ROTC program grows, cadets motivated

By Andrea Vukcevic
Features Editor

With UNCP enrollment at an all-time high, the campus ROTC program (Brave Company) has recruited numbers to match. This semester begins with 46 cadets, up from 23 when school ended in May.

Program director retired Master Sgt. John Torre said Brave Company deserves recognition for recruiting so many new cadets because schools in and around Fayetteville are better able to attract prior service members.

Torre said the number of cadets will drop because of deployments and other factors but said he encourages students to stay in the program. “I like to motivate them,” he said.

UNCP is part of theCampbell Battalion, along with Campbell University, Methodist College and Fayetteville State University, and will host Campbell Battalion’s Field Leadership Reaction Course (FLRC) on Sept. 27.

“This is the first time all the other schools will visit this university for training,” Torre said.

The FLRC will make use of the ropes course, alpine tower, rock climbing wall and the pool.

Torre mentioned several recent accomplishments: all eight of UNCP’s senior cadets graduated from the National Advanced Leadership Camp at Fort Lewis, Wash., one third-year cadet graduated from airborne school and another from air-assault school.

UNCP will face off against the other schools in October at the Ranger Challenge preliminary event in a battle of physical fitness and tactical knowledge. The top cadets will represent the Campbell Battalion at the Ranger Challenge at Fort Jackson, S.C.

Last year, UNCP came in third place in the ropes course event at Ranger Challenge, behind the Citadel and Furman University.