NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Maj. Alan Hardin (hardina@nsula.edu)
ROTC/Department of Military Science
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-5176

8/31/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is not a new program at Northwestern State University; it has been a long standing tradition since 1952. However, there are many cadre and cadets that are new to NSU and the Natchitoches area. The group of professionals in the Military Science Department have quickly demonstrated their drive and determination to make the Army ROTC program at NSU one of the best in the country. There is no doubt that the Demon Battalion Corps of Cadets is perched on the precipice of a new era in leadership development training.

The new cadre include Professor of Military Science (PMS) Major Promotable Leon Pennington; new Senior Military Instructor Master Sergeant Lamont Washington; and the Battalion Enrollment, Scholarships and Recruiting Operations Officer Major Alan Hardin. These new cadre combined with the cornerstone cadre which includes Monica Breedlove, Janice Perry, Major Mark Eisenmann, and Sergeant First Class Ray Lear. This group has already had a positive impact on the university with their improvements to the ROTC facilities.

Supported whole heartedly by the NSU Physical Plant staff, the Governor James A. Noe Military Science Building has been surgically overhauled and the building's major traffic areas have nearly completed their transformation. New carpet, fresh paint, and a new display case are the most noticeable changes to the buildings physical appearance.

"The change of color and style is overshadowed by the attitude of the Corps of Cadets," Hardin noted.

The Military Science IV (MS4) Cadets have returned from the Leadership Development Assessment Course (LDAC) at Fort Lewis, Washington. Most notable of the Demon Battalion standouts at LDAC was Cadet Tommy Sieker of Grandview, Mo., who graduated tops in his platoon, top five his Regiment which was comprised of over 300 cadets from all over the United States. Additionally, he was named the Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army's Air Assault School at Fort Campbell, Ky. There he competed for this honor with Active Duty soldiers and earned his silver Air Assault Wings. Cadet Sieker, in his final year at Northwestern, has also been named Cadet Battalion Commander for the Corps of Cadets.

The Corps had one cadet attend the Leadership Training Course (LTC) at Fort Knox, Ky. LTC is an intensive two week training program that teaches the cadets the basic skills necessary to be a warrior leader.

"LTC builds upon the skills that are developed in the classroom and provides the opportunity for practical application of those skills," Hardin explained.

Cadet Danielle Champagne of Houma distinguished herself and the Demon Battalion in the areas of physical fitness, land navigation, and military staff operations. Cadet Champagne was ranked as one of the top two cadets by her peers at LTC. She is also of member of the NSU Crew and actively involved in several other campus organizations. The university was also well represented at LTC by two members of the faculty that volunteered to attend the training as observers. Dr. Charles Pellegrin and Don Barker spent two weeks observing the training of Army ROTC Cadets from all over the United States and have been working closely with the ROTC Cadre to enhance the educational opportunities for NSU Students.

The changes will continue in the Fall semester with Orientation 1010 being taught in the Military Science Building by ROTC Cadre as well as other distinguished NSU educators.

"Faculty, staff, and students alike will likely hear the cadence of the cadets as they conduct physical fitness training three days per week at 6 a.m. Also, the Corps of Cadets will be supporting the Demon football team with the traditional cannon fire, purple smoke, and opening ceremony events as well as providing VIP escorts and elevator operators in the stadium," Hardin said. "Northwestern State University's Demon Battalion Corps of Cadets will be noticeably showing their pride and team spirit all around the university during the upcoming semester. The challenge to their fellow students is to 'Distinguish Yourself' at NSU."

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