By Roseline Twagiramariya
Staff writer
The Leader June 26, 2009
Charlie Co. Cadet Gary Lambert’s father joined the Army so he could pay for his son’s tuition. It was the bonus he would later receive that would, in turn, be given to his son.
Lambert thought this was too noble of his father, and instead joined the Army himself so his father could keep the money.
Above all, it was the desire to follow in his father’s footsteps that eventually led him to the Leader’s Training Course.
When Lambert announced he wanted to pursue a career in the Army, his mother, girlfriend and close friends weren’t so happy about the idea.
When it came time for him to leave for LTC this summer, no one wanted to see him leave but it was something he had already set his mind on.
“My mom was mad at first, but she eventually supported me,” Lambert said.
When his father found out about his decision, however, Lambert said his father couldn’t have been any happier.
“He was proud,” Lambert said.
Today, his father is deployed in Iraq and has been there for a couple of weeks. The differing schedules do not allow for a lot of communication but they call and text each other when they can.
In the meantime, Cadet Lambert is enjoying his time at LTC getting acclimated to the life of a Soldier.
“The hardest demands have been the challenges, but I also have to get used to being told what to do, waking up early and training all day,” Lambert said. “But it has been fun.”
Second Lt. Jason Teague, Lambert’s squad tactical officer, spoke highly of the Cadet’s motivation.
“He is disciplined and motivated,” Teague said. “His career is just starting out as an Army officer, so I’d tell him to take every chance he gets at a leadership position to get more experience.”
A chemical engineering major at Mississippi State University, Lambert hopes to continue in the engineering branch in the future.
“Eventually, I’d like to help design things such as weapons,” he said.
