Summer Exercise

Florida Southern College’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is in for another busy summer.

A total of 23 cadets from the Moccasin Brigade, most of them set to graduate in 2024, will be engaging in various training exercises across the world as they participate in their capstone training. These training exercises will run from late May until August.

Cadets Anna Abell, Shannon Allen, Bryson Andrade, Jesuel Caraballo, Matthew Crescenzo, Mathew Durham, Brandon Gaines, Michael Hickey, Brooke McGreevy, Dante Mendez, Aaron Myles, Joseph Powell, Haley Ramage, Lauren Shiveler, Joshua Steiner and Armando Ventura will all head out to Cadet Summer Training (CST) in Fort Knox in Kentucky.

“This is where they will be assessed on individual skills and leadership,” said Master Sgt. Kenneth Orisek, who is a Senior Military Science Instructor for FSC’s ROTC. “Their performance at Advanced Camp will impact their selection for duty status and branch. CST is one of the largest training events in the military that happens every year. More than 6,000 cadets from across the nation will cycle through Fort Knox to conduct the 35-day training event.”

CST, also known as Advanced Camp, is designed to develop a cadet’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and to forge them into tough, adaptable leaders who can thrive in ambiguous and complex environments. Cadets are evaluated on their ability to lead at the squad and platoon levels, both in garrison and tactical environments. The participants are mentally and physically tested during a 12-day consequence driven field training exercise that replicates a combat training center rotation. Successful completion of the Advanced Camp is a prerequisite for commissioning.

Advanced Camp won’t be the only stop for most of these cadets.

After completing CST, Abell and Shiveler will be completing internships this summer as well. Abell will head to Fort Huachuca (Ariz.) for an Army Test and Evaluation Command internship, while Shiveler will be off to Fort Belvoir (Va.) for a Veterinarian internship.

Seven cadets will also attend Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) following CST. During these assignments, cadets will shadow active-duty First Lieutenants for two weeks to gain experience.

Andrade will head to Fort Cavazos (Texas) to be with an Engineer unit, Caraballo will go to Fort Riley (Kansas) as part of an Armor unit, McGreevy and Myles will both be off to Fort Bragg (N.C.) with McGreevy going to a Medical Services Unit and Myles to a Quartermaster unit. Powell will head to an Armor Unit at Fort Carson (Colo.), Ramage will go to an Adjutant General Corps unit at Fort Sill (Okla.) and Steiner will be off to a Military Police unit at Fort Lewis (Colo.).

Five members of the ROTC will be participating in advanced individual training courses.

Allen and Jaylen Caneus will be at Fort Benning (Ga.) for a Basic Airborne and Master Fitness Trainer course respectively. Heading to Air Assault School in different states are Andrew Furciato at Fort Campbell (Ky.) and Griffin Hudson at West Point (N.Y.). Mendez will go to Fort Bragg for the Robin Sage Exercise which is for potential Special Forces candidates.

Three cadets will be a part of Project Global Officer (GO), which is a nationwide program open to all qualified ROTC students offering fully-funded opportunities in critical language education, overseas study, and cross-cultural experience. Through Project GO, future military officers develop linguistic and cross-cultural communication skills required for effective leadership for all services in the 21st century operational environment.

Steiner will be studying Turkish at the University of Florida for the second consecutive year, Luke Reeves will be studying Swahili in Tanzania and Kenya, and Joseph Freeman will be learning Arabic in Jordan.

Furciato will also be at CST as an underclassman but as a part of the Opposing Forces (OPFOR) team, which is an enemy role playing team.

Approximately 288 cadets are able to participate in the OPFOR program that provides an in-depth tactical experience. The OPFOR program is approximately 30-days in length and allows cadets to test their leadership abilities at the fire team and squad levels, from troop leading procedures to tactical operations against Advanced Camp squads and platoons.

Jadon Smith and Luke Weisensee will be heading to Fort Knox for Basic Camp. This is for cadets who were not in ROTC for the first two years in college, allowing them to join the ROTC as a junior.

Finally, three of Florida Southern’s ROTC instructors will head to Fort Knox for Advanced Camp instruction. Lt. Col. John Denney, Capt. Greg Miller, and Master Sgt. Orisek will all teach during CST.