Cadet Perkins is a true survival story. He grew up in the rough East side of Baltimore city and had to survive the rough street life that goes with it. Although he lacks the “polish” of some of the other candidates, he is a true success story. His grittiness will serve as an excellent balance to some of the other stories. A few years ago, he decided he needed to take steps toward insuring a future for himself, saying “There is no retirement plan in the streets”. He enrolled in the ROTC program, where he intends to follow in his parent’s footsteps.

Cadet Aziz was born into a military family. Both her parents are Majors in the Army. Aziz is also very familiar with the travel opportunities that the army provides. She is fluent in both Spanish and English being born in Panama and growing up in Puerto Rico. She has experienced the stress of constantly being the “new kid” growing up since she moved on average of once every two years while her parents were on active duty.  As a result, she finds herself often feeling “anxious” if she stays in one place for too long.  She is a self-proclaimed “OCD” type, and needs order and structure in her life.  The army provides that for her.  

Cadet McLendon also has family members in various branches of the military. He has seen how the military has been the starting point for many of their successful careers. He has been interested in the military since he was a child, and a full scholarship through Army ROTC was just the ticket to get him where he has always expected to be. He is working toward being a lawyer. He sees a strong parallel between the structure of the ARMY life and the discipline of the legal system. Ultimately he would be interested in being a part of  the “JAG Corps”. 

Cadet Morgan is not only very bright, but also very driven. She comes from a family with a history with the Army. Her sister came through the ROTC program at Morgan State University before her and has moved on to a career in the Army. Morgan is a well-rounded individual.  In addition to her current role as “Miss Morgan State University”, she is also a former High School basketball player. She not only gives us diversity, she demonstrates characteristics of a high achiever. She is a perfect balance of academics, athleticism, and leadership.