Army recruiter dreams big

By Andrea Busche

At just 23 years old, Army Staff Sgt. Makayla Wilson has already accomplished a lot.

This soon-to-be college graduate owns her own home and has served six years in the military, working up the chain of command to an E-6 ranking. She has even rescued a cat. Wilson loves to read and enjoys making valuable improvements to her home.

This Syracuse, New York, native was “intrigued” when the Army assigned her to live and work in northern Minnesota. She has quickly acclimated to life in an unfamiliar city and has established a small community of friends and colleagues in Duluth.

Ultimately, while she retains plenty of concrete dreams for her future, Wilson is open to whatever opportunities life (and the Army) brings her way.

Early years in New York and Tennessee

Wilson is one of five children. She was mostly raised by her mother — a former psychologist — and grandmother, whom she affectionately calls “Nana.” While she was born in Syracuse, the family moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, when Wilson was 13, seeking better opportunities.

As a youth, Wilson participated in Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, a militaryregulated program designed to offer high school students leadership experiences and motivate them to become better American citizens. This program had a significant impact on her future.

“In high school, I was in JROTC, where I did drill competitions and learned about all the military traditions the Army had to offer,” she said. “I thought I would enjoy the Army.”

Wilson enlisted just a few days after her 17th birthday.

Interestingly, despite not having any family history with the military, Wilson’s sister, Kierra, also

Continued on page 18 enlisted. She is currently stationed in San Diego, California, where she serves in the U.S. Navy.

Army recruiting

Wilson went through basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Shortly thereafter, she completed advanced individual training at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas, where she trained to become an analyst, a job she performed for about five years.

Subsequent assignments were in Georgia and Hawaii.

“I really enjoyed being in Hawaii,” she said. “Even though it’s part of the U.S., Hawaii has a really different culture and different traditions.”

Wilson was then selected to be an Army recruiter, and moved to Duluth in September 2020. Here, Wilson and five other Army recruiters work out of a small office at 2330 Mountain Shadow Drive. The office is also shared with the Marines and the Navy.

She shared a bit about her role as a recruiter.

“People can come into the office to get information, but I also go to job fairs and do classroom presentations,” she said. “We reach out to people at a distance of about three hours away — in cities like International Falls and Virginia, and also a little bit into Wisconsin, too. If people decide joining the Army is right for them, we help them along that path.”

Wilson is currently enrolled at Cochise College out of Arizona and will graduate with an associate’s degree in intelligence studies in a few months. She is grateful for the Army’s tuition assistance program.

“Getting a degree is something I always really wanted to do,” she said. Eventually, she’d like to earn a bachelor’s degree as well.

Personal life

Even though she has lived in the Northland for less than a year, Wilson has already purchased a house in West Duluth and adopted a cat, Bella, from Warm Fuzzies Animal Rescue. When she isn’t working, she loves to stay busy.

Wilson travels frequently to the Twin Cities, where she enjoys exploring the botanical gardens and parks the area has to offer. She also loves to read.

“I like fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and developmental books,” she noted. “I try to read a wellrounded array of books.”

She also enjoys making updates to her home; a skill she initially picked up in high school.

“I’ve always been intrigued with making and fixing things,” Wilson said. “I was in the construction corps in high school, where I learned the basics of electrical work and plumbing. We even built small mobile houses that were used by the football team and the school, for test-taking purposes. But I also love teaching myself. I have bought do-it-yourself books and watched a lot of YouTube videos.”

A few of Wilson’s DIY projects have gone well; others not so much.

“I have changed light fixtures, painted and changed out faucets and showerheads. I tried mounting my TV, but that didn’t work out very well,” she said with a laugh. “So, I ended up buying a TV stand.”

Goals and dreams

Looking ahead to the future, Wilson is open to any assignments, in any locations, that the Army has to offer. If she is eventually stationed somewhere other than Duluth, she would consider renting out her home. Ultimately, Wilson would like to complete 20 years of military service.

“After that, I’m thinking about teaching,” she said. “Maybe special education, or helping people learn to read. And I’d like to start a family.”

Advice for others

When asked for advice for young recruits, Wilson shared, “Be confident. Don’t be afraid to do something out of your comfort zone.”

“I’m glad to be in the Army,” she added. “I’ve met some really amazing individuals. They’ve become like my home away from home.” D convenientparking.

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.