Click HERE for our latest Newsletter! (Spring 2019)
A note from our PMS, LTC Brian Ferguson
Alumni, parents, friends and Cadets of Cleveland’s ROTC, I am not even sure where to start in this newsletter. This was an amazing first year as the Professor of Military Science. If you’ve been reading this newsletter, following us on social media or stopping by the offices, you know we’re busy.
At the time of this mailing, I will have already departed the campus and headed to Fort Knox to support Cadet Summer Training ’19. I will join one of my Majors and a few of our newest Second Lieutenants to training next year’s MS-IV class.
Some of you have probably seen a new logo circulating among our materials. The logo does not replace any existing crests or official uniform items recognized by the Army. Instead it is a brand that we are working with that represents what this unit really is, the strength of many. Emblazoned on the shield are symbols of the five schools from which our cadets come. Centered among the five, is the host, John Carroll University. If we keep growing so will that logo. Ursuline is already reaching out, so look for an update soon.
Thank you all for the outpouring of contact with the battalion. It is amazing to see all the places that alumni/ae from the battalion have gone. No matter where you go, you have made a difference please send your stories. Recent lieutenants, I really need your survival guides for BOLC and your first duty stations.
One of the first things I said after arriving to this post was that I wanted our cadets to graduate and be ready to join the “big Army.” Everything we do and how we interact with them should be what they should expect. This past semester we had two amazing events that were carefully planned by our amazing cadre. At the beginning of the semester we conducted an air assault raid with the Ohio Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook battalion. Cadets got aircraft familiarization, cold-load training, and a great flight over Camp James A. Garfield (formerly Ravenna Arsenal) and the surrounding areas. What an amazing event and an awesome memory. This spring we also got out to a rifle range at Camp Garfield. We had to co-use the range with another unit, and borrowed M4’s from the local Guard battalion, but that probably was a good thing as it provided an opportunity for some of the younger cadets to observe a unit conducting operations.
On May 18th, we held our 68th Commissioning ceremony.This year we held it in the Muldoon Atrium of the Dolan Science Building. We actually combined our commissioning with the retirement ceremony for LTC Eric Krantz JCU ’98.COL Brian Beckno, JCU ’94 was our guest speaker. MAJ Matt McGraw, our master of ceremonies, described how we ceremoniously thanked one officer for his career and bridged the transition to the beginnings of seven new officers. I’d like to personally thank all of you that came to the event. Your continuing support to the program is a blessing that I do not take lightly. At the event I was joined by three of my predecessors, LTC Pete Bernardo (PMS ’81-’84) LTC Schmidt (PMS ’91-’94), and LTC Matt Johnson (PMS ‘14-’18). Next year, I’m hoping to see more. Past NCOs and assistant professors are likewise welcome. Consider the commissioning a welcome home celebration for you too.
Alumni Corner
I would like to extend an invitation to all of the alumni reading this publication to share your experiences with us. Since you can’t always drop into our offices, sharing your experiences in this forum or with cadets in the classroom is always appreciated. With alumni stretching back 68 years, you must have some stories. We received a few emails and pictures last semester, so please continue to send. If you send them to the office, we may even publish them in the next newsletter. I’d also like to extend the opportunity for those wishing to have reunions for ROTC or ROTC clubs to use this newsletter or our website. Thanks again for all your support, encouragement, and generosity, this program owes its success to you.