I pledged B-12, Pershing Rifles in 2000 as a member of the 106th Pledge Class and had the honor of being chosen by my peers to command B-12 from 2002-2003. Looking back over the years, if there was ever an event or time in my life where I can say, “This is what made me better”, it was during my time training to become a Pershing Rifleman.
This is a unique brotherhood that instills a strong sense of duty and honor in everything we accomplish. The journey you’ll embark on is one that will test your inner strength and discipline your mind, while teaching the value of teamwork. This is no easy task, but when finished, you’ll be part of an Honor Society that has spanned over 110 years and focuses on developing leaders for the military, government, and private industry. I want to stress that this is an organization that develops LEADERS. You will gain traits that you will take with you wherever you end up in life. No matter where you go, you will be the one who takes charge. People will look to you to make calls. This is your first step in learning how to make good decisions based on the training and guidance you will receive and then, later, provide to your fellow cadets and midshipmen.
Becoming a Pershing Rifleman was a fulfilling experience that has created lifelong relationships and a wealth of great memories. Pershing Rifles will bring out the best qualities required to be extremely successful during your career in both the military and in civilian life. Throughout my service to the United States, in the military and as a civilian, both at home and abroad, my experiences and training as a Pershing Rifleman prepared me to take the lead and to be an effective leader in any environment. Over the past few years, I have worked on all issues from kinetic interventions to post-conflict tribal reconciliation and governance/business development with both the Department of State and the US Army. I would not have had the personal discipline and determination to develop goals and strive towards them in order to be successful in either organization without the base built by the training received from Pershing Rifles.
There is no other organization that better prepares, trains, develops, and builds successful officers than B-12, Pershing Rifles. I invite you to accept the challenge being put before you by your fellow cadets and midshipmen.
P/R’s Lead The Way!
CPT Poyant graduated from Boston University in 2003 with a BA in Political Science, and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant with the US Army as a Field Artillery Officer. He was assigned to Howitzer Battery, First Squadron, Third Armored Cavalry Regiment and deployed to Iraq from January through April 2004 in the Al Qaim region of the Al Anbar Province, along the Syrian border. He deployed again with the Regiment from March 2005 to February 2006 into southwest Baghdad and then moved north to the Nineveh Province. He completed his active service in the Army in June of 2007 and was subsequently invited by the US Department of State to serve on one of their new Provincial Reconstruction Teams, in South Diyala Province, Iraq. He then served as a Military History instructor for Army ROTC at Boston University. His awards include the Bronze Star Medal and three Army Commendation Medals. He calls Massachusetts home.