Walking Parker’s hallways, one encounters various displays of post-graduation options, whether subtly, as with a bulletin board in the Science Wing describing groundbreaking female scientists and their careers , or conspicuously, as with a Morning Ex speaker behind the podium detailing a career path post-high school.  In this way Parker students are continually reminded of potential routes once they leave the halls of 330 West Webster.

Sophomore Anna Amacher has a different post-graduation plan–she hopes to attend an army-affiliated university and eventually serve in the United States military, as much of her family has done before her.

“My family connection goes back about three generations, from what I know,” Amacher said. “Three of my cousins have been to the Naval Academy within the last decade. I would like to attend–I don’t know if I’ll get in, but I definitely will try.”

Upper School Computer Programming and Robotics teacher Aaron Lee began his military career working in nuclear power for the Navy for two years beginning in 1991, earned an engineering degree from the Naval Academy, and continued his career as a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot for ten years, ultimately becoming Division Officer for his helicopter squadron. “The military, for me, was an adventure,” Lee said. “I had a lot of fun with it.”

Lee believes his perspective is shared by few at Parker but does not reflect what the majority of the community feels. “I’d say Parker is a little bit removed from it, and maybe doesn’t have a good understanding of what the military does or who they are,” Lee said. “I met a lot of really good people in the military. I find, in looking at that and comparing it to other workplaces and other environments that I’m familiar with, there’s a level of dedication there and a can-do attitude that always impressed me.”

Upper School Science teacher John Paul Iaconianni, who attended the Naval Academy for one year before transferring to LaSalle University, believes the military is inaccurately portrayed in mainstream media. “There are a lot of moving parts in that environment,” Iaconianni said, “and so the way it’s portrayed is very simplistic, whereas in reality, it’s a gigantic, bureaucratic beast. I would say some aspects are probably pretty accurate, but there are some that are just blown out of proportion, comparable to what you see in movies.”

Lee said that many at Parker are unaware of the people who comprise much of the military. “I guess the way it’s portrayed in the media and in movies, I think it’s kind of missed that the people in the military are just normal people,” Lee said. “They’re not all these tough, war-fighting types or anything–they just reminded me of people you went to high school with.”

Amacher believes that unfair media coverage is contingent on specific news sources. “I think it depends on what media outlet you’re reaching out to and reading and taking the time to really understand,” Amacher said. “Definitely there are some media outlets where I’m like, ‘Hey, that’s not my experience,’ but maybe that’s someone else’s experience, and that’s okay.”

Amacher sees an issue at Parker with the degree of respect shown the military. “In my general opinion, I don’t think people understand how much the military does because they’re not surrounded by armed men and women and veterans,” Amacher said. “I don’t think people really appreciate that as much as they could or should.”