Caught in the moment, senior Lynzel Dimal could not believe what she heard. How could she possibly be recognized for an award like this out of 168 cadets? Dimal was named a Cadet Training officer is one of the biggest types of recognition in ROTC, at the Cadet Leadership Course at the University of Louisiana-Monroe this summer from the 10th to the 17th of June. It shows the leadership and dedication of a cadet.

“I didn’t know what to do,” Dimal said.“I expected to get Distinguished Graduate, but I never thought I would get Cadet Training Officer.”     

This summer, 11 ROTC students were hand-selected to attend the program, which challenged cadets to their limit.

From physical training first thing in the morning to absolute silence, with cadets like sophomore Mark Haston were put into a harsh environment where teamwork was essential.

“In CLC, we all depended on each other,” Haston said. “Everything was about teamwork. We did everything together.”

Throughout the week, cadets were on a schedule and had several regulations.

“They were constantly on our backs,” Dimal said. “It was different from ROTC in the way [they] yelled at us and how the tiniest thing you could get written up for.”

Although CLC was a program created to show students the reality of the military, some cadets feel differently.

“We woke up around 4:30 and went to sleep around 11,” Haston said. “Our days were usually 14-15 hour days, Haston said. “CLC was just a little taste of what the military really is. The only difference is that there was a lot to learn in a small amount.”