By Alex Creammer
Guest Writer

The UNCP ROTC program is growing into a powerful part of Campbell Battalion’s success as a ROTC school.

In the United States, not counting Military schools/academies, Campbell University and its components (UNC-Pembroke, Fayetteville State University, Methodist College and Campbell University) are ranked second in the nation in producing commissioned ROTC Cadets into the U.S. Army. Only Penn State University produces more cadets. LT. Col. Tedson Campagna, the Campbell University Battalion Commander attributes this success to UNC-Pembroke.

“UNC-Pembroke is absolutely, fundamentally critical to this battalion’s mission accomplishment,” Campagna said. “The Brave Company cadets are committed, intelligent, driven and savvy. Their quality of leadership is second to none.”

ROTC programs were designed to augment the service academies in producing leaders and managers for the armed forces. Each branch of the service has a specific set of courses and training that an officer must complete prior to joining. ROTC programs allow students to do this while completing their college education. Upon graduation members are commissioned (certified) by the President of the United States to serve as a leader in active, reserve or guard components of each branch.

As a cadet, a student is required to take one class per semester along with physical training three days a week along with an occasional lab to develop their military skills. If the cadet is on a scholarship, he or she will receive money to pay all tuition and fees except for room and board as well as a stipend between $250 and $400 per month.
The cadet is guaranteed a job for at least four years if the student is on a scholarship and three years if not.

Cadet Elizabeth Vazquez, an ROTC Senior, said, “UNC-Pembroke’s ROTC program provided me the necessary tools to help me succeed in the United States Army. It showed me how to discipline my life, daily duties and taught me time management at its best. The course provided me the leadership skills that are necessary to lead soldiers in the future. It gave me the opportunity to interact with other cadets from other schools. Most importantly it taught me to work with others as a team.”

Now consider the alternative. If a student has to pay their way through school, tuition and fees easily come to $15,000 or more at your average school and living expenses will drive that up even further. The part time job that the student will have will be at least 20 hours a week, which will be more than the ROTC commitment during that same time.

The biggest goal for a cadet at UNCP: Pass Advance Camp with high marks. Advance Camp is mandatory for commission into the service.

Cadets also have to attend a summer camp called Advance Camp, which lasts 32 days and is their chance to show the cadre, or officers and non-commissioned officers, what they have learned. The Cadets “Big Test” comes in the summer after junior year. This is when cadets have to go to Ft. Lewis in Washington for 32 days to attend Advance Leadership Camp. The cadets form 14 regiments with about 400 people in each one. Advance Camp is the time for the cadets to show the military instructors/testers what they have learned and how good of a leader they have become.

The cadets take leadership roles as squad leader, platoon leader, platoon sergeant, first sergeant, executive officer and company commander. They will lead up to 180 other cadets, have to plan and brief the other leaders and carry out the next day’s orders.

All of the training that the Cadets learned at their schools will help them immensely while in the leadership positions at camp. While at camp, cadets will train on a variety of individual skills such as a physical fitness test, field leadership reaction course, confidence training, basic rifle marksmanship, land navigation, automatic weapons and hand grenade training, fire support and nuclear biological chemical training.

They will also train on collective tasks such as Squad Situational Training Exercises and Patrol Situational Training Exercise. Cadets will work on other skills such as technical and tactical proficiency, self-confidence, team building, teamwork, small unit operations and mission focus.

Advance Camp also has an Orientation Day, which shows the Cadets information about each branch in the Army to help them decide which one they would like to go into.

Orientation Day also has private organizations that come in and speak to cadets about how they can help the future officers of the United States. Organizations include the Army Mutual Aid Association, Armed Forces Insurance, USAA. This shows that these associations, like many others, target ROTC and Army soldiers because of their trust and respect that they have in them.

Master Sgt. John Torre, the UNCP ROTC director, is the rock behind the program.

“Brave Company needs more Lumbee Indians to become cadets,” Torre said.
He wants to diversify his ranks more, “as well as the ranks of the United States Army.”