“I’m joining the Navy to be an aviation structural mechanic,” said the 17 year old senior, Emily Gillum, who plans to be fixing airplanes for the military. 

“I was talking with a teacher about my plans after high school,” she shared, “and he said ‘You should look into the military’, and the military was an option already, but he wanted me to look into more of the nuclear side of the Navy.” 

So she did. Emily mentioned that she was looking into different sides of the Navy, and decided the submarine was not for her.

“But then I decided I’m happy with what I picked as an aviation structural mechanic,” she added.

“I come from a family of military members,” she continues. “Brothers, Dad, grandparents, great grandparents. I want to make those people proud the most.”

She also mentions how she was born on the Army base Fort Campbell in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Emily took metals classes here at Pasco High, which she feels has helped her get interested in this path, as well as helped her gain some experience prior to starting in the military.

“I’m gonna miss the band program, my friends, and the teachers who have nonstop supported me with my decisions about going into the Navy,” shared Gillum, when asked what she would miss the most about PHS.

“There’s been people who have been like, ‘why would you do that’, but then there has also been a good chunk of people who have been supportive the whole way,” she added. “I’ll miss those the most.”

Emily is starting her basic training course in the Navy on July 7th. She will first go through a 9-week course at the Great Lakes in Illinois, and then 9 more weeks in Pensacola, Florida, for the schooling for her job. She reflected on what she is looking forward to the most with basic training.

“Just starting it in general,” she replied. “Because it will mean the start of my future. I want to make everyone who knows me proud.”