Staff Writer
The Cadets of Co. A 1/46th Inf. celebrated Fourth of July with having the freedom to graduate from the Leader’s Training Course.
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| An Apache helicopter lands on Brooks Field, giving a thunderous start to the graduation ceremony. Photo by Mackenzie Reiss |
Seventeen Cadets were recognized with special honors for showing leadership and other qualities during LTC.
Cadet Natalie Lopez-Barnard received the award for the highest female PT score.
“This wasn’t even my highest score,” she said with a laugh, indicating the plaque she held with a score of 242. “My highest score was a 250. This was me on a bad day.”
Brig. Gen. Mike Devine, deputy commanding general of the 200th military police command, was the guest speaker at graduation.
He congratulated the Cadets, but also told them they are America’s future.
“We must remember that freedom is not free, it was paid for by the blood of others,” Devine said.
He also encouraged them to be role models for the Soldiers they will lead in the future.
“Leaders are not born, leadership is something that is learned,” Devine said. “Have the integrity to do what is right, legally and morally. Loyalty is a two-way street.”
To the Cadets, graduation was a blessing and a reprieve because some of them would now be able to spend the rest of the Fourth with their families.
Cadet Gretchen Pace, who attends University of Virginia, was excited to be going home, where she would reunite with her family at the beach.
Pace also said she was looking forward to driving in her car with all of the windows rolled down so she could sing country songs as loud as she wanted.
Pace said overall she enjoyed her LTC experience.
“I wished there would’ve been more PT, though,” she said.
Cadet Jessica Miller, who attends Santa Clara University, said graduation for her was bittersweet.
She said she’s sad to be leaving all of her fellow Cadets because they’ve gotten close, but she’s ready to go home to spend time with her family and friends.
Miller said she’s having a party with three of her roommates from home when she returns.
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| The Cadets of Alpha Co. 1/46th Inf. (Co. 1) exit the parade field to celebrate their graduation from LTC with family and friends. Photos by Mackenzie Reiss |
Jeanette Miller reminisced about how her daughter decided to join ROTC.
“We’ve never had anyone in the military from our family before. So, it was a new experience, I’m still learning,” she said. “I guess it was about the end of her freshman year that Jessica decided she wanted to do ROTC. She was purely physically and mentally driven to it.”
Graduation was also a time for new beginnings.
Leah Hoxie, mother of Cadet Elizabeth Hoxie, said she was baffled when her daughter told her she was going to join ROTC.
Leah Hoxie is an ardent pacifist.
“I didn’t know why, but I didn’t try and stop her,” she said. “I just asked her where it was at, who she would be with and if it was safe.”
Leah Hoxie said she participated in sit-ins in the 1960s and 1970s in protest of the war in Vietnam.
Cadet Hoxie, who attends Michigan State University, said she will probably contract with the Army when she goes back to school.
“I still do not support war, but I will support my daughter,” Leah Hoxie said.
Cadet Hoxie said she was drawn to the Army’s sense of community.
“I always have told my children, family comes first, so Elizabeth has her family at home, her family of friends at college and now a third family (the Army),” Leah Hoxie said.