US Army recruits were sworn in during a ceremony at Los Alamos High School attended by family and friends, from left, Staff Sergeant Benjamin Yanez, Santa Fe Station Commander; Sergeant First Class Jhampier Inchaustegui; Captain Charles Benson, Albuquerque Recruiting Commander; Lieutenant Colonel Tammy Bogart, Phoenix/New Mexico Battalion Commander; LAHS Principal Renee Dunwoody; Jose Marquez; Jimmy Wilson; Riana Martinez; Staff Sergeant Starling Inirio; Sergeant First Class William Garcia; First Lieutenant Vincent and front row kneeling, Tomas Martinez and Seth Rainey. Courtesy/LAPS

US Navy recruits Jaceena Hornberger and Joshua Danforth with Navy Recruiter FCAC(SW) Jorge Valenzuela. Courtesy/LAPS

LAPS News:

Seven Los Alamos High School seniors were recently honored during ceremonies attended by family and friends as they formally committed to the military. This is one of the largest groups of recruits from the high school in recent history.

Jose Marquez, Riana Martinez, Tomas Martinez, Seth Rainey and Jimmy Wilson are joining the US Army. Joshua Danforth and Jaceena Hornberger are headed into the United States Navy.

Recent statistics show that less than 1% of Americans join the military after high school.

Jimmy, Joshua and Jaceena have participated in the school’s NJROTC all four years of high school. Chief Aron Ayers, USN (Ret), is the Senior Naval Science Instructor with Petty Officer Matt Bohlen, USN (Ret), serving as the Naval Science Instructor for the Los Alamos High School NJROTC program.

“In the words of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, no other military in history has operated on a voluntary basis while maintaining such formidable capabilities as the United States,” Chief Ayers said.  “These young men and women are examples of the best of us and we gladly welcome them to the military team!”