While most students are packing up their lives and carrying their belongings in a car across the state and country to head to college, senior Jordan DeBlasi will be trading frat parties for boot camps. 

“I want to join the army because my family members have been in the military, and I feel a responsibility to go in the military as well,” DeBlasi said. “My dad, my dad’s dad, my great-grandpa and my other great-grandpa have all served.”

J. DeBlasi’s father, Vince DeBlasi is pleased that his son is following his family’s footsteps. 

“I was a lot like Jordan when I was his age in that I too was not ready to go off to college, and I shied away from a physical challenge. Plus, the Army has been in my family’s blood, and I wanted to continue the legacy. When I heard that Jordan wanted to enter into military service, I was very proud of him,” V. Deblasi said. “My father saw action in Vietnam in the Army and then the Marines, while my Grandfather was in the Navy during World War II. My father was in the Infantry and actually went out on a combat mission, and my grandfather was stateside and dealt with German POWs.” 

To begin, J. DeBlasi will take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, a timed multi-aptitude test that will help determine which Army jobs are best for the new recruits. 

“I’m going into the army, then based on what I get on my ASVAB is how I choose which job I’m going to continue in. I feel pretty confident about fitting in and joining the military because of how strong and courageous my family is. I feel like if my dad, my grandpa, my great-grandpa and my other great-grandpa could do it, I can do it too,” J. DeBlasi said. 

V. DeBlasi also feels that his son has the love of competition and perseverance in him to join. 

“Jordan thrives on the pack mentality, that ‘Band of Brother’s’ unity that he had with every one of his sports teams in which he was involved. By the end of football in his junior year, he emerged as a true leader. This, of course, carried on throughout his senior year too. We were so proud of him,” V. DeBlasi said. “Perseverance, tenacity and the love of competition are the best qualities that fit him best. I know he will gain an appreciation of the meaning of being held accountable and becoming more apt to accomplish tasks without being instructed to.”

J. DeBlasi’s mother, Dana DeBlasi, is proud of her son’s initiative to serve the country.  

“I told his recruiters that the structure, discipline, comradery, loyalty and physicality are all that Jordan is all about–it doesn’t mean I am not a nervous mom, though,” D. DeBlasi said.

J. DeBlasi is looking forward to enlisting as well.

“I’m not scared. I’m more excited because of all the different opportunities that I’m going to have once I join the military, like traveling and seeing things I’ve never seen before,” J. DeBlasi said.