Cadets who decide not to commission

In December of 2008 Chris Smith decided to do something few other teenagers are willing to do.

On May 25, 2009, he began the 13-week training cycle that would change his life forever, and on Aug. 21, 2009, he graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island.

Two days later, he arrived in Northfield, Vt., for Norwich University's rook arrival day.

Smith, a 20-year-old psychology major from Lowell, Mass., came to Norwich for a college education and to be a part of Navy ROTC – yet he had no intention of becoming an officer.

The Corps of Cadets offers individuals a unique college experience that combines education and leadership training to prepare them for a life in the military. However, not all NU students pursue a career in the armed services upon graduation. According to the Office of the Commandant, between 55 and 60 percent of cadets commission.

"My initial plan was to come here and see what a military life is like, get a sense of discipline and structure," said Brian Weiss, 20, a junior history major from Glen Rock, N.J., "then decide whether or not to take that big leap to become an officer."

Weiss learned about Norwich when he saw an ad in a World War II magazine he was reading.

Academics and athletics drew 19-year-old Corrine McElroy, a sophomore civil engineering major from Enfield, N.H., to Norwich.

"I came up for engineers' week because I knew I wanted to do that, and I fell in love with the engineering department," said McElroy.

She said that between the engineering department and the rugby program, Norwich was her top choice.

McElroy chose the corps because she didn't want to be a civilian at a military school. She is glad she made that decision.

"You had those days where you were like, ‘Why did I come here,' but it was never so bad that it became unbearable," McElroy said.

According to Weiss, the mental and physical challenge he received at Norwich was what he was looking for when he began to search for colleges as a junior in high school.

"It builds you up and shows you what kind of person you are," Weiss said, "If you want to challenge yourself in college this school is the perfect place to do it."

Weiss, who has decided not to commission, says he plans to use his education to secure a job in a museum. "I plan to work in a museum, eventually rise up and become a curator, and be in charge," said Weiss

Weiss' career at Norwich is a reference of character to possible employers in his field. "This honor code still affects me after I leave the university, I can still lose my ring if I break the honor code," Weiss said.

"I've made a great group of friends that I'm not going to forget," said Weiss, "A lot of them are going into the military so I have a strong sense of pride for them, hoping they all do well and have successful careers."

For McElroy, there are multiple benefits to being an engineering student in the corps. She said she has grown socially and mentally at Norwich. "I've learned that to be a responsible adult you need to know what you need to get done and how to do so in a timely manner."

McElroy, who has played rugby since her first year of high school, is a member of the women's rugby team. She said that she has gained much from playing a collegiate sport.

"One of the main things I've gained is exposure to a lot, going to nationals, being able to play year round and having a strength and conditioning coach to go with the great facilities," McElroy said.

She also mentioned the professional opportunities she will have as an alumni.

"The most beneficial thing is the networking I will have access to, especially in the engineering field, so many engineers have come out of Norwich," McElroy said.

For Kevin Nagel, a 22-year-old senior criminal justice major from Attenborough, Mass., a life in the military had been his ideal career choice as a child.     

"Growing up I had always wanted to join the military, so I was looking forward to experiencing Norwich," Nagel said.

Nagel said he planned to enlist in the Navy after high school. His father, a Navy veteran, convinced him otherwise and guided him towards a military college.

Nagel does not plan to commission, but intends to enlist in the Navy upon his graduation from Norwich.

"I'm going to try and enlist, going in as an E-3 because of my degree," said Nagel, "If I can get a chance to go to OCS (Officer Candidate School) I will do that and become an officer through that route."

Nagel, who eventually wants to work in law enforcement, said, "When I go home and see my friends from high school I feel better about myself knowing that I chose the challenge of a military college."

Nagel's dream job is to work for a federal law enforcement agency. He said his experience at Norwich has given him an edge to accomplish what he wants to do.

"I feel like I've learned a lot more and that I'm going to be a better American citizen, I will have more to contribute to this country," he said.

Nagel, who participated in Army ROTC at Norwich, said, "I enjoyed what I did, and the staff of the Army ROTC department is great."

Nagel's choice not to commission came his junior year after medical complications. He also said that he saw his elder peers stressing out about everything they had to do to get ready to commission.

"I had so much on my plate with what I was doing after college, with various career paths to choose from, so I decided that the military is always going to be there," he said. "I wanted to see how I could use my degree in the real world to make a living."

According to McElroy, the friendships she has made in addition to the discipline and responsibility she has learned will have a positive effect on her for the rest of her life.

"Here you're really submerged in the military atmosphere so the experience is so rich," McElroy said, "So much learning is possible and your awareness of the military and all of its branches is so great."

"The pride that you're a part of something that has such long standing traditions, and the feeling that you have done something that not many people have done is special," Weiss said.

Smith applied for a Navy ROTC scholarship as he was looking at colleges in high school, and part of the application required an interview with a Navy officer.

Smith said his reason for choosing the enlisted route was simple. "I realized I'm more hands-on, I like to work with my hands, I like to roll my sleeves up and get dirty. I'm not a pencil pusher; I can't work at a desk."

According to Smith, his initial plan was to enlist, get a college degree and become a mustang, which is a term used for individuals who go from enlisted to officer because of their education level.

Since Smith arrived at Norwich, his  plans have changed. He said he enjoys his position as a volunteer firefighter with the Northfield fire department and is considering pursuing a career in that field.

"I walked into the fire department and said, ‘Chief I don't really have any experience but I'll do whatever you tell me to do,'" Smith said.

Smith's Norwich experience has been positive as well. "I've learned a lot of patience here, the naval battalion especially does a good job preparing people," Smith said, "it is good preparation, a good foundation for the military life considering it is also a college."

Smith said that his only issue was with his cadre in the beginning stages of rook training. "The people screaming at me before were four-time combat veterans and the people screaming at me when I got here were kids a year older than me."

He said he began as a criminal justice major but then decided that it was not suited for his goals and that if he wanted to hold a government job it would not be sufficient.

"Everyone has a criminal justice degree, they want people to specialize in things, so studying psychology I can go into one specific aspect of it," he said.

"The Marine Corps has taught me great people skills, being stern and respectful at the same time," said Smith, "being able to step up to any problem and figure it out, no excuses."