PI S: Brothers In Action
be assigned to either y Jets, Rotary, or Maritime Aircraft. I am very excited about what lies ahead and have been thoroughly satis ed with my career choice.
S&D: What influenced you to attend the University of Texas, and how did you come to choose PIKE? JR: I was very interested in the rigorous architectural engineer- ing program within the Cockrell School of Engineering at UT. I was early accepted and never applied anywhere else. I also knew that I wanted to be a part of Naval ROTC and serve in some way and UT has a strong NROTC battalion. My journey to PIKE was a little different than most but very well worth it. Coming from a military family and no real lineage that had been involved in fraternity life, it was never really on my radar. My best friend’s dad, Doug Phelan ‘65, Beta Mu’s longtime chapter advisor, encouraged me to look at fraternities and helped my parents become more familiar with the many bene ts of membership. I rushed several fraternities in summer 2018. I enjoyed all my time at PIKE events but decided to go somewhere else. Shortly after that decision, I de- termined fraternity life would re- quire too much of my time and would affect my grades and ROTC participation. I shared this frustration with some PIKE friends and then my mentor (and PIKE’s Rush Chair) took me under his wing and helped me make a quick move to Pi Kappa Alpha. It was one of the best decisions of my life to give fraternity another chance and I am very glad that I did so.
S&D: Tell us about your time in the chapter.
JR: I was honored to hold sev- eral of ces including Co-Social Chair, Honors Council Chair, Sergeant-at-Arms, Round-Up Chair and Rush Captain. I also participated in many NROTC and PIKE intramural sports teams. My favorite memory in the chapter is Winter Storm Uri 2021. It was certainly a devastating period for many and caused great hardship. The new PIKE house lost electricity for days, but as students, we had time off, and it strength- ened our brotherhood. I can still remember the text from then-President Richard Sher- wood ‘17; “School is canceled tomorrow gentleman; the snow is about to come down. I will be ring up the bon re and expect to see each one of you there.” All the house crew bundled up
GETTING TO KNOW YOUNG ALUMNUS En ack oets ’18, U.S. Nav Native Texan – Longhorn Fan - Proud Pike - Student Naval Aviator
ten-year service commitment depending on what community you go into. I was accepted and very excited to enter the Texas NROTC battalion. Following my freshman year, I attended a summer training called CORTR- AMID (career orientation train- ing for Midshipman) in which I tested all the communities the Navy offered. For reference for anyone who doesn’t know the available Navy communities, they include aviator, naval ight of cer, submariner, surface warfare, SEALs, explosive ordinance disposal and some in the program decide on the Marine Corps. Once I got to the portion of my trip in which I was able to explore the aviation community I was hooked and decided to commit the next three years of college to secure a ight school slot. Getting into ight school is a lot like applying to college. Everything you do in your ROTC career is graded and evaluated against your peers. It was crucial for
me to participate in leadership positions, get good grades, and maintain a high level of physi- cal tness. I ended up main- taining a ranking of number two in my class at UTNROTC throughout the four years and eventually in my rst semester of senior year was chosen to be the Battalion Executive of cer, the number two program lead- er. This position was a great honor. Then I was accepted into ight school where I headed after graduation in May 2022. I began my journey in Pensacola, FL attending NIFE (Naval Intro- ductory Flight Evaluation) after I received my commission as an Ensign. During this time, I continued to be ranked against my peers and at the end will get to choose which platform I will serve on and continue my training with. I am currently stationed at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi where I am ying and training in the t-6 Texan II Bravo. Upon completion of Primary ight school here, I will
“Never be afraid to get involved. You can always add more to your plate, no matter how full it may seem.”
S&D: Tell us about your ROTC participation and leadership.
JR: In high school I decided to apply for the Naval ROTC four- year scholarship. This works by granting full tuition to an individual in return for a four-to-
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SHIELD & DIAMOND
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