Taran
Multz of Rapid City was the No. 12 cadet of the Task Force’s 157 cadets
comprising Army ROTC programs located at colleges and universities across a
four-state region.
South
Dakota Mines Army ROTC
cadet Taran Multz ranked among the top 10% of his cohort during Operation Agile
Leader, a COVID-19 mitigated training exercise conducted from Aug. 11-20, at
Camp Ripley Training Center near Little Falls, Minn.
To
evaluate their leadership abilities, South Dakota Mines ROTC seniors completed
a rigorous schedule of demanding mental and physical tests and exercises
covering tasks such as land navigation and basic rifle marksmanship that
culminated in graded tactical platoon leadership tasks like assault a bunker,
conduct an ambush and defend a strong point. The evaluations drive the order of
merit list for duty and career assignments for their future Army career within
the components each cadet has designated to serve within (active, National
Guard or reserve).
Multz,
who is from Rapid City, ranked 12th out of the Task Force’s 157
cadets comprising Army ROTC programs located at colleges and universities
throughout Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota. Multz’ previous
experience as an enlisted infantryman postured him as a skilled leader and a
wealth of knowledge on many tactical tasks winning him admiration from others
in his assigned platoon during the exercise.
Lt.
Col. Dick M. Mendenhall, a professor of military science at South Dakota Mines,
says he is proud of the team of 10 Rushmore Battalion Cadets from Mines and
other universities who attended the exercise and pleased to have the
opportunity to work with them.
“Cadet
Multz did very well, not only among his Rushmore Battalion peers, but across
the entire four-state Task Force population,” says Mendenhall, who teaches
Military Science 400 level courses, The Army Officer and Company Grade
Leadership.