Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Valuable skills for any career path
You want to be at the top of your game when you graduate, and that means learning skills that you can use in the real world. The leadership skills, confidence and team-building concepts you will develop in ROTC can provide amazing depth to any profession where employees who take charge, make decisions and contribute to the company’s mission are a valued commodity.
ROTC complements all majors and adds dimension to your resume, even if you’re not planning to pursue a career in the military.
Military science students use their valuable leadership skills in a variety of fields and industries, including engineering, music, psychology or law enforcement.
What kinds of jobs can I pursue after studying military science?
Even if you don’t choose a career path in the military, ROTC will provide valuable skills that complement any degree program or career choice, including:
- Agricultural and food scientist
- Biochemist
- Environmental scientist
- Fish and game warden
- Nurse
- Operations research analyst
- Political scientist
The United States Army Reserve
The Army Reserve is used in support of the United States active duty Army. The Army Reserve allows you the flexibility to train close to your home and pursue your career goals while still serving your country. You are required to train one weekend a month and two weeks a year. You can start your Army Reserve career while at SFA and earn additional money through the Simultaneous Membership Program. Army Reserve officer obligation is eight years.
The United States Army National Guard
The United States Army National Guard allows you the flexibility to train close to your home, supports the active duty Army and requires you to train one weekend out of the month and two weeks out of the year. The National Guard also supports state-level missions such as flood and hurricane relief. You can start your Army National Guard career while at SFA and earn additional money through the Simultaneous Membership Program. Army National Guard officer obligation is eight years.
Lumberjacks make great leaders
SFA’s ROTC offers classes and field training activities that will help you develop the real-world leadership skills you’ll need to succeed in your career and your life. While some of our graduates choose to pursue military careers after graduation, many of our ROTC and military science students pursue careers in the civilian world, in industries ranging from business and finance to law enforcement and nursing.
Check out what some of our former ROTC and military science students are doing with their skills and training.
Lori Reeves, Class of ‘16
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army
After she graduated from SFA in 2016, Lori Reeves graduated from U.S. Army Sapper School and became one of fewer than 100 active army sappers in the U.S. Army. Army sappers are combat engineers whose duties include demolitions, airfield construction, clearing minefields and building bridges. While at SFA, Lori was an active member of the SFA ROTC.
Major General Neil S. Hersey, Class of ‘86
Commanding General, Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon
Maj. Gen. Neil S. Hersey assumed duties as the Commanding General of the Cyber Center of Excellence and Fort Gordon June 6, 2019, after serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the Cyber Center of Excellence and Commandant of the U.S. Army Cyber School at Fort Gordon, Georgia.
He commissioned through ROTC into military intelligence and is a Distinguished Military Graduate of SFA.
Hersey’s command tours in aviation and military intelligence units include Aerial Reconnaissance Company, 1st Military Intelligence Battalion, V Corps; Mission Troop, U.S. Office of Military Support; 1st Military Intelligence Battalion, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, Intelligence and Security Command; 21st Cavalry Brigade, Air Combat, Forces Command; and Joint Task Force Observe, Detect, Identify and Neutralize, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.
His key staff assignments as a cyberwarfare, aviation and intelligence officer include service as the Deputy Director for Operations at U.S. Central Command, the Director of Operations at the Cyber National Mission Force and Joint Task Force Ares, U.S. Cyber Command, the director for aviation and air sensors at U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, the Intelligence Chief for the 19th Battlefield Coordination Detachment, U.S. Army Europe, and senior staff positions in special operations.
His combat and operational experience includes multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan; Operations Deny Flight, Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard, Joint Forge, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Hungary; and Operation Allied Force, Albania and Kosovo. Most recently, he led Joint Task Force O.D.I.N. in Afghanistan, a multifunctional aviation and intelligence brigade joint task force supporting U.S. Forces in Afghanistan.
He holds masters’ degrees in National Security Strategy and Military Applied Arts and Sciences from the National Defense University and the Air University. He is a graduate of the military intelligence basic and advanced courses; the U.S. Army rotary-wing and fixed-wing courses; the U.S. Air Force Command and General Staff College; the National War College; and Ranger, Airborne and Air Assault schools. Hersey is a special operations qualified master aviator, rated in multiple rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft, with more than 3,700 total flight hours and more than 1,700 hours in combat and contingency operations.
His awards and decorations are typical of an officer of his rank and time in service. He is married and has two children.
Eugene Mitchell (“Mitch”) Weatherly, Class of ‘70
Executive Vice President of Store Operations, Pier 1 Imports
Nacogdoches native Mitch Weatherly was a member of SFA’s Lumberjack Cadet Battalion and was part of the first-ever ROTC commissioning class of 1970. After he left SFA, he became a helicopter pilot and spent a year flying missions in Vietnam. After the Army, he pursued a career in business and worked for Pier 1 Imports. He held the position of executive vice president of store operations when he retired from Pier 1 Imports in 2007.
In 2016, Mitch was inducted into the U.S. Army Command Cadet Reserve Officer Training Hall of Fame. He is one of just over 300 cadets to receive the prestigious award, which recognizes excellence in leadership.