Military Science Instructor Sergeant First Class Joseph Wilkerson will spend nearly 70 days this summer at the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Leadership Development and Assessment Course conducted at Fort Lewis, Wash. Capitalizing on SFC Wilkerson’s 22-plus years of military experience and numerous overseas deployments, Cadet Command has assigned him to serve as the Senior Training Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) for the LDAC commandant of cadets. Working and reporting directly to the colonel serving as the commandant of cadets, SFC Wilkerson’s scope of responsibilities include a number of different areas.

As the Senior Training NCO, SFC Wilkerson must visit the multiple training sites across Fort Lewis to acquire feedback on the day’s training from the cadre on site in order to update the commandant on daily issues or concerns. SFC Wilkerson also must ensure that as cadet evaluations and scores are submitted from the various training committees to the commandant’s office that the data is accurately recorded into the Cadet Command Information Management System database. He is charged to ensure that as each regiment conducts training, the lessons learned in how to sustain or improved training and evaluations is captured and shared with other training regiments and committees to ensure success throughout the duration of LDAC. Finally, he ensures his division establishes training standards for each regiment and that each regiment is provided the resources required ensuring training is conducted to standard without interruption.

This year, approximately 6,000 cadets from across the United States, Guam and Puerto Rico will attend training at the Leadership Development and Assessment Course. This course serves as the capstone training event for ROTC cadets and is designed to help prepare them to return to campus as seniors and lead their cadet battalions.

SFC Wilkerson has served for more than 18 months in the Military Science Department at Scranton, where he oversees all instruction of Military Science Level 201 and 202 courses. Additionally, he plays a critical role in the planning of physical training on a weekly basis, as well as the planning and resourcing of leadership labs.