A drive down the Garden State Parkway turned into a career-defining experience for ROTC students from St. John Vianney High School in Holmdel.

The group traveled to Egg Harbor Township to visit the 177th Fighter Wing. For many of the students, it was their first close-up look at military aviation.

The student even got to see an F-16 Fighting Falcon up close.

The goal of the trip was to simply show students what military life is truly like.