AHS Senior Leach Fights to Wear Her Military Uniform at Graduation

Rachel Leach has been in the Army since March of 2016. She has been attending Arrowhead High School since her freshman year. But she also concurrently enlisted in the Army Reserves at 17 with her parents’ permission. She finished her basic training between junior and the beginning of her senior year.  

One weekend a month, she says she attends “drill weekend where I go to my unit in Milwaukee and do training pertaining to medical logistics for when I get deployed.” Leach also trains during the summer months and will be deployed after graduation if the Army requires it; if not, she plans on attending college.

She will be attending AIT training (Advanced Individual Training) upon graduation this spring. After her training is complete, she will attend college to become a biomedical engineer.  

She plans to become a 68 J [medical supply specialist] for the United States. Leach said she wanted to join the medical field, while serving our country.

Leach is one among many Arrowhead seniors going into the armed forces upon graduation. It is her goal, and many others, to make wearing military uniforms possible during graduation. Leach says she has support from her classmates, but still she feels the resistance from the school board and members of the Arrowhead staff.

Leach said, “Originally when I had first talked to [principal Gregg] Wieczorek, he said that it was not a good idea because we would stand out in the crowd of our class. He also stated that it would show [the armed forces] think we are better than the rest of the class. And that is not true. The first few times we talked to him, it made me feel a little disrespected. He mentioned to us [Dillon Baker, Damian Savage and Jordan Birmingham] that it would be arrogant of us to ask to wear our uniforms for graduation instead of the traditional cap and gown. They don’t want to risk having discrimination lawsuits, and I completely understand that side of the argument. But, I still don’t think it’s fair. There have been other schools that have also had this issue of ethics.”

AHS senior Josie Nichols is a friend of Leach’s and says she supports the movement.

Nichols said, “The military is about risking your life and I think that it is important to show our respect. It’s ridiculous that so many students are for them wearing their uniforms, but the school is against it.”

Leach said, “We should be allowed to wear [our military uniforms] because it shows that Arrowhead High School supports our troops.”

Nichols said, “Graduation is about the students. They should be proud of us. They should be proud of the things we made ourselves into over the years. It not just graduation, it’s about the students as individuals. We should be able to show who we are and who we are becoming. Without the military, the school wouldn’t be here.”

Leach said, “My mom is too afraid to fight the school about this issue; however, my dad supports my opinion and my views. I think it’s a student right. Should our rights be limited as students or service members?”

Leach says she plans to meet with the school board next week where the matter will be voted on. “We are trying to be as respectful as possible about this situation, but I don’t think we are being understood.”

Many others from the surrounding communities have also voiced their opinions. The situation has not yet been taken to the public, but many have written or called the school to voice their opinions.