MARANA, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Mountain View High School senior has earned a remarkable milestone, early acceptance into the United States Naval Academy, one of the nation’s most prestigious institutions.
Luke Villarreal, who’s just 17 years old, has built an impressive resume with a 4.0 GPA, leadership roles, athletic achievements, and years of dedication. For Villarreal, the Navy has been a dream since childhood.
“When I was very little, I wanted to be a pirate,” Villarreal said. “Then, in elementary school, I wanted to be a scientist. So, I put them together, and the Navy pretty much does that.”
Out of the six branches of the U.S. military, Villarreal knew the Navy was the right fit for him.
“I sincerely believe the Navy is the most important branch,” he said. “We’re surrounded by weak neighbors and two oceans, so any threat to us will come by sea or air. The Navy, with its carriers, guards the air, and with its surface fleet, guards the sea.”
Achieving acceptance into the Naval Academy did not come easy. Villarreal spent the past three years preparing, including attending Sea Cadet Corps Boot Camp and the Petty Officer Leadership Academy. He also received a nomination from U.S. Representative Juan Ciscomani.
“The people at the Naval Academy are the best of the best,” Villarreal said. “If you get to the Naval Academy, it’s because you’ve competed against the best and passed so many filters.”
The journey hasn’t always been easy. Villarreal talked about the challenges of boot camp, saying, “The first thing I remember is standing outside the barracks with my sea bag, trying not to cry because it was my first time away from home. But then you meet your friends, and those people become brothers. Overcoming challenges together is such a triumph.”
Villarreal keeps himself motivated with a simple message he saw everyday while training: “The only kind of discipline is self-discipline.”
As he looks ahead, Villarreal said his goal is to serve with purpose. “I don’t want to be remembered as a member of the iPhone zombie generation,” he said. “I want to be remembered as a guy who gave everything he had to his country and did one of the toughest jobs in the greatest Navy in the world.”
Villarreal will graduate in May and has to be on deck in Annapolis on June 30 for Plebe Summer, a seven-week training program for incoming freshmen at the Naval Academy.
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