Newsletter

Contact us by email: wolfpack.rotc@jcu.edu OR phone: (216) 397-4286

Click HERE for our latest Newsletter! (2020 July )

A note from our PMS, LTC Brian Ferguson

I think I am sending this letter out a little later than last year. It’s hard to believe that the 2020 Commissioning was nearly seven weeks ago.  Already many of our new lieutenants are starting their basic officer training at posts across the country.  Some will support cadet command training later this summer and the remainder will join their peers before the end of the year.  The commissioning class of 2020 was certainly memorable for many reasons. 

It goes without saying that the second of half of the spring semester was far from what we planned.  There was a snowball-effect as we slowly had to cancel more and more events until everything was postponed or turned off.  However, speaking on behalf of all the cadre, we were happy to see that the tenacity and determination of your cadets didn’t fade just because we were separated.  The cadets remained engaged in the classroom and found ways to work out on their own and stay physically fit.  Like I said at the commissioning ceremony, we will be back and we will continue to produce outstanding lieutenants from this program. 

As we look towards the fall, I am reminded that we are also embarking on the 70th Anniversary of the ROTC program hosted at John Carroll University.  The commissioning ceremony on May 22, will mark that anniversary of that first class.  Mark your calendars, we want to see you there celebrating with us.  At this year’s commissioning I mentioned a commemorative coin.  We’ve included information about how you can get yours later in this newsletter.  Stamped on one side in the official colors of JCU is the Botany Cross.  On the obverse is the Leadership Excellence patch and the dates 1951-2021.  Get yours today.

Normally about this time, Cadet Summer Training (CST) would be nearing its maximum cadets on ground date around mid-July.  This year however CST was cancelled completely.  Filling the void will be a one-week training event for our rising seniors.  Still set at Fort Knox, Operation Agile Warrior, will allow your cadets to be tested and evaluated.  While it’s not the same, it provides the rigorous training our cadets need and brings them and other cadets from the brigade together to train.  Next newsletter will have more about the event. 

I want to extend some announcements.  Major Andrew Bischoff and Major Timothy Jenkins will be departing this summer to take on new positions in our Army in New York and Maryland respectively.  Both of them have done an outstanding job supporting, training, and mentoring our cadets.  I would also like to welcome Mr. Sherief Hamdy, our new Logistics Tech to the department.  He will be an amazing addition to our team. 

Lastly, please join me in extending congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Matthew McGraw.  For those who have read this newsletter long enough you know Matt from his earlier years at JCU as a younger officer.  In April he was selected for promotion. 

In closing, thank you all for your unwavering support of this program.  Your emails, phone calls, visits to 4070 Carroll Blvd & gifts make this a great place to produce lieutenants for our Army.  We could not do it without you!

Sincerely, LTC Ferguson