Paul Revere Battalion Update

Paul Revere Battalion Update

Cadets gather outdoors for the first Army ROTC formation
Cadets gather for the first Army ROTC formation of the fall 2021 semester.

The Paul Revere Battalion had a packed summer and beginning of the semester with a multitude of events ongoing. In August, LTC Dan Williams dedicated a day to the STEAM Ahead Academy by joining them on their “Drone Day.” To begin the fall 2021 semester, Army ROTC participated in the MIT Academic Expo on September 1, a recruiting opportunity leading to many new and interested cadets in the program. Army ROTC also participated in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency – Defense Attaché Operations Orientation Program on September 14, which was hosted and coordinated by the Office of the Associate Provost for International Activities. As part of the orientation, representatives from Army, Air Force, and Navy provided an overview of the ROTC program to share best practices with the delegates. The morning culminated with a luncheon where attendees continued to discuss the unique opportunities of the MIT ROTC program; it was an outstanding event and we truly appreciated the opportunity to be a part of it.

A major enduring focus within the MIT ROTC program is retainment of the most talented cadets in the country. This dual-pronged effort is accomplished in many ways to spike the interest of a population that is a close representative of MIT and the United States. First and foremost is the emphasis on academics, and that nothing should impede their ability to complete an assignment, nor should their grades suffer due to ROTC activities. Second is the open-source efforts put forth through social media, as well as the internal cadet recruiting events offered at various dates and times.

With every great organization comes change, and in that spirit MIT Army ROTC welcomed LTC Dan Williams and MSG Adam VanDeWalle to the team. We look forward to a busy and productive year!

— Lisa Morin, Army ROTC