Each summer ROTC cadets from across the country travel to Fort Lewis, Wash., located just outside Tacoma to participate in the annual Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC). LDAC is a 29-day training and evaluation course which every ROTC cadet must complete between the summer of their junior and senior year. The course is designed to assess a cadet’s leadership skills, physical fitness, mental toughness, as well as their technical and tactical military skills. This year more than 6,000 cadets from some 273 colleges and universities will travel to Fort Lewis, including 35 from the Royal Warrior Battalion.

In order for cadets to receive the training and evaluations required at LDAC, it takes a team of cadre and staff from all across U.S. Army Cadet Command. One of those key cadre members at LDAC this summer is Master Sergeant Alexander Ortega, Royal Warrior Battalion Senior Military Instructor, who will serve as the Non-Commissioned Officer In-Charge of the Tactical Training Base committee. For more than 60 days MSG Ortega will oversee all aspects of training, logistical support and administrative actions for hundreds of cadets as they pass through the Tactical Training Base (TTB) site. The TTB is designed to replicate a forward operating base in Iraq or Afghanistan and afford the cadets the opportunity to learn how to plan, coordinate and execute both tactical and garrison operations much like they will be required to do as young officers when deployed.

MSG Ortega finds himself responsible for coordinating with each regimental tactical officer, as well as the LDAC operations officer to ensure that training objectives are clearly defined as each rotation of cadets arrive to the TTB. He also is responsible for ensuring all safety regulations and procedures are closely followed during each day’s training activities. Finally, he ensures all senior officers and distinguished visitors arriving at the Tactical Training Base are provided a detailed briefing of training objectives, an overview of the site and field any questions they might have.

This is the second consecutive year that MSG Ortega has deployed to Fort Lewis to support LDAC.

In addition to MSG Ortega, the following cadre from the Royal Warrior Battalion will also support various LDAC training missions at Fort Lewis this summer: D/A Civilian Supply Tech - Robert Charnichko; Military Instructor - SFC Joseph Wilkerson; Battalion Operations Officer - Major Ross Charton; and Professor of Military Science - Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Remley. Additionally, newly commissioned Second Lieutenants Andrew Baker and Danielle Mallard will also serve as cadre at LDAC this summer prior to reporting to their respective officer basic courses.