Fall 2007
Vol. 14/ No. 2

For one long month, 32 days to be exact, every military cadet between their junior and senior year embarks to Warrior Forge. At the Leadership Development and Assessment Course, Warrior Forge's official name, higher ranking officials evaluate the leadership skills
of the cadets.

“This course evaluates the cadets on everything they've learned in ROTC during their three years in the program,” says Captain Lindsey Decker, a Mizzou ROTC recruiter.

Deb Gayer, left, learns how to shoot a grenade launcher during her time at Warrior Forge.

During this time period, higher education instructors from across the country are invited to Warrior Forge. Deb Gayer, MU nursing instructor and retired military officer, was one of the faculty members invited to fill one of the limited number of seats the military offers to this five-day mini course.

“It allows the faculty to see what they can do to help nursing cadets in their undergraduate careers,” Decker says. “The biggest challenge facing nursing students who enter the ROTC program is that of time management. So if instructors can experience what the cadets do, then they can be more supportive of them during the course of a semester.”

Nursing instructors will visit an Army hospital and have a chance to visit with the nursing staff as well as take a tour of the facility. They also are given the option to participate in the cadet's activities while at Warrior Forge.

“This course is an incredible opportunity for retired military personnel such as myself to see what is required of today's military cadets,” Gayer says.

Warrior Forge is located in Ft. Lewis in Washington state, just outside of Seattle.

Additional photos