Staff writer
For Cadet Dan Mclean, the Leader’s Training Course is a bit of a make-up class.
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| Co. B 1/46th Inf. (Co. 7) Cadet Dan Mclean received a clearance for his knee injuries just before he came to LTC. Photo by Chen Wang |
Mclean participated in both football and wrestling in high school, two sports some athletes will argue require the most demanding training.
“That’s how I did my knees in,” he said with a laugh. “I tore both my ACLs. It was pretty sweet.
“I don’t know how to stop.”
Because of his malfunctioned ligaments, being medically fit in time to be a part of Co. B 1/46th Inf. (Co. 7) was a close call.
“This one, I just got a clearance two days before I showed up here,” he said, pointing to his left knee. “I got cleared that day, bought plane tickets that day. We came here the 11th (of July).”
Though he missed some important training, Mclean wasn’t required to attend LTC. He purposefully chose to because it would help him more quickly get back into shape after recovering from his knee injuries and would help advance him in the learning process.
“The best way to learn is actually doing it,” he said, referring to the hands-on, rapid-fire nature of LTC. “You can’t complain about this. It’s going to help you out.”
Mclean had gone through military police-based JROTC, but it wasn’t until the midpoint of his college career that he realized he could still join ROTC, and that it was the choice that was right for him.
“I did my first two years (of college), I wrestled and did all that stuff, and I was like, ‘Man, I kinda wanna join the military,’ ” said Mclean, who is entering his third year of college.
He considered enlistment as a Reservist while still in school, but learned he could still join ROTC.
“I joined this year (ROTC), and they let me in,” Mclean said. “And being an officer seems better than being enlisted to me.”
The 2nd Squad, 4th Platoon Cadet, who’s had family members in the military since World War I, plans to make a career of the Army.
“It’s gonna look better on an outside vector as well, when I go to get a job after the military,” he said.
Mclean’s personality has served as a catalyst for much light-hearted content and dialogue among his entire platoon, including a plethora of nicknames.
Cadet Brett O’Brien pointed out some of them, including “Tank.”
“We just kind of made nicknames up for each other to make things easier,” said O’Brien, a friend of Mclean’s from 3rd Squad who began the name-making after recognizing the resemblance of one Cadet’s profile to that of comedic movie character Mr. Bean.
Some Cadets will say training at LTC has its rough spots, but those are the times when Mclean tries most to be himself: the upbeat jokester who lightens up the atmosphere when it weighs on his peers.
“The best way to get through all of it is just laughing,” he said. “If you have a good attitude, you do well.”