By Jonathan Tran
Growing up, senior Bryson Ngo has always looked up to his uncle, who had been a part of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), where he was commissioned ten years ago. Ngo’s uncle always pushed him to be the best version of himself and Ngo knew for a long time that he wanted to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.
“My greatest mentor has been my Uncle. He pushes me to be the best version of myself and to do things the right way,” Ngo said. My Uncle was a part of the Trojan Battalion ROTC program almost ten years ago and inspired me to follow in his footsteps. He spent time in Texas, South Korea, and Germany, but has recently become a veteran. He constantly preaches to work smarter and put effort into everything I do.”
USC’s Army ROTC program is one of the nation’s most prestigious leadership training courses, distinguishing itself as one of the best places college students can study while training to become an army officer. The headquarters of the Trojan Battalion is at USC, but it has branches in many other universities, such as CSULB.
“USC’s Army ROTC Trojan Battalion is one of the best programs in the state,” Ngo said. “The cadre, experiences, fellow cadets, and connections through USC’s Army ROTC program are unmatched.”
However, getting into any ROTC program can be quite competitive, with applicants all over the nation vying for a spot. First, applicants have to get accepted to a school with an ROTC program. Then, only 3,000 students out of 10,000 receive a scholarship, with only 900 receiving four-year scholarships. The process is rigorous, with applicants being required to submit their SAT scores, attend an interview by a professor of military science, and pass a physical fitness test.
“I was accepted into USC’s Viterbi School of Engineering and I will be majoring in electrical engineering in the fall,” Ngo said. “ROTC is sort of like a class in college that prepares you for the Army. This consists of 6 am PT (workouts) every day, a military science class, and various training and activities outside of school. I hope that the program will shape me into a better leader and prepare me for my Army career.”
Alongside his bright future in the ROTC program, Ngo is also involved in various extracurriculars at FVHS, especially in athletics, spending many hours a day running cross country and track and field or wrestling.
“Wrestling is the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. You get mentally broken, then built back up by the amazing coaches at FVHS. You learn to push past your mind telling you to give up and get stronger both physically and mentally,” Ngo said.” Wrestling taught me how to balance school and athletics and gave me the confidence I needed to succeed. There’s a saying that once you’ve wrestled, everything else in life is easy, and it couldn’t be more true.
Despite everything Ngo does, he also manages to make time for other various activities he enjoys outside of school, such as working out, fishing, and hanging out with friends. Ngo’s advice for other students is to remember to have fun in high school.
“Go out with your friends,” Ngo said. “Go do something fun. Live the best years of your life.”
