TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Green to Gold programs are for Active Duty and Reserve U.S. Military students that helps students obtain officer ranks in the military and their bachelor’s or master’s degree.
“Usually in active positions, they’ll transfer into reserves, and then they’ll come to a university for four years, either achieve their bachelor’s or their master’s, and then after going through the officer training program, they’ll then commission as a second lieutenant,” CPT Jeffrey Gregory told TrojanVision.
Green to Gold fosters an environment of leadership and growth among cadets.
“The change from being a Sergeant or a Specialist who has minor goals or responsibility to being someone who’s going to become an Officer is more of an expansion of their understanding of what leadership is and how to actually use it,” Gregory explained.
“Not only do they make an effective leader already, just coming in the door, they also lead our younger cadets with so much guidance and what to expect when they get out, so it elevates them a little more and it helps them to not only be cadets, but it helps them to be great mentors for other students,” Kim Mueller, Departmental Secretary for Troy’s Army and Air Force ROTC programs, said.
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Troy University recruits cadets for Green to Gold as well as supports them throughout their time on campus.
“We do have people that’ll go down,” Mueller explained. “There’s a Green to Gold day down at Fort Rucker. we will send someone down and they’ll do recruiting down there.”
“They’ve also shown respect for us for giving out information about our development or expansion, having us perform as color guard for football games, and also performing other tasks such as flyovers for large football games and other events like that or memorial games,” Gregory told TrojanVision.
Zavier Crump, Commander of Troy ROTC’s Bravo Company, has been positively impacted by the Green to Gold program during his time on campus.
“Coming here to Troy University, I’ve learned to be more than just a regular soldier, I’ve learned to lead soldiers,” Crump said. “I’ve also learned to further myself in education as well.”
For more information about the Green to Gold program, contact Mueller at armyrotc@troy.edu or call 334-670-5623.
