When I arrived at Boston University to begin my time as a cadet in the Charles River Battalion, I knew little of the ROTC program and even less of the military in general. I realized quickly that I was far behind my peers in general aspects of military proficiency. I knew that I had to do something to bring myself up to speed and decided that pledging the Pershing Rifles would be the way to go about doing so.
I pledged B-12 Pershing Rifles as a member of the 105th Pledge Class, with little idea what was in store over the coming term. From the very start, we began an intense learning experience that had a lasting impact on me as a cadet and then as an officer in the United States Army. The training that I received as a Pershing Rifles pledge not only brought me up to speed with my peers, but allowed me to exceed them in many aspects. Even the small, seemingly innocuous lessons of the term increased my potential and created positive habits that last to this day. I learned to work as a member of a team, to focus on details, and to be tactically and technically proficient. I can unequivocally say that it ensured that I would be a successful leader of soldiers, both in combat and in garrison.
Following the term, and my inclusion to B-12 as a member, I continued to work with the program to share the experiences I had with classes that followed. Being a member, and passing the knowledge I had gained as a pledge to others, was a worthwhile and rewarding experience. I even served as the Faculty advisor to Pershing Rifles following my commission, as my first assignment was as a Gold Bar Recruiter at Boston University.
Even though the term was difficult, I still look back on it as one of the best times I had at Boston University, and the comrades I had as a pledge and member are close friends even now. The lessons I took away from my time as a Pershing Rifleman have had a lasting impact on my daily life, and I am glad I chose to ignore the opinions of those who had failed to complete pledge term. I implore you to consider pledging Pershing Rifles as a means to better yourself as a cadet, an officer, or whatever you choose to do.
CPT Pflug graduated from Boston University in 2002 with a BA in International Relations and received a commission in the US Army as an Armor Officer with a branch detail to Military Intelligence. After a stint as the Gold Bar Recruiter for Boston University Army ROTC, he served as a Platoon Leader with 2ACR in Baghdad, Iraq, where his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation after their tour was extended for three months in order to put down the Mahdi Army uprising in 2004. CPT Pflug then served as the Executive Officer (XO) of A Troop, 1/61 CAV, 506th IN BDE and stood up a brand new RSTA unit which he then took into combat. He also served as a SQDN targeting officer and BDE level targeting officer for the Eastern side of Baghdad, before completing the Military Intelligence Captain’s Career Course and officially transferring over to Military Intelligence and serving in USARPAC G-2, while stationed in Hawaii.