BY MELANIE SCHROEDER
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Seniors Adam Botnen and Zach Galley encouraged each other to enroll in the United States Armed Forces after Galley moved in with Adam’s family. Adam recently enrolled in the United States Coast Guard and Galley in the National Guard.

“We always talked about when we were going to go off what we were going to do and what our jobs would be and everything,” Galley said. “Once it came down closer to it we encouraged each other to do it. When one of us became iffy about it, the other would be like, ‘C’mon remember why we did this in the first place.’”

Adam and Galley became friends in eighth grade. The two first bonded through sports.

“We’ve always been there for each other,” Galley said. “Whether it was with personal stuff that we were going through and even athletics.”

Galley moved in with Adam for a few weeks due to personal issues at home. Adam’s parents welcomed Galley.

“Adam’s parents were very supportive. Even when I wasn’t technically living there, I basically always was,” Galley said. “I was always over at their house. I had my own room over there for a long time.”

Adam’s father Matt Botnen is highly supportive of his son and Galley.

“[Galley] has been Adam’s best friend for years now to the point where sometimes he kind of feels like another son of mine,” Matt said. “I don’t mean to take anything away from his parents of course, but he has spent the night for years now all the time, he’s just a member of the family.”

“I really wasn’t that into it at first and then I started looking at the different benefits of it and what can come out if it,” Galley said. “I chose National Guard because I want to do something for my country and then once I found out Adam was joining we just started talking about it all the time.”

Adam feels honored to enroll into the Coast Guard because he will be the fourth generation in his family to serve.

“My father inspired me to join the military. Me joining the makes me fourth-generation because everyone on my father’s side of the family, they’ve all been in the military,” Adam said. “They’ve all been put in aviation so I’ll be the fourth generation aviator.”

Matt is glad he has inspired Galley and his son to continue the family’s legacy.

“I think just the fact that [Adam] grew up born right in a military hospital, he spent pretty much his entire life around the military bases and me being in the military,” Matt said. “That it’s given him a strong desire to be around military aviation. I was a pilot his the whole time he’s been alive so we have a great love for the military.”

Matt was honored to swear in his son last Wednesday in the military. According to Matt, the swear in was something very special to their family.

“It was a touching thing,” Matt said. “It was kind of emotional. It was very cool. I was very proud.”