Most people would be intimidated to join the U.S. Army and might consider it a last resort, but 17-year-old Haley Clarke has always been part of a military family. Now a senior at Indiahoma High School, she is more determined than ever to enlist when she graduates.
When she was 15, Haley’s moved away from her stepfather and her mother and lived for a short time with her biological father. It was then that she realized that enlisting in the Army would be the only escape.
Haley said she thinks she will fit in the Army because of the success that her family members have had in the organization.
“My brother enlisted and was recently deployed, and I know that I will enjoy it because we are both very similar personality-wise,” Haley said.
As a child in a military family, Haley said she had to move seven times when she was growing up. She said moving from Louisiana to Oklahoma in early 2012 was the hardest.
Her current hometown, Indiahoma, is in Comanche County and has a population of 344 people, according to the 2010 U.S. census. She has lived there since she arrived in Oklahoma.
“When I first moved to Oklahoma, it was such a culture shock,” Haley said. “Everyone knew everyone, and they were in each other’s business, and I wasn’t used to it.”
Even though moving around a lot wasn’t fun, the constant change taught Haley to enjoy trying new things.
“One thing I was forced to enjoy or try was Cajun food,” Haley said, “It wasn’t a pleasant experience the first time, but I grew to love it.”
The military lifestyle provided some important lessons as well.
“I have found that I am more open-minded and that moving around a lot allows me to be more aware of other people’s cultures,” Haley said.
This was useful when she moved to Louisiana in 2009.
“When I moved to Louisiana, I was in a school that was predominantly African-American and also low-income,” Haley said. “I found it easier to understand them and not to judge.”
Apart from chasing her dream of joining the Army, Haley pursues other hobbies such as studying astrology, raising 10 dogs, a cat and hiking near her home.
