Ram Battalion Alumni:
As I start to pen my sixth update to you, alums of the Ram Battalion, I fear I will sound as a broken record – the tradition lives on! So, without apology, I am going to brag on our accomplishments this semester as we continue the legacy of officership you are a part of at Colorado State University.
Cadet Updates
We commissioned 21 new Rams on May 12 in a great joint ceremony; again, officiated by 1985 graduate, Gen. James Dickinson, the current USSPACECOM commander. We shared the ceremony with the Detachment 90 cadets and nearly 500 guests! Of those 21 new LTs, three will join Reserve units in the coming weeks, and four will enter National Guard positions in Colorado and Vermont. Our active duty LTs will advance to Basic Officer Leader Courses around the country over the next six months. I’m proud of them; they will represent us well! Check out this article featuring a few outstanding cadets, CSU to commission 50 ROTC cadets this week.
Second, the newest generation of Ram Battalion alums truly impressed me this year! The Poudre Muskets initiated their third class this spring with nearly half of the battalion participating in musket training each week. If you haven’t heard about the Poudre Musket tradition – it was dormant for nearly 40 years – I encourage you to see the details on our website. Also, 2LT Maddie Pringle (USAR, AG) started the Firearms Education Club this semester to help teach her fellow cadets proper weapons handling and marksmanship fundamentals. The FEC hosted a high school shotgun competition and held monthly range days – all driven by cadets!
Third, Ram Battalion cadets will represent us all around the world this summer. Sixteen will attend Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, and another six will attend Basic Camp to start the fall as MSIIIs. Four will attend Air Assault School, one will attend Airborne School, seven will attend Cadet Troop Leader Training at five CONUS locations, and four will attend Cultural and Language Training in three countries for 12 weeks. I’m incredibly excited to see the leadership development that will come from these opportunities.
Third Annual ROTC Rendezvous
Finally, the third annual ROTC Rendezvous will happen Nov. 10-11, 2023, as part of CSU Veterans Week and the football game versus San Diego State University. Rendezvous 2023 will follow a similar construct to the second annual Rendezvous – Military Science Building and Annex tours with cadets and Alumni Social on Friday, followed by tailgate and football on Saturday. Friday, Nov. 10, we will also induct our second class into the Stalwart ROTC Alumni Hall of Fame. Help me nominate the best alums we have by filling out this short nomination form! So, block your calendars, help me spread the word to your classmates, and expect a detailed invite in late summer!
