College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

One of a kind
When Lanea Sudweeks joined the Army ROTC at Iowa State, she was one of three freshmen women in the Cyclone Battalion.

"The others went in different directions," Lanea says. "Now I'm used to being the only female. It doesn't seem that unusual now."
        
To be fair, there are other females participating in Army ROTC. But Lanea remains the only woman in her class. That makes her achievement at Iowa State all that more remarkable.
        
During the first semester of her senior year, the lone woman out of 18 seniors served as the battalion's cadet commander. The selection is based, in part, upon a cadet's academics and performance at the Army's summer Leadership Development and Assessment Course.
        
"As a freshman, this seemed like such a high position that I didn't think I would ever achieve it," she said.

Commanding officer
In her role as the battalion's cadet commander, Lanea serves as a liaison between the cadre (officers and non-commissioned officers) and the cadets.
        
"I've also tried to serve as a mentor, counseling other cadets, particularly the younger members," she says. "Hopefully I've been someone they can come to.
        
"My ultimate responsibility is to make sure that if things go poorly that they eventually go smoother."
        
Routinely Lanea sat down with the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Lawrence Braue, to discuss the battalion and the cadets' "mood."
        
"Col. Braue gives us a lot of responsibility," she said. "We've planned a majority of our field exercises and were given the opportunity to execute those plans."
        
Col. Braue thought so much of Lanea's work as the cadet's battalion commander, that when her term was completed, he immediately moved her into the executive officer's position for the last semester of her senior year.
        
In that role, Lanea will assume different responsibilities including planning for the department's annual Military Ball and conducting training for the junior class.

Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111. Published by: University Relations, online@iastate.edu. Copyright © 1995-2004, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.

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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Ames, Iowa 50011-1302

General Information: (515) 294-7740

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Email: las@iastate.edu

Michael Whiteford - Dean

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