Sarah Joyce, an Oakland High School senior, committed to serving her state and country by enlisting in the Tennessee Army National Guard on May 28.

Joyce, who enlisted to be an Army dental specialist, will attend 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, followed by eight weeks of Advanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, specializing in dental care and hygiene.

During BCT, she will learn Soldier skills such as marksmanship, land navigation, hand-to-hand combat, and Army traditions.

Upon graduation, she will be assigned to the Tennessee Army National Guard Medical Command in Smyrna. In addition, she will be certified as a registered dental assistant.

“My family comes from a medical background, and I wanted the opportunity to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Army dental specialist,” said Joyce.

Joyce will utilize the Tennessee STRONG Act for her tuition at Middle Tennessee State University, which will cover 100% of her undergraduate in-state tuition. She plans to major in biology and minor in childhood education.

Joyce is currently a Rutherford County JROTC cadet and will enroll in the ROTC program at Middle Tennessee State University as a cadet to commission as an officer.