FORT HOOD, Texas - Navigating education benefits can feel overwhelming for many Soldiers, especially when they face long lists of programs with little explanation on how to start. Cadet (Sgt.) Brittany Dunn, a senior at Texas A&M University Central Texas (TAMUCT) and recruiting operations assistant for the university’s ROTC program, has made it her mission to change that.
Raised on and around Fort Hood, Dunn grew up in a family deeply rooted in Army culture. Both of her parents served more than 20 years as warrant officers, and their careers in the cavalry shaped much of her early life. Their commitment to Soldiers inspired her to enlist in 2020 and eventually seek a commission through ROTC.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Dunn said. “When I joined the Army, that turned into helping Soldiers. Becoming an officer gives me a bigger voice and a greater opportunity to make an impact.”
Dunn entered her own ROTC packet process while deployed to Poland, where she noticed gaps that made the experience unnecessarily difficult. Despite strong support from her leadership, time differences, missed briefings and limited follow-up created obstacles.
“I took notes on everything that felt unclear or missing,” Dunn said. “The biggest disconnect was follow-up. That step is such a big part of the Army, and I kept wondering why it wasn’t happening with education programs.”
A conversation with retired Gen. Paul Funk II, who works as a resource at TAMUCT, sparked an idea. Dunn saw a major disconnect between Fort Hood and local educational opportunities, including the seamless credit pipeline between Central Texas College and TAMUCT. Many Soldiers simply didn’t know the university existed.
“That blew my mind,” Dunn said. “I grew up here and didn’t know the school was right down the road. Soldiers were planning to move across the country to attend college, and they had no idea they could stay right here with their families.”
Her solution was simple but ambitious, bringing the information directly to Soldiers. Dunn began visiting units to brief small groups about ROTC pathways, active-duty options and how to navigate the application portals. Word spread quickly, and soon an entire brigade requested a consolidated briefing.
Attendance reached 110 Soldiers, all looking for clarity on how to advance their education and careers.
“My goal was to help one person,” Dunn said. “Seeing that many show up confirmed that this mattered. Every person in that room wanted more for themselves, and their command teams supported it.”
Dunn now assists Soldiers across the Army, not just at Fort Hood. Service members from Germany, Hawaii, Colorado, California and other locations contacted her after seeing her information online. She responds to messages late into the evening, reviews statements, explains deadlines and walks them step-by-step through the process many find intimidating.
“They just need that extra guidance,” Dunn said. “Someone to answer the ‘How?’ and ‘What’s next?’”
Dunn also built a small team of junior cadets with diverse Army backgrounds, including drill sergeant experience, deployment experience and active-duty transitions. Their combined perspectives allow them to answer a wide range of Soldier questions.
“Diversity makes this work,” Dunn said. “Between all of us, we can relate to almost any Soldier’s story.”
Her long-term goals remain focused on service. Dunn plans to stay in the Army as long as she is able. She hopes to start in Armor Branch, then transition to be an adjutant general as a captain to further support Soldiers through personnel and career development roles.
“I believe in stewardship,” she said. “If even one Soldier feels more confident about their future because of these briefs, then the effort is worth it.”
The initiative may eventually outgrow Dunn’s personal involvement, but she intends to ensure it lasts. She hopes one of her junior cadets will take over the program after she commissions in May.
“They’ll have the connections and the experience to keep this going,” Dunn said. “Even after I commission, I still plan to help Soldiers whenever I can.”
“I just want to keep helping people,” Dunn said. “That’s the whole point.”