Cadets gain array of summer training

Cadets from the University of North Georgia (UNG) took part in a variety of trainings across the nation and in South Korea this summer. These trainings were in addition to Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where 80 UNG cadets participated in preparation for commissioning as second lieutenants.

Ali Nabulsi, a junior from Athens, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing, graduated from the Combat Diver Qualification Training course. It started at Eglin Air Force Base in Destin, Florida, before moving to the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida.

Nabulsi was grateful that he was able to complete the difficult course alongside Army Green Berets and cadets from across the country.

"I was working with some of the best people in the Army," Nabulsi said.

Justin Howard, a senior from Dallas, Georgia, pursuing a degree in finance, serves as deputy brigade commander for operations with the Corps of Cadets for 2024-25. He joined UNG with prior military experience and is on the Georgia Military Service Scholarship, serving in the Army National Guard while he is a cadet.  

After earning the Recondo badge for excellence at Advanced Camp, Howard spent multiple weeks training at Camp Casey in South Korea with an Army transportation unit. He was grateful for the chance to participate in physical training with Army officers and learn from them.

"The biggest thing I learned was presence," Howard said. "Your subordinates are always looking at what you're doing, how you're carrying yourself."

Aiden Quinn, a senior from Cumming, Georgia, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, took part in the prestigious, four-week Nurse Summer Training Program at Brooke Army Medical Center, on Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas. It is the U.S. Department of Defense's only Level 1 trauma center.

Quinn said the complexity of injuries for Army soldiers requires precision in health care.

"It causes you to think critically," Quinn said. "You have to know your stuff really well."

Jaden Clark-Davidson, a senior from Hiram, Georgia, pursuing a degree in cybersecurity, spent four weeks at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MITLL) as an intern on a team of information technology (IT) security professionals dedicated to the real-time monitoring and defense of MITLL IT infrastructure. During that time, she also worked with other co-ops on security-enhancing projects.

"I encourage cadets to keep an eye out for the Army’s internship applications this fall and commit to applying," Clark-Davidson said. "The opportunities to network, gain experience in a field of interest and travel fully funded are unrivaled."