The MSSU Military Science Program will begin with the Fall 2013 Semester on the Missouri Southern campus. The program is titled Show Me GOLD, Guard Officer Leadership Development. We hope to instill the professional and physical fitness ethic, evaluate leadership potential and commission those who qualify as second lieutenants in the Missouri Army National Guard.
I am honored to serve as the Professor of Military Science and Show Me GOLD Officer In Charge (OIC) at Southern. I feel as though this is the perfect role for me given my desire to teach and my experience as an officer in the Army.
The Show Me GOLD program is structured for four years, but prior service and current National Guard members can enter the program and participate for a minimum of two years. There are many benefits of being a member of the Missouri National Guard and participating in the program. First, every student will receive 100% Tuition Assistance; the GI Bill kicker of $350 per month; monthly drill pay based on your rank; and paid basic training, advanced individual training, and summer annual training. Second, all students within the program are non-deployable while participating and receive monthly drill pay without drilling with a unit.
Students will receive drill pay for attending physical training and laboratory exercises. One of the final benefits I would like to highlight is that students within the program will attend Officer Commissioning School the summer between their junior and senior years. This allows for students to return to the program as a commissioned 2ndLieutenant, instead of commissioning upon completing their degree. All other ROTC programs commission upon completion of a degree.
I started my military career twelve years ago as a Military Police Soldier. I completed basic training and advanced individual training at Fort Leonard Wood and graduated as honor graduate of my company.
Weeks after graduation I found myself working patrol as a Military Police Officer in Vicenza, Italy. In 2003, as an enlisted Soldier I deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I was assigned as a Military Police machine gunner while in combat performing missions such as convoy security, private security detail, detainee escort operations, Police Transition Team assigned to the Baghdad Major Crimes Unit, and many other operations.
Upon returning from Iraq, I completed several military schools and served in support of Hurricane Katrina. When I returned from Louisiana, my mentor encouraged me to become an Officer. I then began pursuing a degree and participating in the Tiger Battalion ROTC program at MIZZOU. I served as an enlisted and non-commissioned officer Military Police Officer for six years prior to my commission. I graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate in ROCT (in the top 10% of all cadets in the nation).
Upon commissioning, I attended the Basic Officer Leadership Course in Ft. Benning Georgia, where I was honor graduate and Military Police Officer Basic Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. I deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as a Military Police Platoon Leader weeks upon completing OBC. Upon returning from Kosovo I was reassigned as an Area Security Operations Officer in a Military Police Battalion. I then deployed to Afghanistan as an Embedded Afghanistan Border Police mentor/trainer. I was stationed on the Pakistan border. Upon completing the deployment I attended Military Police Captain’s Career Course at Fort Leonard Wood where I graduated on the Commandant’s List in the top 10 of my class.
I pride myself on developing young officers and could not be happier with this new assignment. Teaching and developing officers to one day take my job and lead as I have done is a great responsibility and nobility, one that will not be taken lightly and will exceed all standards. I am located in the Criminal Justice building in Room 152. If you 0r anyone you know is interested in the program or would like more information, feel free to contact me or stop by.
Captain Amanda Self, U.S. Army
Professor of Military Science