Why I joined: Fort Liberty staff sergeant goes from GED to multiple degrees
FORT LIBERTY — When Staff Sgt. Jarvis Brannon III joined the military, he was seeking better opportunities for his family.
Brannon grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and after dropping out of high school, took a GED test through the Florida Youth Challenge Academy on Camp Blanding in 2014,
He’s since earned multiple degrees and is working toward his doctorate, while also hoping to become a drill sergeant. He currently serves in the 18th Airborne Corps’ intelligence and security operations section.
“The way I grew up, I don’t want to go back there,” Brannon said. “I grew up in a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house with four boys and a mom who worked three jobs. There was no man in the house. I’ve never had a sense of stability until I joined the Army.”
After he earned his GED in 2014, Brannon found jobs working for Hardee’s, FedEx, UPS and as a correctional officer.
“I was at work one day and saw how expensive insurance was for a family,” Brannon said. “Someone told me the Army and Army Reserves pays for insurance, so I said, ‘They can sign me up.’”
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Brannon joined the Reserves in 2017 as a medical logistic specialist and was first stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, with deployments to Iraq and Kuwait, before he decided to join the regular Army.
“I wanted to become a drill sergeant so bad, so I came on active duty in 2022 and switched my (military job) to a 35 X-ray — intelligence analyst — and am now at Fort Liberty," he said.
Brannon said his own drill sergeant, Sgt. Ernest Knight, inspired him to want to become a drill sergeant.
“He balanced authority with respect and never used profanity,” he said. “He was professional the entire time, and I was like ‘That’s what I want to do.’”
Brannon plans to start drill sergeant school at the end of March.
Family keeps him going
He said his family — his wife is in the Air Force — has kept him serving. The couple have three children: an 8-year-old son, a 4-year-old daughter and a 6-month-old son.
“There’s a constant check coming in. The kids are taken care of. That’s the reason why I love active-duty life, it’s predictable,” Branon said.
The best advice he’s received while being in the military, he said, is “do your older self a favor, and do the right thing while young.”
“That’s why I’ve gone after all the certificates and degrees to set myself up for success when I transition out,” he said. “I plan on doing the 20 years, but if I have to get out early for medical or anything, I’ll be set up.”
His plan after military service is “to contribute to changing the juvenile justice system to reduce recidivism."
“In my city and most cities, youth are at risk every day,” Brannon said. “it’s getting worse now. If I can help prevent a lot of that, that’s what I want to do. I want to show them where I came from and where I’ve been. There is a way. It’s not the way, but there is a way to get to success.”
Brannon said he tries to teach younger enlisted soldiers to take advantage of the Army’s benefits.
“I now have a brand-new house,” he said. “I’ve never lived in a new house ever in my life. I used a (Veterans Affairs) loan and was able to get a home zero down,” he said. “I can now stand in front of a house with a garage. I’ve never had a garage in my life. I’ve never had two bathrooms in a house. I’ve never had a backyard. It’s amazing to me. That’s why I love the Army.”
He is currently working on a doctorate in development psychology from Capella University, and earned his master’s in criminal justice from American Military University in 2023; a bachelor’s degree in homeland security; and associate degrees in intelligence studies and criminal justice.
More: Why I Joined: Fayetteville native enlisted for opportunity. Now, he's leading troops.
Brannon said when he’s not spending his lunches, weekends and spare time studying, he enjoys skydiving.
Aside from wanting to be a drill sergeant, he said he’s open to joining the Army’s parachute demonstration team, the Golden Knights, one day.
“I want to get more experience first, but there are so many opportunities to be well rounded and gain different skills or get into something that blends your hobbies and passions,” he said.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 919-486-3528.
Editor's note: "Why I Joined" is an ongoing feature of The Fayetteville Observer. If you'd like to share your story on why you joined the military, contact military writer Rachael Riley at rriley@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: From GED to many degrees, Fort Liberty soldier finds Army advantages
