Corps newcomers navigate FROG Week
Article By: Clark Leonard
More than 200 new cadets completed Freshman Recruit Orientation Group (FROG) Week this fall as they transitioned from civilian to military life within the University of North Georgia's (UNG) Corps of Cadets.
One of those who thrived in the atmosphere of FROG Week was Jaden Davidson. The freshman from Dallas, Georgia, regularly cheered on her fellow Golf Company newcomers through difficult tasks and gained encouragement from their support.
"The physical challenges of FROG Week were unlike anything I could have imagined," Davidson, who is pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, said. "But it's helped me realize what I need to do to excel in the Corps of Cadets."
Cadet leaders plan and execute all corps events, including FROG Week, with the oversight of the commandant staff. UNG is one of six senior military colleges in the nation and commissions more than 100 officers into the Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve each year.
Retired Col. Joseph Matthews, commandant of cadets and a 1994 alumnus, experienced FROG Week as a cadet in 1989. He enjoys seeing the way it influences UNG's newest cadets.
"We are thrilled to welcome these freshmen to the Corps of Cadets as we train the next generation of Army leaders," Matthews said. "FROG Week is not only a great introduction to the corps. It's a life-changing experience."
Cadet Col. Ryan Jones, a senior from Richmond, Virginia, pursuing a degree in strategic and security studies, is the brigade commander who leads the more than 725 cadets enrolled at UNG. He said the knowledge and experiences gained in FROG Week help integrate the newcomers into the corps.
"FROG Week offers us a great opportunity to bring in our new freshmen and build a team with our cadet leaders," Jones said. "These older cadets give FROGs role models to look up to as they adjust to the leadership laboratory of the corps."
Cadet Lt. Col. Ayomide Adekola, a senior from Loganville, Georgia, pursuing a degree in computer science, commands the first battalion of the Corps of Cadets. He remembered how FROG Week helped him and tried to set up this year's incoming cadets for success. Adekola said unity and self-discipline are both vital elements of what the corps teaches.
"They don't have to go through this alone. The whole point of being a team is making sure we're doing things together," Adekola said. "That's why they room together, eat together, and take part in other activities together. We drive home team bonding."
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