Hailey Collier, of Enterprise, is embarking on a stint in the Army National Guard. On Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, she left for basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

ENTERPRISE — “You’re in the Army now. …” That’s what Hailey Collier could sing starting Monday, Oct. 26, when she left for basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for a stint in the Army National Guard.

The 21-year-old Enterprise High School graduate will have an eight-year commitment, six years active and two reserve, as she continues a family tradition of military service. Her uncle also served in the Army and both grandfathers were in the Navy.

She said last week she has several reasons for enlisting.

“It’s for a lot of reasons — the educational benefits and background experience so I can finish a criminal justice degree without going into serious debt,” she said, adding that she hopes her time in olive drab will help her later. “I also want to finish EMT training and want to work in the sheriff’s department.”

In fact, she’s hoping to return home after her Army hitch.

“(I) want to be here after a little while once I get a career going,” Collier said. “I wouldn’t mind staying here for a while.”

But, she said, she’ll go where the work is. She hopes to become a law enforcement officer, possibly starting at a dispatch position.

“A lot can change between now and then, but that’s what I’m looking at right now,” she said.

After basic, she expects to be training at Fort Sam Houston in Texas to be a medic.

She already realizes Oklahoma and Texas will be quite different from Wallowa County, with her upcoming posts lacking the beauty of Northeast Oregon.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve heard,” she said.

As far as the potential for going overseas, she believes it could be interesting.

“I’m keeping an open mind about it,” Collier said.

The 2018 EHS graduate was active in high school. She was a cheerleader for football and basketball, and in the spring she played softball.

Collier is the daughter of J.R. Collier, who works for Oregon State Parks as well as coaches high school baseball. Her mom is Lisa Collier, who manages Head Start for Wallowa and Union counties out of Enterprise. Hailey Collier is the third of seven children of the Colliers.

She said joining the Army was entirely her own idea, not her family’s.

“It wasn’t their idea, but once (it was) brought up they supported me,” she said. “They agreed it would build my background and experience. They were supportive.”

She even has found support from her co-workers at Anton’s in Joseph, and believes they’ll miss her.

“We all get along really well,” Collier said. “It’s going to be tough to leave, but it’ll be alright.”

She’s heard the tales of how difficult basic training can be, but is undaunted.

“I’m pretty excited. I definitely think it’s something I can do,” she said. “It’s supposed to be hard and you’re supposed to struggle. … I’m excited to see areas I’ve never seen before.”