My journey in the military began in the Fall of 2025, during my junior year of college, when I was unsure of what career path I wanted to pursue after graduation. Over the next couple of months, I spoke with recruiters from different branches of the military to explore my options. A close friend of mine, who was involved in the Army ROTC program here at ESU and was also the president of my fraternity, suggested that I look into joining the program. After doing some research and learning more about the opportunities Army ROTC had to offer, I decided to join the program during the spring semester of my junior year.
After my first semester in Army ROTC, my cadre sent me to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to attend Basic Camp and catch up with my peers since I joined the program later in college. I spent around a month training alongside 112 other cadets in Bravo Company. During our first week, drill sergeants taught us how to march, perform basic military exercises, and develop military discipline. We then transitioned into learning how to shoot our M4 rifles, conduct land navigation, perform tactical movements, and much more. On day 20, we prepared to spend the next week in the woods of Fort Knox, conducting military training exercises and living outdoors. After returning from the field, we spent the next few days cleaning our barracks, equipment, and weapons while practicing for our drill and ceremony competition the day before graduation.
After graduating from Basic Camp, I had never felt so accomplished in my life. Throughout the experience, I learned so many new things, challenged myself both physically and mentally, and met some incredible people. Most importantly, I left Fort Knox feeling much more confident and prepared to return to school for my MSIII year and continue my Army ROTC journey.
I’m now about a quarter of the way through my MSIII year, continuing to develop my leadership skills and military knowledge to prepare for Advanced Camp next summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Advanced Camp is a major part of the Army ROTC program, where cadets from universities across the country come together to put everything they’ve learned throughout their ROTC careers to the test. During camp, cadets are evaluated on their leadership abilities, physical fitness, teamwork, and ability to make decisions under pressure. Unlike Basic Camp, Advanced Camp focuses more on evaluating cadets as future Army officers through leadership positions, tactical training exercises, and challenging situations in the field.
Along with Army ROTC, I am now a Simultaneous Membership Program (SMP) cadet in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Through this program, I have the opportunity to serve in the National Guard while continuing my ROTC training and working toward becoming a commissioned officer. Once a month, I will attend drill with an infantry unit, where I will shadow an officer and gain firsthand experience of what it takes to lead soldiers. This will allow me to learn from experienced officers, better understand how an Army unit operates, and apply what I’m learning in ROTC to real military situations.
Looking back at where I started just a year ago, I’m extremely proud of how far I’ve come and everything I’ve accomplished so far. Joining Army ROTC has pushed me outside my comfort zone, introduced me to some incredible people, and given me opportunities I never expected. I’m excited to continue growing as a leader, take on new challenges, and see where my military career takes me in the future.
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