Students First, Cadets Second, Successful Always

Cadet Courtney Dawkins

MS IV

I was born into a military family. My mother was enlisted for ten years and my father is a CSM in the United States Army.  I have one brother who is a Naval Officer and another who is an enlisted soldier in the Army.  I guess it came as no surprise when I joined JROTC in my high school in Paulding County, Georgia.  Quickly, I assimilated to the Army code of conduct and way of life. I gained more leadership within JROTC as an S-2 and Brigade Commander, than I did as Captain of the basketball team.  I chose Montana, one because I had never been and two their ROTC program is ranked high among schools.  My first year here was a rewarding experience, and I am looking forward to my remaining three.  Being in ROTC has definitely kept me physically focused with training hard and mentally focused on school.

Cadet Sam Gardipee

MS IV

Samuel Drake Gardipee is a Pre-Med Biology major at Carroll College in Helena, MT.  He is from Shelby, MT, and enlisted in the MT National Guard on the 1st of December 2004. Samuel Gardipee went to Basic at Ft. Leonardwood, MO and AIT at Ft. Sam Houston, TX to be a medic.

He has taught classes on active duty to include Combat Life Saver and Advanced Combat Medical Skills Training along with EMT classes at Fort Harrison. Upon graduation he will attend the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences for his doctorate in medicine.

The Army ROTC program has given me the opportunity to follow my life-long dream of being a doctor.