Personal profile on Cadet Command Master Chief Shaun Followill

Shaun Followill steps onto the field in his shining black shoes.

His gold buttons gleam in the stadium floodlights.

He hoists the navy flag high in his spotless white gloves and fights to stop his grin.

This is the first time Followill has held a flag during the national anthem at the football game instead of a rifle. Now that he’s a senior, he’s reflecting on his four years in the NJROTC program.

“When I was a first-time flag, it felt so nice because we were in dress blues. We were all decked out,” Followill said. “And I was in the dead center because I was the navy flag.”

But Followill considers a different moment as one of his greatest achievements.

“I got number one individual at the academic competition,” Followill said. “That’s number one overall, of all the individuals. It was like 600 individuals that took the academic test. I got number one.”

Followill has been honing his skills since he transferred from PE to ROTC.

“When I got to school, I realized that PE wasn’t very fun,” Followill said. “We just sat in the stands and did nothing for the first two weeks. It’s just a class to waste time. So I was like, let’s try out ROTC.”

Once in ROTC, Followill flourished. He became interested in leadership because of his instructor in sophomore year, Senior Chief Steele.

“He placed a lot of responsibility on me, as I had no role that year, technically, but I was a petty officer first class,” Followill said. “He placed a lot of responsibility on me to make sure stuff was done, and that motivated me to be more of a leader, because I liked that responsibility.”

Senior Chief Steele wasn’t the only instructor that recognized Followill’s potential. Lieutenant Commander Adan Nieto made him the Cadet Command Master Chief (CMC) of the entire battalion.

“The decision to make him the Command Master Chief was an easy one, as I needed someone who was knowledgeable, dedicated to the unit, empathetic and approachable to the younger cadets,” Nieto said. “As the senior enlisted cadet, he is the first point of contact for any questions or concerns the cadets may have about the unit’s procedures.”

This added responsibility has helped him develop into the person he is today.

“I used to be shy. I had no friends,” Followill said. “ROTC has changed me, because it allowed me to open up myself and make friends that will be my friends for life.”