20 future soldiers to be sworn-in ahead of Sacramento Kings game Monday night
SACRAMENTO — A special swearing-in ceremony for 20 future soldiers from Sacramento and San Joaquin counties will precede Monday night's Sacramento Kings game. It's all part of a tribute to service members.
Del Campo senior Charles Vance, 17, is ready for what happens next.
"I know it will train me, it will specialize me in a certain area," Vance said. "That will help me for a civilian job afterwards."
He just enlisted with the U.S. Army Reserve but will make it official Monday night during the Kings' Salute to Service ceremony before tip-off.
From the time he was a young boy, he always admired servicemembers.
"My grandpa served in the Army – World War II vet. Passed away a few years ago," Vance said. "And another grandpa served in the Air Force in Vietnam."
Vance wasn't sure which path to take.
"I kind of bounced around from Marines to Air Force, and then when I met my brother's recruiter, I started getting into the Army," he said. "Then I eventually chose reserves because I figured it would help me in the civilian world."
Vance and his brother are both colorblind, which Vance said limited what jobs he could do. He chose to join the Army Reserve and become a paralegal.
"If I like it a lot, I'd probably go into active duty after six years, or go to college while being in the reserves and do ROTC in college and then possibly become an officer," he said.