WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Lt. Gen. Charles D. Luckey, Chief of Army Reserve and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command, joined nine other general officers at Howard University, in Washington, to mentor future leaders of America’s Army during a discussion panel Nov. 7.
In its fifth year, approximately 400 ROTC cadets, from 22 universities across the region, participated in the forum. The cadets had the opportunity to mingle with Army senior leaders at a luncheon and receive mentorship for their future careers during a discussion panel, where cadets had the opportunity to ask questions and receive guidance.
Luckey accepted the invitation to join the conference, for the second year in a row, to not only share his experiences but to help the cadets gain insight into the needs of the Army and how their skill sets can play a part in meeting those needs.
“It’s a great time to join the Army,” said Luckey. “We’re moving into a new era. You name the domain, it will be contested by adversaries that are capable of doing [damage]. Whether it’s cyber… underwater or in space, you guys are uniquely situated to help us deal with these problems.”
“I really want to work as a cyber officer,” said Cadet Enandi Diamond, a student at Howard University, who recently chose to commission through the Army Reserve. “[This] gives me an opportunity to work in the civilian sector and be a Soldier – I get to live the best of both worlds.”
While the cadets may have an idea of what they want to do in their military career, the main focus of their time is spent hitting the books and chasing a diploma. During the conference, they lined the aisles of the auditorium and fired off question after question in hopes of gaining a better understanding of what to expect as future leaders in the Army.
“There’s so much we don’t know,” said Diamond. “Today, I learned about the 75th Innovation Command, which is new to the Reserve.”
The 75th Innovation Command needs new and emerging skill sets, such as cyber – the career field Diamond wishes to pursue.
While the cadets aren’t sure what lies ahead, or where their Army careers are going to take them, one thing they do know, is they made a pledge to serve the United States of America.
“This commitment we make is bigger than ourselves,” said Luckey. “It’s about the future of our republic. We have to instill this into our emerging, young leaders and I’m here to do that.”