UNLV Army ROTC cadet receives national recognition

Dick Benoit

Thursday, April 10, 2003 | 9:57 a.m.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas Army ROTC Cadet Christopher Coles will join outstanding cadets from universities around the country to meet with senior government officials at a National Security Seminar to be conducted April 15-18 in Lexington, Va.

Coles earned the opportunity to participate in the event by being the top Army ROTC cadet at UNLV and in Nevada.

UNLV's Army ROTC unit, with 72 cadets, now outnumbers its parent unit at the University of Nevada, Reno. Coles is the sole representative to the seminar for both units.

While in Lexington, Coles will have the opportunity to interact with the key leaders and discuss a variety of issues directly bearing on national security.

In an internationally broadcast speech from last year's event, President Bush noted the importance of the seminar and commended the cadets selected for the honor.

"The president's attendance at last year's event underscores the importance of the opportunity for top cadets," said Maj. Gen. John T.D. Casey, who commands the Army ROTC program.

"The Army ROTC program provides the best leadership training in the world. At times like these, it is comforting to know that our Army will have leaders like this joining its ranks," Casey said.

Coles has assembled an impressive list of accomplishments at UNLV to earn the honor. In addition to serving as the Cadet Ranger Team Challenge Captain for his unit, he has been on the Dean's Honor List eight times.

Dawn Neuman, interim vice provost of UNLV's Educational Outreach, which oversees ROTC at UNLV, said Coles is representative of the quality young people participating in UNLV's ROTC program.

"Contracted cadets at UNLV have a 94 percent graduation rate," she said, adding that students can start the program at the Community College of Southern Nevada or at UNLV.

UNLV's program has grown from eight cadets in 1998 to 72 cadets this year. Neuman gives much of the credit for the program's success to active-duty Maj. Ross Bryant, who provides oversight to the program. Bryant is supported by eight Army Reserve officers and four non-commissioned officers who provide administration and instructional expertise.

Graduates who complete UNLV's Army ROTC program are commissioned officers in the active Army Reserve or the National Guard.

In brief