Training for LSU cadets ranged from mountain warfare to flying aircrafts, coupled with hands-on leadership training in different parts of the world. It’s all part of the cadets’ training to become future leaders of the U.S. Army.
Fourteen LSU cadets competed and attended training this summer at National Advance Leadership Camp, where they learned how to be leaders, and Army Schools, where they received training ranging from flying aircraft to mountain warfare.
Capt. Francis Toomey said LSU cadets had an “impressive outing” in the national competition. All 14 cadets completed training, and seven were in the top third nationally. Two cadets received Recondo badges, meaning they ranked in the top 5 percent of their class.
Nationally, 5800 ROTC juniors attended the summer training.
“NALC’s overall purpose is to throw together all the training they have received during their school years, and they’re evaluated at NALC,” Toomey said. “That evaluation determines how they’re placed as far as competing for a job in the Army,” Toomey said. Toomey said cadets who rank in the top 1/3 get to decide their branch of the military; if not, the Army will choose it for them.
Toomey said the LSU ROTC likes to concentrate on land navigation and physical fitness, and if cadets receive these two, everything will fall in place for them.
Marketing senior Andrew Miller expressed a lot of confidence in the LSU program.
“I realized LSU’s training is a step above training from other schools around the country,” Miller said. “They had a lot of officers giving guidance and helping me in my career.”
Political science senior Matthew Psilos received the Recondo Badge.
Psilos said the toughest part of his training was completing a water survival course, where cadets swam in full contact gear with an M-16 for 25 meters.
Several cadets also went to Army schools.
Psychology junior Jacob Bollich said he was facing new challenges every week.
The first week was ground week, where cadets practiced exiting the aircraft and landing properly. The second week was tower week, where they learned to control a parachute while in the air. The third week was jump week, where they jumped from 1250 feet out of a plane going roughly 150 mph.
Bollich enjoyed the experience. “You have to take 5 jumps to earn your badge,” Bollich said.
“It’s hard to explain, I never experienced anything to compare to it, there were some people who never had flown before. There was a mix of adrenaline and excitement,” Bollich said. “I had a choice of different schools, I wanted to get the experience to jump out with a parachute. You can pay money somewhere else to do it, but it’s a totally different experience. You gotta earn it.”
Secondary education senior Steven Smith enjoyed his three weeks in Mannheim Germany as an acting platoon leader.
“I got to interact with officers and learn about the logistical side of the Army. It’s more about getting your feet wet,” Smith said.
Chemical engineering junior Patrick Doring attended Airborne School in Georgia, where he learned how to exit an aircraft and land.
“The way training is, I got so excited that I couldn’t get scared,” Doring said.
“You step out the door, and the plane is traveling a little less than 200 miles per hour. You step out, and you get blasted by a big gush of wind for two or three seconds. When the parachute is fully inflated, you stop and you are suspended there, then slowly go down. For that little while in the air it’s very nice.”