Cadet Leadership

I was recently given the opportunity to sit down and get to know Detachment 160’s highest-ranking cadet, Cadet Colonel Jackson Darveau. Cadet Colonel Darveau is from Warner Robins, GA, and attended Houston County High School, where he played soccer and football. Yes, he did know Jake Fromm, and interestingly enough, he once shed a block from Trey Hill to sack Jake at practice. Not many people can say they had that experience in high school! In addition to sports, Cadet Colonel Darveau was active in student government. All of his extracurriculars taught him how to be a part of a team and how to be a leader, two things that have helped mold him into the man he is today. He was extremely humbled at times by sports, but this taught him how to be patient and persevere through adversity.

Darveau’s parents were both in the Air Force. His father was an air battle manager and his mother was a navigator in the Guard. This interested him in the Air Force, but what he really loved was flying. He told me that he always sits next to the window on planes because he loves watching the wing move and seeing how the plane responds. He eventually applied for an HSSP scholarship, which he was awarded, and has since embraced AFROTC here at UGA. He started out as an AS100 at the bottom of his class but eventually decided to embrace and prioritize ROTC. Once he did this, he began to enjoy himself and grow immensely. With the help of a positive attitude and great mentorship, Darveau put himself in a great position to become an officer in the USAF. 

Eventually, it was Darveau’s turn to attend field training, and he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He wasn’t given many opportunities to take on leadership roles, but he saw this as a positive because it helped him to lead from within and to create strong relationships with his fellow cadets. This is something he still pursues, as he takes pride in making himself available to cadets for any sort of help they may need. He encourages ideas and stimulates growth within the Detachment. His biggest piece of advice to field training-bound cadets is to have a short memory. He says to remember your mistakes, but to not let them weigh on you or fluster you.

Currently, Darveau is enjoying his time serving as Cadet Colonel of Detachment 160. He has been awarded a pilot slot and is excited about graduation and the future, but thinks that he will miss campus, his friends, and Saturdays in Athens. When asked how being Cadet Colonel affected him, he told me that initially, he felt unqualified and overwhelmed, but he trusted in the Cadre and the wing staff. He has since come to enjoy his role immensely because it has given him the opportunity to get to know the Cadre and to influence younger cadets in a big way. He also enjoys the active duty-like atmosphere that comes with being around the Cadre. 

Darveau has embraced two quotes during his time at ROTC. The first is: “You’re always on parade.” -General George S. Patton. The Second is: “The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do, the hard part is doing it.” -Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. Darveau keeps these quotes in mind as he serves and tries to represent their message. Darveau certainly has a bright future, and we’re lucky to have him as our Cadet Colonel here at Detachment 160.

By Cadet Morris, Sep 2020