Photo By Staff Sgt. Felicia Jagdatt | Cadet Fabian Feingold, a mechanical engineering major at University of Los Angeles and...... read more read more
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EL PASO, Texas -- The Bulldog Brigade mentors future Army leaders each year through the Cadet Troop Leader Training program where Soldiers arrive from all over the United States to include territories such as Puerto Rico.
“The program is like an internship through the school’s ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program that allows us to act as real officers in the Army,” said Cadet Gabriel Feingold, who shadowed 2nd Lt. Daniel Gaston, platoon leader with Company C, 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment.
Feingold, a mechanical engineering major at University of Los Angeles and, is with 4th Bn. 6th Inf. Regt. for a couple of weeks along with many other cadets who are assigned throughout the brigade to learn the roles and responsibilities of an Army officer.
“I got the privilege of acting as the Platoon Leader for the final week there and it was a valuable experience learning what those duties and responsibilities entail,” said Cadet Dylan Bowie, a student at Virginia Tech.
“The everyday duties include going to physical training in the mornings, sitting in meetings, planning the day, getting to know the Soldiers, walking around the motor pools, getting updates, sending updates, and just learning what it means being an Army officer,” said Feingold.
The cadets see value in CTLT and are glad they were given the opportunity to feel what being in a real unit is like.
“The most rewarding part of CTLT, for me, is actually getting to do real work that actually matters rather than doing made-up cadet stuff,” said Feingold. “In ROTC, we do a lot of theoretical training, which is focused on tactics. I appreciate learning battlefield scenarios but coming to a real unit and doing something worthwhile, learning about Soldiers, and feeling apart of the Army is a real reward.”
However, with all opportunities come challenges.
“The biggest challenge would be that I came into an armor unit with absolutely no knowledge on tanks,” Feingold explained. “I had no idea how to use them, how fast they are, what go into them, and I had no idea that each tank crew had four members. Coming in and trying to help supervise a tank platoon having no background information was very difficult. The upside to that challenge is that now I know all of this information.”
Cadet Robert Gillich, a biotechnology major at Endicott College who was assigned to 2nd Squadron, 13th Cavalry Regiment, explains, “I think it should be required for all cadets because it’s real. Being in ROTC you don’t get to see what an actual unit is like, which I think is really important if you’re going to go active duty. Also, the program gives some insight to what branch you want to go into, so if you’re with an armor unit with CTLT you can see what an armor officer is like compared to an infantry officer. Being a cavalry scout has definitely moved up on my list now.”
Gillich goes on to describe how the program will help him in the future.
“If I stay in the military, this entire military experience really forms you into an officer,” he explains. “In the civilian aspect, the leadership tools and experience that many will get in ROTC and CTLT is much higher than that of my peers who aren’t in ROTC.”
These cadets who took part in this program recommend it to other cadets and offer advice.
“I would recommend CTLT to all of the cadets,” said Feingold. “I think that all cadets should be doing some form of actually real-life Army training with a real unit so that when they get to their unit they know more than just tactics and field exercises.”
Bowie adds, “I would tell future cadets to come open minded and to make the most of the limited opportunity. Don't get fixated on what branch you think you want, rather be willing to go to other units besides the one assigned and see what all branches have to offer. Have fun and come prepared with questions for not only your mentor, but others all the way from private to a general.”
| Date Taken: | 09.05.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.05.2018 12:47 |
| Story ID: | 291492 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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