The Spur & Anchor - UT NROTC Alumni

HOMETOWN: Pflugerville, TX
SCHOOL/MAJOR: UT-Austin, Mathematics
SERVICE SELECTION/TBS: Pilot
FONDEST MEMORY AT THE UNIT: Having to give a
speech for Run to Dallas at the torchlight parade. All the
students and lit up torches in front of the tower will be
one of my favorite memories, and catching the game ball
from Mack Brown. A great night that I will never forget.
ADVISE FOR OTHER MIDN: Remember what you came to
ROTC for. Over time it gets hard, but you need to remember
what you want. Even though other students aren’t as responsible
as you have to be, I can’t imagine a more rewarding way
to live my life than serve my country.
Thomas Shirley
HOMETOWN: Islip Terrace, NY
SCHOOL/MAJOR: UT-Austin, Environmental Geographical
Science
SERVICE SELECTION/TBS: Surface Warfare Officer
SHIP: USS Oak Hill LSD 51
FONDEST MEMORY AT THE UNIT: My fondest memory
is actually my freshman orientation. When my class reported
on the first day of orientation we had 26 Midshipman.
Orientation was a quick awakening to what I “was getting
myself into”. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always fun, but
looking back on it made my class locked on and gave me
some great stories to tell.
ADVICE FOR OTHER MIDN: Stay with the program. Although
it seems like you will never reach the light at the
end of tunnel, you will. When you finally get to your last semester
you will look back and realize everything was worth
it. At the end of it all you will have met some of your best
friends and had some of the most unique/amazing college
experiences compared to your civilian peers.
Carley M. Tadlock
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