Cadet Leaders Show
the Way for Newcomers
during FROG Week
Training freshmen on how to become cadets is nothing
new for Cadet Lt. Col. Jacob Starrett. This year he took
transition of 234 incoming freshmen into the Corps of Cadets
from civilians to cadets at the University of North Georgia
(UNG), one of six senior military colleges in the nation. Like all
supervision from the commandant’s staff.
Starrett, a senior nursing major from Hartwell, said the
large-scale training.
“In this school we learn by experience,” he said. “And I think
that’s what makes it so great.”
at UNG. Retired Maj. Richard Neikirk, assistant commandant
of cadets at UNG, said about a third of those participating are
completely new to the military experience, while the rest have
Neikirk said the training helps incoming cadets learn about time
management, academic expectations, room standards, discipline,
rappelling, road marching, and simply the right and wrong way to
cadet develops from there.”
Cadets were seen walking around reading their knowledge
sheet to answer questions from cadet leadership, and that’s only
part of the information they absorbed on a daily basis.
“You’re learning something at all times,” Starrett said.
North Georgia Hair Cutters and receiving equipment on Monday.
| October 2018 | Real Hero Report
Then came weapons familiarity and the combat water survival
water in the pool at Memorial Hall Gym.
Yolimar Rivera, a FROG from Canton, Georgia, said it was
great to see the cadets lead the newcomers.
“Even though they’re hard on us, we get to know them,” Rivera
said. “And I feel like making those bonds early on is really
special. I’ll be halfway through my semester and need to know
something, and I’ll have someone to go to.”
Ayomide Adekola, a FROG from Loganville, Georgia who was
born in Nigeria, wants to one day be an Army Ranger. The oldest
cadets set for FROGs.
them and exceed them as much as possible because that’s how I
was raised,” Adekola said.
Starrett said the reactions to the obstacle courses on Thursday at
Pine Valley were a turning point.
where we really get to see the leaders among the group come
out,” Starrett said. “And that’s a really cool experience because
names. And you get to see the true, natural leaders come out and
work as a team to complete an objective.”
incoming freshmen to question if they want to stay in the Corps.
learn about themselves and how to lead.
“If you stick with it and you like the military experience, you
can have a blast,” Starrett said.
role models.
“It just shows what I have to look forward to in the coming
years,” he said. “I look at that and say if they can do it, so can I.”
Cadet Lt. Col. Jacob Starrett speaks with FROGs during Freshman
they completed a leadership reaction activity at Pine Valley. (Photo by
Peggy Cozart, University of North Georgia)
Incoming freshmen
in the Corps of
Cadets at the
University of North
Georgia work to
get their Freshmen
Recruit Orientation
Group (FROG)
counterparts over a
wall that didn’t have
anything they could
onto while climbing.
(Photo by Peggy
Cozart, University of
North Georgia)