“He was pretty stoked and excited to get me in,” Newby said. “The National Guard does a great job of laying out the process and how it works, and accommodating the things you want to be able to accomplish in your career. I didn’t really know much about the National Guard — more the active duty part of it — but basically, I can still be in Lincoln and accomplish what I want to accomplish in my military career.”

Maj. Scott Ingalsbe of the Nebraska National Guard said Newby understood he didn’t face an either/or decision.

“We’re excited that he’s joining our team,” Ingalsbe said. “He’s a lot like everybody who is joining the National Guard to serve in a difficult time, when you know you’re going to be called upon to do work in a dangerous time.”

Newby’s military goals are ambitious. He’ll head to Fort Benning, Georgia, in mid-July for 10 weeks of basic training, which is still on amid the coronavirus pandemic. He has 12 more weeks of specific infantry training after that, followed by three weeks of airborne training. He’s also competing for a spot in Ranger School, a 62-day training session also conducted at Fort Benning. Altogether, training could last six months or more.