亚洲AV

George Mason鈥檚 ROTC continues to provide a path for personal and professional growth

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亚洲AV鈥檚 Army ROTC Patriot Battalion is on the rise. From its humble beginnings more than 40 years ago in 1982 with little more than 20 students, the program now boasts nearly 150 cadets and continues to grow in recognition.聽

ROTC running towards a Black Hawk UH-60 helicopter
Two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters transported 62 Mason ROTC cadets and two cadre to the Marine Corps Base Quantico for Mason ROTC鈥檚 spring Joint Field Training Exercise (JFTX), which it holds annually with ROTC students from Georgetown and Howard universities. Photo by Cristian Torres/亚洲AV

The George Mason ROTC program was launched in 1982 as an extension of the Georgetown University Army ROTC, before splitting off independently in 2002. Today, the Patriot Battalion hosts co-enrolled students from Marymount University, University of Mary Washington, and Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA).

The number of first-year students making the choice to pursue a commission as an Army officer increased ninefold in the last five years, more than ever before. This year one of Patriot Battalion鈥檚 own鈥擬ason Cadet Bryan Vega鈥攚as recognized as the premier ROTC Cadet in the nation.

Lt. Col. Matthew M. Kuhn, an active-duty officer and department chair, leads George Mason鈥檚 ROTC effort. 鈥淩OTC combines courses in military science with practical leadership training to prepare for success in college, as leaders in the Army, or in any profession of choice,鈥 he said.

Students in the program receive classroom instruction and participate in a weekly leadership lab and early morning physical training activities.

First-year students and sophomores can participate in the first two years of Army ROTC without committing to serve in the Army. Students offered an ROTC scholarship then contract and incur a military obligation. There are also opportunities for juniors, seniors, and graduate students.

Students and Instructors gather around and in a swimming pool for ROTC water survival training
Students work on their Combat Water Survival Test at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding

Students must contract by their junior year or first year of graduate school to continue with the advanced course program, obligating them to serve four years of active duty in the regular Army, or six to eight years in a unit of the Army National Guard or U.S. Army Reserves, depending upon whether they received an ROTC scholarship. Officers may then continue to serve the remainder of their obligation in their current component or transfer into the Reserve Components or the Individual Ready Reserve.

A quick scroll through Mason鈥檚 Army Reserve Officers鈥 Training Corps and accounts provides a visual of the wide range of Mason cadet activities鈥攊ncluding an annual senior trip, physical training at the EagleBank Arena, the Patriot Battalion Military Ball, commissioning ceremonies, field training exercises, and the Patriot Games. What it does not reveal is what cadets consistently agree are the overarching benefits of the ROTC experience鈥攖he physical, psychological, and financial support provided through the corps.

鈥淢y unit is a second family to me,鈥 said Matthew Rigdon, a Military Science 3 (MS3) junior.

鈥淪ome of the best memories you鈥檒l make in ROTC are in the field with other cadets making the most of a challenging time鈥攚here you鈥檙e being stress-tested to see how you perform under pressure,鈥 said Rigdon, who is from Stafford, Virginia. 鈥淢y fellow cadets are friendly, encouraging, and determined to succeed even when put in tough situations, especially since the success of each cadet contributes to the overall success of the team.鈥

Four ROTC candidates, two holding flags, stand at attention for a flag ceremony as the sun sets behind them.
Mason ROTC Color Guard at Washington Spirit Soccer Game. Photo courtesy of ROTC

For Cadet Christopher Roman, an MS2 sophomore, college tuition assistance was paramount. 鈥淭he financial aid is extremely helpful and was very important to me,鈥 said Roman, who hails from Canton, Ohio. 鈥淎lthough my parents were going to pay for my degree, I felt a responsibility to help them.鈥

Sahar Khalid-Schieber, an MS4 Senior, who comes to George Mason from London, England, echoes Roman鈥檚 appreciation for financial support. The Army ROTC is the largest provider of post-secondary school scholarships in the United States and one of the nation鈥檚 foremost leadership development programs.

Khalid-Schieber explains that ROTC offered more than just discipline and a pathway to military service; it presented an opportunity to be part of an organization that goes beyond the individual. 鈥淩OTC is not just about me; it's about a collective sense of purpose, an interconnected web of responsibilities, and a shared mission,鈥 Khalid-Schieber said. 鈥淚n ROTC, I found an environment where I could channel my innate desire to give back, to serve not just a cause, but a country, a community, and a set of ideals.鈥

About a quarter of the cadets arrive at George Mason through NOVA, often through the , which provides a seamless pathway for community college students to earn a four-year degree. It was that route that brought MS4 Raymond Bonniwell to Mason. Bonniwell, a dual major in anthropology and Russian studies who emigrated from South Africa, noted the advantage of the monthly stipend, the ability to get a security clearance, and the chance to serve his adopted country as key motivations for joining ROTC.聽

Roman, who plans to pursue a career in law enforcement, also touts the professional support found through the program. 鈥淭he experience that ROTC provides, especially for me, is perfect. My cohorts are motivated leaders that continuously strive to make each other better.鈥澛

鈥淢y favorite memory in ROTC is from the Spring 2023 Field Training Exercise where I was fortunate enough to ride in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter down to Marine Corps Base Quantico,鈥 said Rigdon, who studies operations and supply chain management and hopes to be an active-duty quartermaster officer after graduating and commissioning into the U.S. Army. 鈥淭his experience was one of the coolest things I have ever done.鈥