Woods enlists in the Missouri Army National Guard

NEVADA, Mo. -- Brandon J. Woods, of Nevada, has recently enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard.

Woods is currently attending one-station unit training at Fort Benning, Ga. After almost 14 weeks of training, he will be an infantryman for the 1/138th Infantry in Monett.

Woods said he joined the Guard for family reasons and that his military goal is to retire after 20 years of service.

Woods will attend one-station unit training in March at Fort Benning, Ga. After almost 14 weeks of training, he will be an infantryman for the 1/138th Infantry in Monett.

Woods was recruited by Staff Sgt. Jerry Clark of the Missouri Army National Guard's Nevada recruiting office.

"It was important to enlist Brandon Woods because this is something he needed and wanted at the same time," Clark said. "Brandon said he wanted to better himself and he chose the Missouri Army National Guard to do that."

Clark said, "With the initiative it took for him to walk in my office and tell me that he wanted to go into the Guard to better himself, then did, showed me he was driven towards a goal and that is one of the things that makes him a good Soldier."

Woods received his diploma in 2008. He is supported in his decision to join the Guard by his father, Robert Woods, of Osceola, his mother, Barbara Bradley, of Carthage, and his grandmother, Martha Hill, of Nevada.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, call 1-888-GoGuard or visit www.moguard.com.