Bethel student beyond the battlefield
Kaylie Hewitt balances Army life with Bethel life.
By Megan Nickel | Royal Report
The first night of basic training, Bethel University sophomore Kaylie Hewitt called her aunt, voice shaking. With 10 weeks of Army training ahead of her, Hewitt felt the full extent of her decision to join the Army weighing down on her.
Months later, Hewitt looked back on her time at basic this past summer, as a challenging, yet necessary experience.
“The daily grind that we went through really made me grow up and deal with real life situations,” Hewitt said.
The “daily grind” consisted of waking up at 4 a.m., cleaning the entire barracks, then appearing in final formation by 4:15 to endure a morning of physical training. After PT, they would go through specific training, only stopping briefly for a MRE. Their nights consisted of class work before turning in for bed.
While the schedule is mentally and physically demanding, it has helped soldiers, including Hewitt, discover their own character. Before basic, morning class attendance at Bethel was hit or miss for Hewitt, but now after experiencing basic, skipping a class is simply not an option. One of Hewitt’s roommates, Melanie Petkoff, has noticed how since returning from basic, Hewitt’s work ethic has improved. The first thing Hewitt did after basic and AIT was search for a job. Now working at Target, Petkoff believes that Hewitt’s desire for work is just one of the ways Hewitt developed since basic.
“She takes her decisions a lot more seriously now,” friend and roommate of Hewitt, Lexi Kane said. “She is also much more protective over loved ones since coming back from basic.”
Upon returning from basic training, as well as going through AIT, Hewitt is now attempting to adjust back to life as a student. But, as she has soon found out, her two worlds of the Army and Bethel are no longer as different as she thought they would be.
“I thought they’d be separate, but since basic, I have had a completely different mindset, I use what I learned there in my everyday life.” — Kaylie Hewitt, sophomore
While Nikki Betzler, Bethel student and National Guard member, describes the Army and Bethel as having “two contrasting cultures,” both herself and Hewitt acknowledge how helpful the other has been for both sides. While the Army instilled discipline in them that has helped in their studies, Bethel helped grow their faith that supported them in the Army.
“I don’t know how people are able to do that (basic training) without being a Christian,” Betzler said.
For Hewitt, as well, going through basic training forced her to trust God in the toughest of situations. Whether it was praying during her early morning PT, or crying out to God while being smoked by a superior for making a small mistake, it was always her faith that helped her through.
“I would go to a church they had on base,” Hewitt said. “One of the songs that we would always sing said ‘brush it off and press on,’ so whenever I was struggling during basic I’d always think about that song and push forward.”
Not only was she able to rely on her own faith, but she also had a chance to share it with other soldiers. A unique situation at basic allowed her to share extreme circumstances with fellow soldiers that created a bond and permitted for conversation about God. Once, while pulling security for hours, Hewitt was able to talk to one of her battle buddies about Christianity, which is something that she would not have felt comfortable enough to do before attending Bethel.
“I was able to use skills that I got from Bethel during basic, now I have the chance to be a student again and use the skills that I got from the Army at Bethel,” Hewitt said.
Timeline for the National Guard:
Enlist in Army →RSP →Basic Training →AIT (obtain MOS) →Drill →Deployment
Glossary:
Basic Training: Initial entry training that physically and mentally trains individuals to be a solider in the Army or National Guard.
MOS: Military Occupational Specialty. This is the specific job that you have within the Army.
AIT: Advanced Individual Training. This trains you to do your specific military job.
RSP: Recruit Sustainment Program. This is preparation training for basic.
MRE: Meals, Ready-to-eat.
Pulling Security: A formation that is used to secure their perimeter.
Getting smoked: having to do a serious physical activity as a punishment, while being yelled at by the superior.
