MARION, IL (WSIL) --Ìý This week's Unsung Hero's are the newest members of the Illinois National Guard in Marion.
Not only have they been sacrificing one weekend a month, they were still in high school, and played multiple sports.
Now they've volunteered and signed the dotted line to serve our country.
"I wanted to do something not only to serve my country but my community as well," explained Mt. Carmel Recruit Tristin Mobley.Ìý
You'll find a group of young Army recruits learning the basics before Basic Training.
"We do a lot of different tasks, specifically this month is the holistic approach the Army is taking to fitness. So currently we're re-vamping our fitness standards," said Sergeant First Class Beau Detrick.
One type of training to prepare them for life in the military, yoga.
Most of these recruits just graduated high school, but for months many have been training once a month on top of school and being a student athlete.
"Amidst the chaos of online school, amidst the chaos of practices and games and everything here and there, they decided to give up a weekend to come in here and better themselves and train and prepare to serve their country," added Detrick.
It's this type of sacrifice many say will only help them in the future.
"You look for kind of like a brotherhood like you had already and it works out pretty well, schooling especially," said Mt. Vernon Recruit Blaze Callahan.
But it's not just the free tuition and wanting to serve that sets these student athletes, soon to be soldiers apart.
"It built a lot of team and I learned how to manage myself you know and be an athlete and less of just going through the motions while being in the military," added Mobley.Ìý
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