Border mission reunion, former professor and cadet

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – U.S. Army Col. Lillian Woodington, commander of 89th Military Police Brigade, assigned to Joint Task Force-Southern Border, saw an unexpected, familiar face while visiting with her, Soldiers conducting detection and monitoring operations along the southern border. Among the Soldiers assigned to the 716th Military Police Battalion, she spotted 1st Lt. Blake Weary—one of her former Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets from Slippery Rock University.

“I was excited,” Woodington said. “To watch him as a cadet, and then later to see him out in the field leading Soldiers and doing such a great job, it truly made my heart full.”

Woodington served as professor of military science at Slippery Rock University from 2019 to She primarily worked with senior cadets; however, she recalled Weary’s drive as a freshman cadet. She remembered his motivation and eagerness to learn, stating his leadership potential was clear from the beginning.

“He immediately stood out as a leader among his peers,” she said. “I’d like to think that my passion for leadership and emphasis on caring for Soldiers made an impact on him and the rest of the cadets.” Weary said, knowing Woodington had taken command of the 89th Military Police brigade, his battalion's higher headquarters gave him a boost in morale, but seeing her face-to-face in the field made it real.

“I told my [company] commander right away,” Weary said. “She was my professor of military science at Slippery Rock and even gave me my national scholarship. Having her as a leader again feels very familiar—it’s like things have come full circle.” Weary said the most significant lesson Woodington instilled in him was the importance of being personable and caring for Soldiers as individuals.

“She always asked about our lives, our families, and our goals,” Weary said. “She cared about the person behind the uniform, and that’s something I’ve carried into how I lead my Soldiers today.”

Both leaders agree the Army is challenging, but moments like this make the service worthwhile. “She’s definitely a leader you look up to,” Weary said. “Seeing her career and how she’s inspired others makes me want to do the same one day.”

For Woodington, seeing one of her former cadets lead an operational mission was more than a coincidence—it was proof of the lasting impact of quality mentorship and teaching.

“The second I saw Blake, I just lost focus on everything else for a moment,” she said with a smile. “Talking with his commander and hearing what a great job he was doing truly reinforced why I stayed in the Army—to build the next generation of leaders. Our Army’s future is in great hands with leaders like Lt. Weary.”