Citadel ROTC Instructor - Lyndon Bartlett

We are back from the holiday break and this episode we bring on the famous Dr. Rob Riggle!  Part time actor, full time Business and Sales professor at the Citadel.  (Warning, the only acting this Rob Riggle has ever done is on this podcast).  While he might not be Hollywood famous, Doctor Bob is famous around campus for being one of the more entertaining professors.  We get to hear about some of the trips he has taken cadets on around the country and dive into what it is like to be a teacher that navigates the Citadel Honor Code. 

LISTEN UP HIGH SPEED!!!  We got the chance to get one of the most memorable Jenkins Hall Staff members on the Citadel campus over the last 15 years.  This episode we get SSgt Kenneth Greene.  The NCOIC of Training and Operations in Jenkins Hall's Staff.  We get to hear how his catch phrase "High Speed" came about, how he ended up at the Citadel, and how to squash the beef between Jenkins Hall and the Corps of Cadets. 

This episode we get to bring on our FIRST EVER active Citadel Staff member.  We got the chance to sit down with Dr. Kwon to talk about what it is like to teach at the Citadel and how that compares to teaching at other colleges.  He is also is our first South Carolina Organized Militia member who helps breaks down their role and how they are positioned on campus.  Finally we get to hear a little bit about the Cordell Airborne Rangers on campus before we wrap up the episode. 

This week we start off by sharing some Citadel news of the Class of 2023 being one week away from getting their rings as well as finding out that the Citadel is now live streaming parades for some reason.  We then get a chance to bring on an awesome interview in Cameron Massengale, a Kilo 2017 graduate.  Cameron was involved in an accident that ended up costing him one of his hands, but he did not let that stop him from going onto graduating with honors and accomplishing BVA training.  He lets us in to hear what it was like being within Kilo and 3rd Battalion.

This episode we talk about the importance of the "Corps running the Corps".  A popular saying around campus of many military colleges that has to do with the Cadets being in change and taking on the responsibility.  We give some examples where cadets at the Citadel specifically thrive at this and also some experience we had from school where the Corps struggled.  We then bring on some current cadets that had some cadet ownership to start the new Citadel Surf Team.  (00:40:10)  We bring on Trevor Atkins and Jarret Butzer to outline how they started the team and all that comes with being a Citadel Surf Team member.  We how you guys get "soooo pitted" listening into how the new club team was able to get started.

QUUUEEEEEE!!! An episode we have been very excited to break down. We bring on Zach Blackburn who is a 2020 Citadel Grad, who we bring onto tell us what it was like to be in Band. We ended up learning lots about the company on campus that seemed to be a butt of many jokes. But you should know by now, we are big fans of butts on this Pod 

We wondered what it was like to be a Citadel Staff member that was in charge of ROTC cadet while at the Citadel.  This episode we bring on Metzy's old Air Force ROTC instructor, Lyndon Bartlett.  He is a graduate from the Air Force Academy, so he had some working knowledge of what a military college lifestyle was like.  What he did not realize was how different it would be from what he experienced at a service academy.  We get to hear how the Air Force Academy differed from the Citadel from Lyndon as well as some of the games he played with cadets while a teacher at the Citadel as well.  He provides some great insight as well into how the contract and scholarship process works within the ROTC departments.

This episode we breakdown what it is like to come from a pure bloodline when following in your family's footsteps and attending the Citadel.  We bring on a group of family members who all end up graduating from the Citadel.  We get to hear what benefits and the disadvantages of being someone attending the Citadel with that insider knowledge before even attending.  You also get a look inside of the motivations behind what makes some decide to attend the Citadel, even after getting the heads up that it is going to be a difficult journey.

This episode we get to hear about all the differences Cadets had to adjust to, while attending the Citadel during a pandemic.  We get to learn all that changed to satisfy COVID safety and how much it was able to stay the same even with the rules in place.  We bring on Will Caldwell and Aaron Fowler to help us understand all these changes.  Not to mention that we get to hear about some of the differences while being within Palmetto Battery, or as we now call it, "Other Band".  Mask up, and listen up to this episode.

This episode we bring on Max Tresnak to detail what it was like to be in Hell Hotel.  From what we found, going through Hotel company it is the equivalent of having a 4 year stay at a Marriott.  We also get to dive into some Cadre Platoon Sargent duties as well as Athletic Officer.