Cadet Profiles

Brooke is a senior in the Army ROTC program majoring in Dietetics and Psychology. Brooke grew up playing a variety of sports and participated in multiple extracurricular activities including band, choir, speech, drama, FCCLA. She joined the North Dakota National Guard in November 2014 and Army became her blood. In the Fall of 2015 she transferred from Minot State University to the University of North Dakota and during the student activities fair found out about Army ROTC. After a semester in Army ROTC she fell in love with the activities and all ROTC has to offer. She contracted in the Spring of 2016 and serves simultaneously as a Cadet in the UND Army ROTC program and with the 817th Engineer Company out of Jamestown, ND.

I was chosen for active duty upon graduation and hoping to branch into the Medical Corps. Joining UND Army ROTC has proven to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have met many great friends that continuously inspire me to try harder and to develop my leadership and interpersonal skills. I have been able to participate in many exciting experiences during my time in ROTC including rappelling out of a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter and getting my wings at Air Assault School. I cannot wait to see where the military takes me from here but I know that ROTC was the stepping-stone I needed to sharpen my skills and mold me into the best leader I can be. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to serve our country and am very thankful that ROTC has provided a path that allows me to serve as an Army Officer in the United States Army.

Jared is a junior at the University of North Dakota. He is currently working on his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. He grew up in Rosemount, MN. He grew up playing nearly every sport there was, but as he got older, he focused on playing lacrosse, which was his favorite sport. After high school lacrosse, he focused on weightlifting at the UND wellness, where he spends most of his evenings listening to music. In his free time, his hobbies include building computers, and shooting.

In November of 2013, Jared joined the Minnesota National Guard as an Infantryman. He graduated OSUT training at Fort Benning, Georgia the summer of 2014 and has served since then. More recently, he contracted with UND Army ROTC and was blessed with the opportunity to attend US Army Airborne School, again in Fort Benning, Georgia. Jared described the experience as “unreal” and that he was “grateful for the opportunity.” Serving in the military has been a dream of his since before he can remember. Both of his Grandfathers served in the military, and his dad served in the Air Force as well. He also has an Uncle who served in the Navy, a cousin who was commissioned into the Army in the mid 2000's, and another who served in the Marine Core. Jared’s support system comes from his father, who has always encouraged his to become an Officer. ROTC has given Jared many opportunities to improve myself as both a soldier and a civilian. He has have made numerous lifelong friends who I am very grateful for. He is currently looking forward to commissioning into the Infantry in December of 2019, and is excited for his future career in the US Army.

Brett is a sophomore at the University of North Dakota and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He grew up in St. Charles, a small town in southeast Minnesota where he was raised by his parents Pete Strand, a Media Systems Engineer at Mayo Clinic, and Sharonne Baylor, an Environmental Engineer at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge.

All through high school, he knew that he wanted to serve his country in the Armed Forces. After looking at several different options, he decided that ROTC was the best choice for him. This decision pushed Brett to be the best version of himself that he could and by the end of the year, I was offered a three-year scholarship. Joining ROTC was a great decision and has given him opportunities to take part in color guard and the Army ROTC intramural football team. The ROTC program has not only changed his life but has brought Brett to meet some of his closest friends. On top of ROTC, he is involved with the University Band and the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. Outside of college, his hobbies include fishing, working on his Jeep and taking it off-roading, maintaining and shooting firearms, especially old military rifles and learning US military history. He is eager to sign his contract this year and to see what the future holds for both his major and his army career.

Jaydon is a freshman in the Army ROTC program majoring in Nursing. Jaydon grew up in Devils Lake, North Dakota playing multiple sports, which included hockey, football and wrestling. His extra-curricular activities included Speech, Drama, Student Council, Orchestra, and JROTC. In his free time, his hobbies include hunting, fishing, and snowmobiling. He joined the North Dakota National guard in October of 2015 and went to basic training in between his junior and senior year of high school. From day one, Jaydon has been planning to become an officer in the United States Army. His father served 20 years in the North Dakota National Guard before retiring. His uncle is a decorated Vietnam veteran, and Jaydon has big shoes to fill. Everything he did from the moment he joined in 2015 led up to him joining and contracting with the ROTC program. Jaydon just contracted this fall, and plans to commission as a medical officer after graduating UND. He is excited for his next few years in college, but more excited to commission as a 2^nd Lieutenant into the United States Army.