Maryville High senior continues tradition in U.S. Air Force Academy

By Matthew Stewart
of The Daily Times Staff

A Maryville High School senior will soon take off on a high flying adventure.
Chelsea Ragland has been accepted into the United States Air Force Academy. She will be leaving June 25 for six weeks of basic cadet training.

The Air Force tradition runs deep in the Ragland family.

Chelsea’s brother, Taylor, is currently in his second year at the academy. However, the two siblings are going to the Air Force Academy for completely different reasons, Chelsea said.

She is going to the academy for its foreign area studies program, and her brother wants to be a pilot.

Her father, Owen, is a colonel in the Air Force. He has served for 26 years and is the current Air Force ROTC detachment commander at the University of Tennessee.
Chelsea’s grandfather is a retired Air Force Lt. Col.

“I’ve been somewhat surprised both (of my oldest children) have chosen (this career),” Owen Ragland said.

“It was never a pressure thing, it was all by choice,” Chelsea said.

Chelsea joked she would have to try to become a general since she is the second person from the third generation of Raglands to serve in the Air Force.

“I’ve heard general’s wives have a good time (in the Air Force), but do general’s husbands?” she said.

Chelsea was unsure about going to the Air Force Academy until recently, she said.
She had been awarded a Type-1 scholarship to any Air Force ROTC program in the country, which would have paid her entire college tuition.

The Raglands visit the academy frequently to see Taylor, and Chelsea said she has been impressed by its atmosphere.

“It’s very structured and I don’t want the typical college experience. I’ve always preferred structure,” she said. “It will be hard, but I rather enjoy a challenge. It will be worth it.”

Many people have not seen the Air Force Academy and its cadets the way she has.
“People think they’re conformists, but they’re all very unique, including my brother,” Chelsea said.

The academy will also offer Chelsea a lot of opportunities she is not going to get anywhere else.

“I will have the opportunity to accomplish great things,” Chelsea said.

She will get to jump out of planes, fly in gliders, play extreme laser tag, shoot guns, and compete on an assault course.

That “sounds amazing,” she said.

“It’s a good lifestyle. I like change and don’t like to be stuck at a desk. I like to be up and moving around,” she said. “I’m getting a great education worth more than $387,000,” Chelsea said.

“In five years I will have tremendous opportunities, experiences and responsibilities. I just can’t sit at a desk; I want to get out there and experience life,” Chelsea said.