BALTIMORE — 250 Maryland National Guard soldiers and airmen raised their right hands Friday, beginning or renewing their commitment to serve as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
Gov. Wes Moore and Maj. Gen. Janeen L. Birckhead led the historic swearing-in ceremony at Baltimore’s Fifth Regiment Armory. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller also attended the event, which brought together first-time enlistees, returning service members and officers accepting new commissions.
For the recruits, the ceremony represented more than a milestone in American history. It marked the beginning of new careers, family legacies and personal challenges.
Michael Rogers joined the Maryland Air National Guard after considering full-time military service. He said the Guard offered him an opportunity to serve while remaining close to home.
“I really don’t want to leave Maryland,” Rogers said. “I like Maryland a lot. It’s my favorite state.”
Rogers said he felt nervous but prepared to face the challenges ahead.
“I feel part of a team, very cohesive, and I’m just ready to see what’s next,” he said.
His mother, Rebecca Rogers-McCoy, and stepfather, Dwayne McCoy, watched proudly as he took the oath. McCoy said the military helped bring him to Maryland and that he encouraged Rogers to consider a career in the armed forces.
“I think it’s career-building for him,” McCoy said. “It will take him to the next level.”
17-year-old Seuntimofe Moradeyo said she was inspired to join the Maryland Army National Guard by a cousin who served on active duty.
Her decision is already influencing another member of her family. Moradeyo said her younger brother has begun showing an interest in military service.
“It is starting to feel like a lineage is just beginning,” she said.
Her mother, Modupe Moradeyo, said she was proud to see her daughter become one of the country’s newest service members.
“I’m proud to say my daughter is a U.S. soldier,” she said.
For Alex Paskal, joining the Maryland Army National Guard offered a way to continue his civilian career while pursuing a long-held desire to serve. Paskal signed an 18X contract, giving him an opportunity to attempt the Army’s Special Forces training pipeline.
“You really get the sense that you’re part of something that’s been around for a very long time and that’s quite greater than you,” Paskal said.
Paskal is the first person in his family to serve in the military. He said choosing a different path from the one others expected him to follow was empowering.
The ceremony highlighted the National Guard’s citizen-soldier and citizen-airman tradition, allowing members to serve their communities and country while maintaining civilian careers and lives.
The event was held inside the historic Fifth Regiment Armory, which was completed in 1901 and has served generations of Maryland Guard members through military deployments and domestic emergencies.
Singer Jayla Elise also performed “The Heart of Maryland” during the celebration. Guests were invited to tour the Maryland Museum of Military History and view military vehicles and displays outside the armory.
