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ASU Cadets Attend National Character and Leadership Symposium

March 04, 2015

4 ASU AFROTC Cadets were able to attend the annual National Character and Leadership Symposium at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 

Every year the United States Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, host its National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS), an official gathering of military leaders, corporate presidents, and distinguished scholars to hold serious discussion exploring topics of character, leadership , and how it relates to military leadership today. This year, on February 26th, 2015, four Angelo State University (ASU) cadets from Air Force ROTC Detachment 847 were selected to attend the academy’s 22nd annual symposium. Cadets Ray Chhith, Robert Crumley, Alex Covey, and Dylan Meador were chosen above their peers to represent ASU and attend the symposium’s multiple lectures and discussion panels.

This year’s event included the presence of many distinguished visitors including Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (CMSAF) James Cody, representing the highest enlisted level of leadership in the entire Air Force, and General Darren McDew, a four star general in charge of Air Mobility Command, the major command that is responsible for all air transportation assets within the United States Air Force. Other distinguished guests included Allison A. Hickey, Undersecretary of Benefits for the U.S. Veterans Administration and multiple high ranking flag officers and senior military leadership.

The opening ceremony, attended by thousands of Air Force Academy and ROTC cadets from around the nation, included a speech by CMSAF Cody over the importance of developing yourself as a leader in order to better serve the enlisted men underneath you. Following the opening ceremony, multiple discussion panels, and speakers were occurring simultaneously throughout the campus, and cadets were free to choose which ones they would like to attend. Panel discussion and speeches included topics surrounding professional commitment, the profession of arms, character in leadership, and even included a theater performance and excerpt from the classical Greek play Philoctetes, along with a discussion of how its themes surrounding war and morality are still relevant to today’s military members.

The four ASU cadets in attendance all agree that the symposium was highly beneficial to their professional development and feel that they gained a great deal of insight that will help them to become better future Air Force officers. When asked what his favorite part of the event was, Cadet Alex Covey said that it was the panel discussion on professional commitment that impressed him the most because it “gave a really good insight into what it’s like to make decisions under pressure and how to make those decisions while under fire.” Cadet Dylan Meador also expressed that “The symposium was definitely a unique opportunity to connect with other potential Air Force officers and I definitely recommend that all future ROTC cadets take advantage of the opportunity when it comes.”

When all four cadets finally returned from Colorado Springs the following week, they were tasked to present and share what they learned with the rest of Detachment 847. While doing so they all stressed the importance of taking advantage of leadership development opportunities such as this in order to better themselves as future military officers. In the end, these four cadets gained much from their brief trip to the Air Force Academy and will be sure to take the lessons they learned and pass them down to their fellow cadets.