Winter 2023

Words from the Professor of Military Science

 

Greetings from the MG Patrick H. Brady Battalion. The Cadets Woman in uniform in front of US flaghave continued to “Strike Forward” in their training and academics during the Winter Quarter, showing what it means to be a leader and professional!  

I could not be prouder of what they have accomplished, working hard through all the military science courses, applying their knowledge through leadership and tactics labs, culminating in the Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM), where they maintained their motivation despite the cold and wet conditions of the weekend.

The have excelled not just in ROTC, but also in the community, as many of them also put in countless hours of community service across the greater Seattle area, being the example of Selfless Service.  

Enjoy your spring break and see you next quarter.  Strike Forward, Never Retreat!
                   

LTC Brianna Maier

ROTC Newsletter Winter Quarter 2023

2LT Sierra’s Commissioning

Man in uniform before flags with saluteCommissioning is a significant milestone in your life. It signifies your acceptance as both a member of the U.S. Army Officer Corps and a leader within the greater profession. However, it is not just about you. The commissioning ceremony is as much, if not more, for your family and friends that helped you get to where you are today. They too have been waiting for this moment with great anticipation and are undoubtedly extremely proud of your accomplishment and commitment. A fellow cadet turned officer, Jaden Sierra has achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant, effective on February 4, 2023. 2LT Sierra will be serving Active Duty branched MI (Military Intelligence) with a branch detail of Infantry. 2LT Sierra has put in countless hours in the ROTC program and worked towards his goal to make his family proud. Congratulations to 2LT Sierra and his family and keep up the good work as the Brady Battalion's newest Second Lieutenant. 


 

Funeral/Color Guard

Cadet colorguard at attention chapelOn January 30th, 2023, the Brady Battalion Color Guard honored the life and service of Dr. Bob Harmon at St. Ignatius Chapel on campus. Dr. Harmon was a World War II veteran and a Seattle University history professor. Dr. Harmon was an active part of the Seattle University campus during his 40 years as a faculty member. Serving as a rifleman in General George Patton’s Third Army, he participated in several pivotal moments during World War II, including the surrender of Weimar and the liberation of a concentration camp. Dr. Harmon helped liberate a camp and assisted in retrieving art stolen by the Nazis during the early stages of the war. He left an incredible legacy of service as a member of the “greatest generation.” The cadets showed their respects at the funeral, which was attended by Cadets Baek, Cowles, Cardenas, Prado, and Adler as representatives from the Brady Battalion.


 

Cadre Goodbyes and Welcomes

goodbye handshake SFC Linden LTC MaierThis quarter we unfortunately bid farewell to SFC Douglas Linden as he moved on to his next assignment. SFC Linden has been an invaluable asset to the Battalion, offering guidance and mentorship to cadets. During his time at SU, he has provided cadets with the necessary training and knowledge to succeed as future Second Lieutenants. While we will certainly miss his presence, we are grateful for the positive impact he has had on our cadets. 

 

 

 

Linden goodbye photo with CDT Manglona holding plaqueCDT Mangloña gifting SFC Linden the goodbye plaque from the MS3s.

goodbye handshake 2LT DeMaria LTC MaierWe also said goodbye to 2LT Colin DeMaria.  2LT DeMaria helped us with recruiting while he was here and now, he's off to his officer training program. Goodbye and good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Man in uniform WetzelAt the same time, we would like to extend a warm welcome to MSG David Wetzel, who has recently joined the Brady Battalion as our Senior Military Science Instructor. We are excited to have MSG Wetzel on board and look forward to working with him. MSG Wetzel brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table. We are confident that he will be an excellent addition to our team and help us continue to provide the best possible training and mentorship to our cadets.

 

 

We also have a new Human Resources Assistant, Mr. Michael "Chi" Zarghami. Man standing at fireplace w/ photos behindMr. Zarghami brings over two decades of experience (Active Duty and Department of the Army Civilian) to his new role as our Human Resource Assistant.   (left photo) 

 

man in front of flagsAnd last quarter, we welcomed our new Log-Tech, Mr. Ronald Beard.  Mr. Beard served in the U.S. Navy and has come to us after retirement from Boeing.  (right photo)

 

Winter Quarter Review

Cadets in early morning greensThroughout winter quarter, cadets of the Brady Battalion have been working hard during physical training, military science courses, leadership labs, squad meetings, and field exercises. Physical training is conducted three times a week and consists of workouts like rucks, runs, conditioning, and spirit events. Military science classes on Tuesday mornings provide an overview of topics ranging from Army ethics and values to land navigation and leadership. Labs supplement these classes and allow cadets to gain hands-on experience in running missions. These early Thursday mornings allow upperclassmen cadets to practice key leadership roles while underclassmen expand on foundational Army skills. In squad meetings, cadets work together to facilitate peer teaching and learning on topics covered in class and during labs. Field training exercises take what cadets learn in labs and apply it to a simulated combat environment. Cadets spend three days at Joint Base Lewis-McChord running missions and honing their skills.

cadets in greens against wall in gymOver winter quarter, cadets of the Brady Battalion had the opportunity to serve as judges at two JROTC Drill Meets held at Graham-Kapowsin High School. High school JROTC teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps competed against each other in events like Color Guard, Drill, and Armed/Unarmed Inspections. Brady Battalion cadets graded JROTC teams participating in the physical fitness assessment, which included push-ups in cadence, two minutes of sit-ups, and a mile run. The opportunity to serve as judges at these JROTC events gave Brady Battalion cadets the invaluable experience of interacting with future ROTC cadets and being mentors for them as they continue working towards eventually commission into the Army as officers.


 

Cadets in field with packs, equipmentMS3 Camp Preparation

 

As the school year rolls along, our MS3 cadets are actively preparing to attend Advanced Camp at Fort Knox this summer to fulfill requirements for receiving a commission. MS3 cadets are leading PT sessions and conducting graded 6- and 8-mile ruck marches. They are also learning how to lead missions in their Military Science course and Leadership Labs. This knowledge was tested on March 3-5, 2023, at the battalion’s Winter Field Training Exercise. Cadets braved the cold and wet conditions to apply their knowledge in a training environment on Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). There were many lessons learned over the weekend that will assist in the development of the MS3 class. These cadets will continue to prepare for Cadet Summer Training throughout the next quarter to build and refine their leadership skills.


 

SU Gives 2023 Thank you!!

On March 2, 2023, Seattle University hosted a day known as SU Gives. On this day, a multitude of departments receive donations to help their individual needs. The Brady Battalion received a challenge gift from the Estate of Brian Dougherty '68 to get 20 donations in order to unlock $10,000 for use by the battalion. We collected 33 donations, which unlocked the $10,000, giving Seattle University’s Army ROTC program a total of $11,500.00!  We as a battalion are very grateful for the support we have received and will make sure these donations are put to good use!

Donations will support and augment the Cadets' training and overall experience.  Specifically, funds will support a couple of areas which include gym equipment to support the fitness culture of the Army while providing resources with which to train. This will assist the overall fitness of the program as well as the individual scores of our Cadets.  The other area is it will provide travel resources to support logistics to get our Cadets to various Army ROTC events such as the Army 10-Miler or the Marine Corps Marathon.  Although SU Gives is over, you can still make a donation if you'd like.   You'll need to specify that you want your gift to go to the Army ROTC Brady Battalion Gift account

Contracting

Four cadets and Mr. Dodge standing insideDuring Winter Quarter, the Seattle University Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program contracted an additional five Cadets into the U.S. Army. During ceremony the Cadets recited the Oath of Enlistment given to them by Lieutenant Colonel Brianna Maier, the Professor of Military Science for the Seattle University Army ROTC program. This ceremony recognizes these Cadets’ commitment to serve their country by contracting into SU ROTC. By contracting, the Cadets can now activate scholarship benefits, attend advanced training, internships, and other opportunities to help them towards their goal of becoming a U.S. Army officer after graduating from Seattle University. (Standing left to right in above photo front row: CDT Lyla Bryant, CDT Tyler Mach, CDT Abigail Ivie, CDT Zoe Adler. back row: Mr. Dodge.)

 

smaller image of CDT Kuo contracting(photo on left) CDT Andrew Kuo contracting with LTC Brianna Maier.

Congratulations to our newly contracted Cadets!


MS4 Branching

Cadet outsideThe U.S. Army is split between many branches and highlight different key elements. The MS4 class of the Brady Battalion ROTC has diversified themselves when it comes to choosing a career within the Army. For instance, CDT Kadima (photo left) has chosen a career in the medical services branch. The mission statement of this branch is to provide leadership focused on operational medicine to support warfighters and strengthen the military health system. Kadima chose this path because he wanted to do tactical operations to a certain extent like attaching to an infantry branch.

 

cadet faceCDT Guizzetti (photo right) chose a career in Military Intelligence. The mission statement of this branch is to collect essential, relevant, and accurate information and electronic warfare that can support tactical, operational, and strategic-level commanders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

two cadets outside

CDT DeMint (left side of photo) chose a career in Adjutant General Army. The mission is to create personnel support for commanders and effective manning. These cadets all have a variety of reasons to select their desired branches, but above all, they will make great future U.S. officers.

CDT Garces (right side of photo) has chosen a career in Aviation. In this branch, the mission is to identify, fix, and destroy the enemy through fire and support combat in coordinated operations.


 

Alumni Spotlight

MAJ Logan Maier

Maj in uniformLogan Maier graduated Seattle University Class of 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration management and a minor in economics.  He is a Major in the US Army. He initially began his career as a Transportation Officer in the Transportation Corps, but later became a Logistics Officer following his completion of the Captain’s Career Course, the second developmental course meant to educate officers of the roles and responsibilities that one must manage at a company level (~80 - 250 soldiers) following their promotion to Captain. MAJ Maier cites that both his father and his Scout Master were a large influence in how he “perceived the military” and ultimately his decision to join the Army, both who served in the Army years prior. Beyond his life in the Army, he considers himself to be a night owl and will often need a cup of coffee to spur himself out of any morning grumpiness. To potential and current cadets in ROTC, he stresses the importance of being able to figure out what success means to you, and to use that interpretation to “help guide… the decisions you make during your careers” for however long you intend to stay in it. 


2LT Nikolis Moffett

young man in blue shirtNikolis Moffett is a graduate of Seattle University Class of 2022 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication and media. He is a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army and has branched into the Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. He chose to join ROTC and commission as an Army officer because it provided an “honorable route to contribute to society” and an opportunity to be a “positive agent to a greater cause”. Nikolis enjoys activities such as ruck marches and reading classical literature – one of his favorite works is To Kill a Mockingbird. In addition, he also spends time participating in mock trials, which are competitions that simulate real trials that can be seen in judicial courts. Nikolis’ notable accomplishments include receiving the Distinguished Military Graduate Award, which is conferred onto select Army graduates who place in the top 20% on the National Order of Merit list through achieving high physical and academic standards and proving their worth as outstanding leaders during their time in ROTC. Outside of this, he believes that his ability to adapt and use empathy as a tool to work with others is a mark of his own personal growth and achievement. One piece of advice he would like to give to prospective and current cadets in ROTC is to always stay well-informed of the situation you are placed in so as to stay on top of things.


 

Upcoming Events

 

Spring quarter FTX:

two cadets in camo makeup and greens outside day

Every quarter we go out to JBLM (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), and we use leadership skills learned in military science to lead a platoon in different situations using tactics. We conduct missions like raids, attacks, area defense, etc. which cadets plan and organize. This teaches us to work as a team and prepares us for advanced camp. During this time, we also work on our individual skills with day and night land navigation. Cadets are given points and instructed to plot and find them. This all helps to develop our critical thinking skills and leadership capabilities as we have to adapt to varying situations.  Our spring FTX will be combined with the Cadets of Pacific Lutheran University, providing both schools MS3’s the opportunity to work with Cadets outside our respective programs before heading off to Advanced Camp at Fort Knox this summer. 

 

Dining In - April 21, 2023:

Cadet making announcementsDining In is a formal military ceremony for members of a company or other unit, which includes dinner, drinks, and events that foster camaraderie and esprit de corps. Portions of the event tend to become quite humorous in nature. The floor will be opened to the levying of fines. Violators may be sentenced to sing songs, tell jokes, do pushups, or perform menial tasks to entertain the mess. In most cases, when a violator has been identified, he or she is given the opportunity to provide a rebuttal or defense for the violation, which rarely results in the violator being excused for the offense, and usually only results in more punishment. In addition, there is the grog bowl which has various ingredients and even a boot. These are all long standing traditions in the military which celebrates the rich history and camaraderie.

 


Save the Date!

Spring Commissioning ceremony is 0900 on 10 June at Pigott Auditorium.