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Student selected deputy commander

Courtesy photo Courtney Heard, with incoming 17th Regiment Commander Todd Dixon, on March 12.

Courtesy photo
Courtney Heard, with incoming 17th Regiment
Commander Todd Dixon, on March 12.

Grambling State University Army ROTC former Cadet Courtney Heard, has been selected to serve as the Deputy Regimental Commander for the 17th Regional area of the National Society of Pershing Rifles.    

She is a graduate student in the area of social science with a concentration in psychology and sociology from Los Angeles, California.

“It’s a great feeling, a wonderful experience. I’m glad to bring positive energy to Grambling State University and to the Army ROTC program,” said Heard. 

Heard’s range of responsibility will include 10 Pershing Rifles companies at universities across the South in Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida and Georgia. She will continue to serve as the Commander of her home unit, Company G-17.

Heard was selected for her role and promoted to the rank of Pershing Rifles Lieutenant Colonel on Saturday, March 12 at the organization’s National Convention and Drill Competition in Washington D.C. She traveled to the convention along with over 400 ROTC cadets and midshipmen representing over 55 colleges and universities across the nation.

The presentation took place at the National Convention, which included a Formal Dinner featuring several dignitaries. Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Cadet Command, Brigadier General Sean Gainey, and former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Colin Powell, who is an alumnus of the Pershing Rifles organization, were in attendance.

This will be the first time since 2012 that a Grambling State University student has been selected to serve as a member of senior leadership of the National organization.