BAMBERG, Germany " Making the transition from college student to every day professional can be a stressful adjustment for graduates. However, making the transition from college student to wartime leader involves challenges that spending your time in the classroom cannot simulate.
For upcoming graduates of West Point and various Reserve Officer Training Corps programs on college campuses around the country, their first challenge as a college graduate is not to find a job, but to inspire Soldiers of varying ages to follow them into harm’s way.
To assist a newly minted second lieutenant’s transition into the regular Army, the Cadet Troop Leader Training Sponsorship Program places future second lieutenants into regular Army units for a few weeks during the cadet’s summer break. Divided into three separate phases, the CTLTSP runs consecutively throughout the summer months.
One cadet in the CTLTSP recently spent time here with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, was Houston native and West Point Cadet, Marcie Nordt.
“The first week we spent in garrison,” said Nordt summarizing her experience. “The last two weeks (we) have been in the field doing fun stuff like running convoy operations, learning some medical skills, ranges and whatever random task we’ve been assigned.”
Although Nordt enjoyed the field, she also saw that her future as a platoon leader would involve some strenuous work.
“As a platoon leader the days are very long and they never seem to end. You never know when your duty day is over because you get tasked with lots of random stuff,” said Nordt.
Nordt also recognized some of the challenges of being a platoon leader as a great opportunity to grow and learn.
“As a platoon leader, it’s an interesting balance between you and your platoon sergeant. [Seeing] how those roles work has been really good and I’ve learned a lot,” added Nordt.
“I’ll take pretty much everything with me back to West Point, but the main thing I would say is (learning) what to do and not to do as a leader. I definitely think it has been worthwhile. I’ve learned a ton and hopefully grown as a potential lieutenant and leader,” said Nordt.
Nordt was member of the first phase of CTLTSP to come to the 16th Sust. Bde, May 24-June 15. In the coming months, more cadets from various programs will spend a few weeks with the other battalions throughout the brigade.
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