a mechanic in the Army, there is always the possibility he may be deployed overseas to serve his country with the ever so relevant risk of not returning to see his loved ones and experience life.

LaBelle feels that one should never join the military if they are not willing to risk their life and die. Being the patriotic person he is, LaBelle feels as someone who is joining the military, that the recent events occurring in our country of not standing during the star spangled banner is complete disrespect to those serving in the military that have helped give one the freedom to sit, kneel, or stand during the star spangled banner. He is well on his way to his six-year army contract as a 91 Bravo, and in a matter of months will be an American Soldier, never quit in order to serve his country and never leave a fallen comrade.

He is Jake LaBelle.