Vanderbilt Army ROTC ranked 2nd in the nation
Posted 10/6/2009
The Vanderbilt Army ROTC conducted its annual rappelling training at the microbiology building from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 1. Cadets scaled down the 70' wall on the north side of the Stevenson Center Molecular Biology building overlooking Library Lawn.
The Fiscal 2010 rankings, published as the National Order of Merit list, are based on the collective performance of each program’s cadets. Of the more than 5,000 students enrolled in Army ROTC nationally, Vanderbilt students averaged a ranking of 1,279.
“I am very excited about the ranking but after one year of working with our cadets, I am not at all surprised,” said Lieutenant Colonel James Wilburn, the professor of military science and director of the school’s Army Officer Education Program. “Our program attracts some of the most intelligent, mature, innovative and confident young leaders I have worked with in nearly 20 years of service. I am humbled by their commitment to this program and dedication to national service.”
In addition, three Vanderbilt University ROTC cadets (Dallas Durham, Annamarie Casimes and Rob Stubbs) earned designation as distinguished military graduates for finishing in the top 20 percent individually in the nation ranking.
“My success in the program is a direct result of the tireless efforts of mentors that guided me throughout the program and instructors that saw something in me that I did not see in myself,” said Casimes, a cadet lieutenant colonel and the Go Gold Battalion commander. “Collectively, both developed me as a person and a leader.”
National Order of Merit rankings are based on a student’s academic, physical fitness and leadership performance both on and off campus. Following their junior year, cadets attend the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) at Fort Lewis, Wash., where they undergo a 32-day evaluation. This year, 50 percent of Vanderbilt ROTC cadets attending LDAC received an “excellent” rating, the highest possible. The national average for Cadets earning an “excellent” rating is 18 percent.
“This program definitely has many above-average cadets who want to be here; motivation and morale are high and that's very inspiring,” Cadet Major Durham said.
The Vanderbilt Army ROTC program is regarded as one of the most selective officer-producing programs in the country. Despite the very selective admissions standards, enrollment in the Vanderbilt Army ROTC program is up 49 percent from last year.
“We have shifted our message a bit,” said Wilburn. “Although our program is a source of financial aid and scholarships, we find greater success in attracting the most talented scholar-athlete-leaders by designing, conducting, and marketing a very challenging leadership curriculum that leads to a commission as an officer in one of our nation’s most noble professions – the military.”
Vanderbilt University acts as the host program for all college and university students in the Nashville area interested in pursuing a career as an Army officer. The program is made up of students from Vanderbilt, Belmont, Lipscomb, Tennessee State, Trevecca, Fisk and Free Will Baptist Bible College.
Contact: Lieutenant Colonel James Wilburn, (615) 322-8555
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