HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M is celebrating 50 years of military excellence, but the investment the program has had on its cadets is even greater. "I'm an alum and product of the Alabama A&M University. Coming back ten years later, I can tell you that the program has grown, the program has changed, changing for the better," LTC Early Howard Jr. shared. "I think we've definitely had a little more diversity in the program than we did when I was a cadet."
50 years of existence isn't the only milestone the Bulldog Battalion is celebrating. "There are actually only three ways to become an officer in the military in any service," Ret. MG Patrick Burden explained. "Through West Point, United States Military Academy, through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program, which they have here at Alabama A&M University, and Officer Candidate School. Here at Alabama A&M, the Reserve Officer Training Corps program was established in 1971 and commissioned the first officer back in 1973."
The Alabama A&M Army ROTC is a leadership development program in the American Southeast. They are mentored by US Army professionals on what it takes to lead, and motivate their peers, while becoming mentally and physically fit. "We currently have right around 110 participating cadets in the program," Howard said. "Of those 110, we have right around 60 that are contracting, meaning that they have actually signed paperwork and they're fully committed to becoming officers in the United States army so, the program has grown in the right way."
Throughout its 50 years, the program has welcomed cadets who are sure of the military life, but also those who may not be sure. "My uncle was the only officer in my family, everyone else enlisted," Nathaniel Boswell, a MS2 cadet shares. "So, I kind of wanted to be different, but at the same time, it took a minute for me to decide if i really wanted to and then i got here and i was like, yeah, I'll do it."
Unlike Boswell, for his senior leader, the decision wasn't hard. "I knew I always wanted to be in the military," Aaron Gibbs, MS4 cadet shares. "So, I first enlisted when I was 17, and so I came when I finished basic training at AIT. I came to college, and I knew that I wanted to be an officer in the United States army."
Both Boswell and Gibbs are grateful for the experience, and they have even learned more about themselves in the process. "I didn't know I was able to lead people," Howard said. "I was always kind of an introvert, kind of shy. So being in the program and going to camp actually brought that out of me. So here I learned a lot about leadership skills, what is actually like to lead soldiers and not just lead soldiers, but lead civilians also."
"Expressing myself more and being comfortable talking to other people in different settings because it was little different from me being in high school," Boswell said. "Everybody was like me and I'm getting here and everybody's different so learning to fit into our different spaces."
The week-long celebration concludes with a military ball on Saturday, and you can find more information here.