While First Lieutenant Lauryn Jeans ‘22 has not been on active-duty service for many years, her assignments have had her crisscrossing the United States from Ft. Knox, KY to, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, to Ft. Bragg, NC, to Ft. Benning, GA, and back to Ft. Bragg. Her military training has been physically and mentally demanding. She’s rappelled down steep towers, endured 10-day field training exercises, survived sleep deprivation, learned to jump out of airplanes, passed the Army’s Sapper Leadership School, breached obstacles, blown things up, and has become a part of the 82d Airborne’s Quick Reaction Force capable of deploying anywhere in the world when a military force is needed. Sounds interesting? Read more...
Lauryn Jeans ‘22 was not sure where she wanted to go to college. At first, she looked at East Coast Schools like Brown, Colgate, and Gettysburg, but a random connection of events introduced her to CMC. Exploring the school’s website, she clicked the box to send her information about the ROTC Department and received a letter from the Professor of Military Science encouraging her to apply for a National ROTC Scholarship. Everything fell into place, and as Lauryn says, “I think this is what I was slated to do.”
Lauryn played the center midfield position for her high school soccer team and found she had the running endurance to be a competitive player. She played on the CMC Women’s Soccer Team in her Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior years. Her running and endurance also helped her succeed in the rigorous training programs she experienced in her 4 years in CMC’s ROTC Program. She often finished first when running against her cohort of cadets. There were quite a few women in Lauryn’s class, and she became best friends with Robin Peterson ‘22. They pictured themselves as “two against the world” and shared rooming arrangements in their Sophomore and Junior years (the Covid years).
“Taking classes during Covid was a real challenge,” Lauryn admits. “Online learning requires you to be prepared, especially if you are in a small seminar of 10-12 students. It becomes apparent if someone has not done the reading.” Her classes were all discussion-oriented, and she became accomplished in the art of debate and discussion. Classroom discussion was one of the reasons why she chose to come to CMC. Lauryn found that many of her early beliefs had never been challenged, but that all changed in her political theory classes. She encountered older students and foreign students who had more knowledge and life experience than she did. The experience enlightened and helped to broaden her views.
Lauryn found that undergoing the ROTC training at CMC, Camp Pendleton, and Ft. Irwin to be rigorous and demanding. This included physical training three times a week and learning about infantry tactics like land navigation, basic patrol tactics, ambush preparation, and familiarization with the M249 machinegun. (She admits that she received a “0” on her night land navigation test when she was a freshman).
Lieutenant Colonel Hayden, then PMS of the ROTC Department encouraged Lauryn to pursue the Engineer Corps.
He told her, “You are in the top of your class and have what it takes to be a Sapper.” Lauryn was not sure what a Sapper was, but it sounded remarkably interesting. She loved infantry tactics, patrolling, field exercises, setting up raids, and understanding security and support. She liked the field exercises at Camp Pendelton and solving problems at the squad and Platoon level. Army leadership and discipline were appealing, and she wanted to be in a field she could fall back on after the Army. So, the Engineer Corps seems like a good fit. Initially she thought about being a premed major but changed her mind when something about the Army grabbed her. She enjoyed the friendly competition for the top cadet spot against Josh Linquist ‘22. Lauryn ended up as the Cadet Battalion Commander. At the awards banquet, they both received top honors. She treasures the saber award that proudly hangs on the wall in her office.
Entering active duty right away, Lauryn spent the summer at Ft. Knox as a member of the training cadre responsible for the rappelling tower and teaching ROTC cadets how to rappel. Soon thereafter, she received orders transferring her to Ft. Leonard Wood for her Basic Engineering Officer Course. The training was intense and stressful. She learned about explosives and demolition. Lauryn says, "I learned a lot, met some cool people from across the country and developed as a person." Her most challenging time came during a 10-day FTX where she endured sleep deprivation as patrols were run 24/7 for several days in a row. No accommodations were made for the 6 other women in her class of 80. Standards were set, and everyone had to pull their own weight during exercises and the ACFT (Army Combat Fitness Test).
From Ft. Leonard Wood, Lauryn traveled to Ft. Bragg, NC and joined the 82d Airborne Division. After a short stay she received orders sending her to Ft. Benning, GA to attend the 3-week Airborne School. She weathered the 95–100-degree heat, mastered pullups, and the basics required to become a paratrooper. She notes that, “the training was physically demanding, but once I got into the swing of things, it became easier.” A failure to tuck her head during a practice jump cost her a nasty cut to her ear and nine stitches, but she ended up making her four jumps and earning her Airborne Wings.
After jump school, she returned to Ft. Bragg and assumed command of a Platoon under 27th EN BN (Airborne). During her Platoon Leader time, Lauryn went on to graduate from the 30-day Sapper Leadership School. The program evaluated an individual’s performance in a variety of leadership roles: urban breaching of doors and walls, blowing obstacles, clearing obstacles, funneling enemy into ambush zones, use of concertina wire, and infiltration of rooms and buildings. In addition, Lauryn found herself tested in physical exercises including 6- and 12-mile rucks (forced marches), 250 lb. litter carry, engaging doors and walls, 6-mile Zodiac boat carry, rappelling from helicopters, blowing explosives, and intensive patrolling operations. Several times she suddenly found herself thrust into a leadership position for evaluation on patrols that often lasted longer than 24 hours all the while not sleeping more than 30 minutes a night. Overall, she found the experience to be challenging, intensive, and states, “It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Graduating from Sapper School and receiving my Sapper Tab was an overwhelming and emotional moment for me and has been the pinnacle of my military career so far.”
During Sapper School, as Lauryn was rucking along the patrol route at night, she mis-stepped and fell down a 15ft ravine. All she heard as she fell was the outcry from the soldier directly behind her as she tumbled head over heels down the ravine. Lauryn assessed the damage and realized she was miraculously okay. A small crowd of very worried soldiers and Sapper Instructors gathered at the point at which she had fallen. Laughing at the hilarity of the moment, Lauryn picked herself up, crawled back up the ravine, and emerged from the woods to the surprise and relief of her platoon.
After completing Sapper School, it was back to her unit at the 82d Airborne Division and assignment to 127th Airborne Engineer Battalion under 1BCT, 82nd ABN DIV. Initially, the mission of this Engineer Battalion was to train for engineer support to the Infantry Regiments. Subsequently, they became a quick reaction force prepared to be deployed anywhere within the world within 24 hours. After 1 ½ years, Lauryn was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in November 2023 and became a Jumpmaster Executive Officer of the 519 Signal Company. She found that the 82d held officers to a high standard. She encountered examples of both good and bad leaders and leadership styles. There is little downtime in the 82d, and she found herself always adapting to an ever-changing environment. Fortunately, she has also encountered several mentors along the way who have helped her become a better leader and provided advice on career advancement.
Her unit recently traveled to Ft. Polk, LA, the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center where her unit’s readiness was assessed and evaluated to become a quick reaction force. Some of the 82d’s Battalions were deployed for the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2022 and to the Ashville, NC floods in 2024. While her unit has not been deployed, she did spend 12 hours in a “PAX Shed” awaiting orders and prepared to embark and deploy “to somewhere” before being told to stand-down.
Recently, while assisting one of her soldiers to fill a 300-gal water tank, Lauryn lost control of the high-pressure water hose and accidentally blasted herself directly in the chest, causing her to fall off the tank. As she fell back, she then accidentally aimed the hose at one of her soldiers to his immediate outcry. They both had to spend the rest of that day listening to the squish of water in their boots and attempting to dry off every chance they had.
Lauryn continues to be imbued with her work as she transitions over to the Special Operations Command as a Civil Affairs Officer. The US Army Civil Affairs component plays an essential role in supporting military operations by managing relationships between the military and civilian populations, foreign governments, and ally organizations. After successfully completing the CA 10-day intensive selection course, Lauryn now faces around two years of specialized training at Fort Bragg, NC that includes a qualification course, foreign language course, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) School.
Finally, Lauryn adds her Montra: I would not require anything from my soldiers that I would not require of myself.
She offers the following “Life Lessons Learned” gleaned from her three years of active-duty service:
- Failure is inevitable. How you respond to failure is what is important; always take personal ownership.
- Perspective is vital to being a good leader. Put yourself in the boots of your soldiers and place their care and welfare above your own.
- It takes hundreds of actions to earn a reputation but only one to lose it. Your soldiers are always watching you. If you lead with integrity, you will never lose their trust.