Cal Poly ROTC Cadets Lead the Nation at Advanced Camp 2025
Contact: AnnMarie Cornejo
805-756-2427; ancornej@calpoly.edu
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly Army ROTC cadets placed highest in the nation and took home several prestigious recognitions at Advanced Camp 2025 in Fort Knox, Kentucky, this past summer.
Cal Poly’s Mustang Battalion cadets’ combined performance average was the highest not only among the 32 Western ROTC programs, including UCLA, UC Berkeley and Oregon, but also over 265 units from across the nation.
Adding to the historic achievement, four of the six Cal Poly cadets who will commission this year earned the prestigious Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) recognition. They include cadets Zachary Cook (political science), Isabel Hermann (journalism), Andrew Koenig (history) and Avery White (computer engineering).
Out of approximately 5,000 cadets commissioning across the nation in 2025, only a select percentage earn DMG status, reserved for those who demonstrate exceptional leadership, academic success and physical fitness.
“Competing against the best and brightest cadets from nationwide programs is always an honor,” said Lt. Col. Mark Swiney, professor and chair of the Military Science Department. “Our Mustang Battalion’s success highlights the caliber of students we have and how they embody the university’s Learn by Doing spirit and apply their classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, excelling in every environment.”
Taking place over 36 days from late May to early July, Advanced Camp is a premier summer training event that brings together more than 5,000 ROTC cadets from across the nation, testing their leadership, endurance and military proficiency under rigorous conditions.
Training throughout the camp focuses on problem-solving in high-stress, real-world simulations. These events further develop leadership traits that help cadets thrive in challenging situations.
Throughout camp, cadets must exceed the standards of the Army Physical Fitness Test and are scored in confidence courses, land navigation, marksmanship, first aid, a 12-mile foot march and other skills.
Cadet Gigi Travagline (construction management) dominated the physical fitness events, earning the Top Female Army Fitness Award.
About Cal Poly’s Military Science Department
The mission of the Cal Poly Military Science Department is to commission the future officer leadership of the U.S. Army and motivate young people to become better citizens. Cal Poly’s program began in the early 1950s and has commissioned more than 1,300 Officers into the U.S. Army, Army Reserve and National Guard. The program remains one of the top Army ROTC units in the nation, with cadets routinely receiving above average marks at the regional and national levels.
About Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. Its College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (cafes.calpoly.edu) is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including ranch land, orchards, vineyards and forests, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country, with 4,000 undergraduate students.
Top photo: Cadet Gigi Travagline, a construction management student from San Diego, holds the Top Female Army Fitness Award. Travagline dominated the physical fitness events.
