Warrior-Athlete: Guard member experiences college gridiron success at Ohio University

Story by Stephanie Beougher, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

ATHENS, Ohio (11/19/19)

Second Lt. Devin King puts on his uniform one weekend a month to drill with the Ohio Army National Guard’s Battery C, 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery Regiment in Marysville. He puts on a different uniform weekends during college football season, as the long snapper on the Ohio University football team.

King, like several thousand other Ohio National Guard members, is also a college student.

He enlisted in the National Guard in May 2014 while still a senior at Sheridan High School in Thornville, Ohio, because his plan was to go to Ohio University in Athens to wrestle. Without a scholarship, King needed a way to pay the tuition. The Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program provides 100% tuition to eligible Army and Air Guard members attending a two- or four-year public college or university.

“My father recommended looking into the Guard to help pay for school and I took that opportunity. I also viewed it as a great way to serve my community and country,” King said.

He joined the university’s Army ROTC program and was recently commissioned as a second lieutenant.

In early 2018, his roommate talked him into trying out for the football team — not much of a stretch since King also played football in high school. His skills impressed the coaches and he made the team as a walk-on. When an injury sidelined the starting long snapper during the first game of the season, King stepped in.

This year, he has the starting job and a full scholarship.

“I remember the week before the first game (last season) thinking, ‘Wow, I’m really playing (NCAA) Division I football,’” he said. “Stepping into that starting role full time really meant a lot to me. I put in a lot of practice time during the summer and it really paid off.”

King graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health service administration last December, and he’s currently on target to earn his master’s in coaching education at the end of this year. Next on the list of his goals are to attend Field Artillery Basic Officer Leader Course and pursue his goal of playing in the NFL. In the meantime, he continues to balance life as a Citizen-Soldier and student-athlete, to be the best warrior-athlete he can be for his country and his school, for both of his teams — the National Guard and the Bobcats.

“I think there are a lot of great lessons and values the military can give you to help prepare you to be a student-athlete,” he said. “Working together as a cohesive team in the military to accomplish a task or mission can be directly carried over to sports, to help lead and bring teammates together to work toward the common goal we have of being conference champions and successful on the national scale.”

King also credits his military experience for giving him the tools to handle time management and prioritizing tasks.

His experience may have influenced his younger brother, Chance, who has joined him as an Army National Guard member. Pfc. King earned recognition as distinguished honor grad after completing basic training and he’s currently at advanced individual training to learn skills for his job as an air defense battle management system operator.

“Chance thinks very highly of me, as I do of him, and he has the same drive to go above and beyond expectations that are set for him,” 2nd Lt. King said. “I couldn’t be more proud of him and the success he has had early in his career.”

King has set an example for his little brother as he finds success on the football field, in the classroom and in the Ohio Army National Guard.