BOWLING GREEN, Ky. —  Surrounded by family, Caige Galloway signed to enter into the National Guard Monday. 

The Warren Central High School Senior has been a member of the Junior ROTC program all four years, and is about to put his experience into use to serve the country as an aviation mechanic. 

He was one of eighteen students to sign on Monday. 

“Ever since I got into JROTC, I’ve really enjoyed it. I actually have three career pathways and all of them I chose from and everything, JROTC has been my favorite. And talking to Ms. Thornbury and stuff, they encouraged me to take that path because it looked like it fit me more,” Galloway said. 

Laura Thornbury is the College and Career Transition Readiness Coach who’s worked at the high school for four years — making this her first group of students she has been with throughout their entire high school experience. 

Thornbury helps connect students to various career and post-graduation paths that would suit them. 

“For so long, it seemed like college was the only opportunity for students. And we really want to make it important to students that there are more options. College isn’t for everybody and every year we typically have a pretty large group of students go into the military,” Thornbury said. 

Thornbury works with recruiting officers to find students who show promise in signing with a military branch. 

Galloway, a Bowling Green native, is not counting out college, but is exploring multiple options. 

“I don’t know how college is going to be or anything. I’m going to come back, maybe go back into college, try to commission second lieutenant,” Galloway said.

And that could turn into a lifelong pursuit.

“I would really like to retire from the military. I’ve really enjoyed my JROTC years and we have a drill that we go to once a month and I really enjoyed that. So I think I’ll really enjoy it and I want to stay in as long as I can.”

Galloway leaves for basic training at Fort Jackson in September.