For more than 70 years the Army ROTC program has molded future leaders and opened a world of possibilities to students.
The year was 1951, and Marshall University was still Marshall College. That’s when the school was selected by the Department of the Army to participate in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program. The original offices were housed in the Old Main Annex but a decade later were moved to the present location in Gullickson Hall. For more than seven decades the program has helped hardworking students pay for their education and has produced a number of successful leaders in the United States military.
Today, there are 30 cadets in Marshall’s ROTC program, which boasts a refreshed space in Gullickson Hall.
“They come to ROTC because they want to be leaders,” said Lt. Col. Bret M. Bemis, professor of military science. “They learn to lead when in charge and follow when they aren’t.”
Bemis said he marvels at the diversity of backgrounds and majors of the students in ROTC. These young men and women carry impressive academic and extracurricular loads such as molecular biology, criminal justice and cybersecurity, which is trending among cadets. Student-athletes participate, too.
“We have a football player on scholarship and a soccer player who is headed to West Point,” Bemis noted.
Kelli Brewer, recruiting operations officer at Marshall, explained that today’s Army is not just what you see on television or in movies.
“It’s an actual career, and you can still have a life and still have fun,” Brewer said. “It’s not just infantries and guns a-blazing. In fact, 80% of the people in the military fill a support role. Small-statured females have a place in the military as do liberal arts and science majors, doctors, lawyers and engineers.”
Retired United States Army Lt. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield earned his commission from Marshall University in 1982 and largely credits his ROTC foundation for his success in life, which now includes a career with the Boeing Company as vice president for Army systems — defense, space and security government operations.
“I didn’t sign up thinking I’d try to be a three-star general,” Crutchfield said. “I signed up because college was taking a heavy financial toll on my parents. One day I was walking from Smith Hall to Twin Towers when I saw tables set up in the big field. Out of curiosity, I walked up to the one with the men in uniform. I signed up for a three-year scholarship. I had nothing to lose.”
Crutchfield entered the ROTC program where he found an extension of his father’s discipline and work ethic and his mother’s compassion.
“I still tuck the loops of shoestrings into my boots,” Crutchfield said. “I fondly remember all my instructors. They really cared about us and put us on a path to success. When you have superior mentorship and leadership to look up to, how can you not be successful?”
His path meant 35 years in the Army that culminated in a three-star rank.
“A three-star rank is like getting struck by lightning,” Crutchfield said. “I’m very proud of my rank. It’s rare but possible.”
Possibility. That’s something he believes ROTC students at Marshall will tap into when they enter the program and earn their commission. It has worked for him and several other high-ranking Army officers, including two three-star generals, major generals and brigadier generals.
“This program can transform people and open up a world to them that they might otherwise not get to experience,” Crutchfield said. “I’ve lived all around the world — Germany, Japan, Korea and 22 countries in Asia. I would never have been able to do that for myself and my family without the Army.”
Crutchfield remains connected to Marshall by serving on a few of its boards, and when he returns to speak to ROTC cadets, his advice is this: “Work hard. Be kind and show compassion. Help people. Respect each other’s opinions even if you disagree.”
Cadet Beth Stepp of Ripley, West Virginia, was commissioned as an Aviation 2nd Lieutenant on April 29, 2022, and graduated with an M.S. in biology the next day. This summer she will head to Fort Rucker, Alabama, for her Basic Officer Leadership Course and flight school. She described the ROTC program as a “crash course in leadership.” Stepp saw the program as a way to grow as a person and serve her country.
“ROTC emphasizes teamwork. Iron sharpens iron, and I’ve had the privilege of studying with some extremely sharp cadets who have helped me immensely,” Stepp said. “We’ve been through a lot together, like cleaning weapons from 06:00-14:00, jumping into the pool from the high dive while blindfolded and holding a fake rifle, and shooting at each other with paintballs in the middle of the night. I’ve loved watching new cadets join, seeing their potential from the start and watching them grow to become incredibly strong leaders.”
Stepp said her college experience before and after joining ROTC is like night and day.
“Most people in ROTC describe me as bubbly and talkative, but I was extremely shy before I joined,” Stepp recalled. “It’s changed my personal life and career trajectory because it helped me become so much more confident in myself as a person and a leader.”
Corey Littreal, PFC Army National Guard, is a freshman biology major from Fayetteville, West Virginia. He was encouraged by an uncle to consider ROTC when he was just in middle school. Just one year into the program, Littreal says ROTC’s emphasis on integrity is a real driver for him.
“Integrity, doing the right thing even when no one is watching, is not easy but it distinguishes the good from the great,” Littreal said.
An ROTC scholarship lifted a financial burden from Littreal, saving him from seeking financial aid. It’s also eased that freshman-year awkwardness.
“It’s been a great way to get out of my room and meet people, including a brigadier general who came to campus to speak,” he said.
Littreal aspires to eventually apply for the Interservice Physician Assistant Program, a two-year program in the Army to become a physician assistant.
Because of the pandemic, recruiting for ROTC has been a challenge. As such, Brewer said she focuses on being flexible and making adjustments for students.
“Before I try to sell anything, I want to know what the student wants out of it. It’s a very personalized approach,” said Brewer, explaining that she likes to sit down with students and parents in Gullickson Hall while she details everything on a white board.
The ROTC program recently received a $30,000 grant from Enterprise through the Marshall University Foundation for a long-overdue refresh of their offices.
“Now we have a place we can be proud of to meet with students and parents,” said Brewer, who has been with the program for 17 years. “I’ve met so many alumni through the years who give back.”
So, Brewer wasn’t surprised to learn that one of them, a retired three-star general, is on standby to help her recruit.
“The job market is so competitive right now, and we can’t expect students to stumble across a table like I did,” Crutchfield said. “Recruiting is a challenge nationwide, but I love the potential I see at Marshall. The people in the Huntington region have such a great propensity to serve their country.”
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About the Author: Lalena Price is a freelance writer living in Kenna, West Virginia.
Photos (from second from top):
Maj. Danny Thornhill (left) and Lt. Col. Bret Bemis are not only military officers but also faculty members in military science at Marshall.
Lt. Gen. Anthony Crutchfield, a former ROTC participant at Marshall, received the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award.