Joshua Boartfield has joined the United States Army under the Delayed Entry Program. The program gives young men and women the opportunity to delay entering active duty for up to one year.

The enlistment gives the new soldier the option to learn a new skill, travel and become eligible to receive as much as $50,000 toward a college education. After completion of basic military training, soldiers receive advanced individual training in their career job specialty prior to being assigned to their first permanent duty station.

Boartfield is the son of Betty Boartfield of Birmingham, Ala., and Paul R. Boartfield of Sharpsburg, Ga.