08/19/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/19/2024 08:01
Stuart transferred from Georgia Southern specifically to pursue a commission into the US Army.
"I had family graduate from UNG and commission into the Army, and I heard that coming here would best prepare me for a career in the Army. This place produces leaders," he said. "I came in with no military background and everything was new to me. It was a big, big change. I was just following, learning the ropes and getting used to the military lifestyle."
Stuart continues to hone his leadership skills in the classroom and within the corps.
"First, I learned how to be a follower. Before you can effectively lead, I think the basis of learning to lead is learning how to follow," he said.
Stuart said his experience as a recruit helped prepare him for his leadership role of squad leader, adding that "there's a lot of planning and a lot of meticulous detail that goes into what we're running here."
"This year, from a leadership perspective, it's all about leading in a way that they can perfectly fit in with the Corps and be productive and contribute and make it better," he said. "FROG Week is getting them to take that first step forward to follow and learn the ways of how things run here."
Stuart is pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary studies with concentrations in business and a military leadership.
Montejano, also a squad leader, said that the role provided her with an opportunity to see the growth FROGs experience over the week's time.
"It was truly an experience watching and forming these FROGS into becoming cadets. I got to build trustful relationships," the Marietta, Georgia resident said. "As a squad leader, I helped them understand the rights and wrongs. It was truly a pleasure seeing the growth of these new cadets."
Montejano is pursuing a degree in criminal justice with a concentration in forensics and a minor in Chinese.