Meet First Lieutenant Brooke Thompson: Platoon Leader, Graduate Student at Georgetown University, and Proud Westminster Alumna
Above: Brooke Thompson was commissioned into the U.S. Army in a ceremony at the Columns on May 13, 2022. This article is one of a series featuring Westminster College’s ROTC program in honor of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, 2024.
First Lieutenant Brooke Thompson, ’22 ΚΑΘ, is the type of leader who would make even Winston Churchill sit up and take notice. And she attributes her strong confidence to time spent in the U.S. Army ROTC program at Westminster College.
“The reality is that being in ROTC and becoming an Army officer requires you to build confidence and leadership skills, regardless of your gender, and gives you the tools, instruction, and mentorship to do so,” explains Thompson, who represents the fifth generation of her family to serve in the U.S. military.
As a Westminster student, Thompson majored in security studies, Spanish, and history. She also was a Freshman Seminar mentor, member of the Student Government Association, and tutor. Thompson also belonged to a sorority, the John Quincy Adams Society, the History Club, and the Veteran’s Museum and Memorial Club.
Read further to learn more about Thompson’s life-altering ROTC experience and her current busy schedule.
What is your current military title?
I am a platoon leader in the Army Reserves with the 760th Engineer Vertical Construction Company. I lead about 20 soldiers who have various jobs, from heavy equipment operators to electricians to carpenters.
How did you feel about participating in Westminster’s ROTC program versus a larger one?
Looking back, I find that I’m extremely grateful that I took the chance and chose to do ROTC at Westminster. I think I benefited from the one-on-one instruction and mentorship it provided, and I was able to build good relationships with my peers and my instructors.
Did you feel you had time for both ROTC and all of your other extracurricular activities at Westminster?
At times it was difficult to juggle everything, especially because ROTC and academics in particular could be so demanding, but I do feel like I had time for it all. I found that professors, advisors, mentors, leadership, and peers in the various activities I was involved in were willing to be flexible with me and my busy schedule, and the reality was that Westminster was a place where everybody was so involved that it was pretty normal to have to work around crazy schedules.
What are you currently studying at Georgetown, and how does that work with what you are doing in the Army?
I’m working towards my M.A. in global, international, and comparative history. While it doesn’t necessarily match what I do in the Army, it’s a program that will allow me to pursue just about any field, because above all it’s a program that teaches students to think critically about the world, which I really think applies everywhere.
What are your long-term career plans?
Outside of the Army, I intend to pursue federal public service in the long term. I have actually accepted a position with a government agency and am excited to see where that takes me.
What would you tell Westminster students who are on the fence about joining ROTC?
It’s hard work, and there’s no escaping that. You have to be willing to push yourself, to put in the time and the hard work. But if you’re willing to do that, the payoff is worth it. You’ll build friendships unlike any others, you’ll have mentors and leaders who will be willing to support and coach you long after you’ve left the program, and you’ll learn and grow as a person and a leader more than you think. And at the end of all of it, being an Army officer, is, I think, one of the most rewarding jobs you’ll have.
