FORT SILL, Okla. (March 13, 2014) -- Pvt. Tyler Gness is going to the United States Military Academy to become officer, but first he is completing Basic Combat Training and Advanced Individual Training at the Fires Center of Excellence. It's not the most direct route, but it's one he believes will make him a better leader.
"It's long been said that some of the best officers were prior enlisted. I knew that I was pursuing a career as an officer anyway so I wanted to see both sides," said Gness.
He's currently in his sixth week of Basic Combat Training and he'll continue on to AIT to become a Multiple Launch Rocket System Crewmember.
He originally applied to West Point in his senior year of high school and applied once again in his sophomore year of college.
"I finally got it while I was in basic," said Gness. "I was actually getting a brief on finance so I was sitting in the middle of class and the master sergeant pulled me out. He just said that I got accepted ... it was crazy."
"A lot of brand new cadets going into West Point or ROTC don't know really what to expect military-wise so now he will after going through basic training and he can use that to be a leader at West Point," said Capt. David Rhoads, C/1-40th FA executive officer.
Gness said his peers in BCT still treat him the same even after finding out he may go from private to lieutenant.
"They don't treat me any different. They give me a lot of guff, but that's about it."
He added his battle buddies did switch his nickname from "Cornbread" to "West Point."
His ultimate goal is to be an infantry officer and since he is going into field artillery he will already perspective into the combat arms branch.
"As an officer you're going to have to interact with senior [noncommissioned officers] and NCOs and junior enlisted all the time. Your main responsibility is to take care of the personnel and also lead them."
He said he is gaining insight into how commanders interact with their noncommissioned officers by watching his commander, first sergeant and drill sergeants.
"I'm learning that there's a lot of professionalism."
Gness said he wanted to join the military because of his upbringing in Annapolis, Md., around the Naval Academy.
"My father went to the Naval Academy. He was a '65 graduate so he graduated with a lot of great guys. Admiral [Doug] Katz, Roger Staubach ... he was on the same football team as Joe Bellino, Rear Admiral 'Froggy' [John] Christenson," said Gness. "I had always grown up going to Navy-Army football games watching the esprit de corps that the Navy has."
He said there were others who helped shape his decision, but he was really inspired by Lt. Cmdr. Erik Kristensen.
"When I was in second grade everyone wrote who their hero was growing up and Erik as mine."
Gness grew up looking up to Kristensen and his service as a Navy SEAL. Kristensen was later killed in action June 28, 2005 during a firefight with Taliban forces.
"The guys who actually came in and rescued one of his men were Army Rangers and I looked at myself long and hard in high school and said I can go to the Navy and I can try as hard as I can to get that combat arms job in special warfare, but in the Army I can go Rangers; I can go infantry; I can go artillery, any way I go I'm still going to be happy with myself and proud that I made the decision to serve," said Gness.
He credits the Naval Academy for giving him a great sense of what it is like to serve, but he believes he will be more useful to his country in the Army.
"In the Naval Academy they're looking for a lot of engineers and I believe West Point is looking for a lot of leaders."
Although his sights are set on being an officer, currently he has to worry about the normal challenges that come along with training as an enlisted Soldier.
"I'm just facing challenges day by day."
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