Senior becomes Army leader

Don’t let the smile and the humble demeanor fool you. Behind the big, white-framed glasses and plaid dress shirt lies the spirit of a rising military star.

This summer, Kristi McNair, a senior journalism major from Okinawa, Japan, traveled to Fort Lewis in Washington state for the Army’s 29-day Leader Development and Assessment Course. 

The cadets were placed under constant judgment as they went through physical training and leadership tests, but McNair excelled under pressure.

“Cadet McNair is a superstar,” said Lt. Col. Monte Yoder, the chairman of the Army ROTC program and a professor of military science.

“Every time she was in a position of responsibility, she carried herself well, spoke well, inspired and did all the right things we would expect from Army officers.”

At the end of the camp, 33 percent of the UNC cadets received the highest rating, excellence, which is more than the national average of 17 percent.

Besides taking the highest rating, McNair also received the prestigious COMtek Warrior Ethos Award for finishing at the top of her platoon.

At Fort Lewis, more than 5,000 cadets from schools across the country undertook physical training, took a class on chemical warfare in a gas chamber and were put through several field training exercises — all while under constant assessment.

“My favorite part was the water confidence course, where we had to walk across a log about 30 feet in the air. Then we had to shimmy across a rope and drop 40 feet into the water,” McNair said. “It was really fun.”

The cadets also alternated leadership roles during the exercises.

“It was challenging at first, since they put you in a platoon with no one from the same school,” McNair said. “But we learned to help each other in the leadership role, and it wasn’t too tough.”

During the summer, McNair was named the Battalion Commander of UNC’s Army ROTC, putting her in charge of about 65 other cadets.

At the end of camp, McNair was asked to come in for an interview while under consideration for the COMtek Warrior Ethos Award.

“I didn’t think I did that well at the interview,” she said. “But when they told me I got it, I was surprised.”

McNair said she hopes to be an Army engineer after she graduates. Yoder said these accomplishments will set her apart, helping her into highly sought-after active duty positions.

“She is internally driven. Some people require an outside influence to do well. She doesn’t,” Yoder said. “She does well because she wants to do well.”

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.