Student honored
Photo by Mikey Draine February 15, 2017
UD’s Alex Heger stands out in many roles, from RA to ROTC
In the summer of 2015, Alex Heger, now a University of Delaware Honors Program senior double majoring in criminal justice and sociology, arrived at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for Air Force ROTC field training. By the final week of his training encampment, Heger was selected to serve as a cadet wing commander, the most responsible position a cadet can hold while undergoing training.
It was the first of many honors for Heger.
In 2016, Heger returned to Camp Shelby as a cadet training assistant (CTA), and it was his exceptional work that earned him the USAA Outstanding Cadet Training Assistant of the Year award this past fall.
Describing the experience of training in the Mississippi heat, Heger, who is from Braintree, Massachusetts, said, “We were outside in the heat all day, convoy training in Humvees [high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles], assault tactics, working through hot, humid, grimy conditions for 16-17 hour days to get all the evaluation done that we need on our cadets.”
He credits his success as a leader to his vision, which has been shaped by many factors, including his experience as a resident assistant (RA) and the one-on-one mentorship of the lead CTA who worked with him in 2015.
“What stuck with me most about him as a trainer,” Heger said, “was that he would have me repeat, every morning, ‘You don’t get what you don’t ask for.’ I could do anything I wanted to do, but had to ask for it.”
Heger said that he adopted that philosophy upon his return in 2016, when he was in charge of 26 other CTAs.
His staff had to show that they would be willing to work for anything they wanted to happen.
“I would say that, first and foremost, the interpersonal and leadership communication skills that you pick up through the RA job are what helped me,” Heger said of his training and work with Residence Life and Housing since 2014.
“I had to be able to read my people to see what they need and when to check in with them, similar to check-ins with your residents – being that personal leader that is demanded of you as an RA.”
To support his staff, Heger would ride around with a bag of cough drops, bring snacks and cover for staff members during their lunch period.
Heger equates the vision he developed for his staff to the vision used in his residential complex: “What set me apart most from the other lead CTAs was that I set a vision for my staff during teleconferences before training – my PRIDE (partnership, responsibility, involvement, dedication, excellence) vision. I held them accountable for it. Similar to how GROW in RG [Redding-Gilbert] ensures that people are on the same page and inspires them.”
Heger is no stranger to contributing to his community. He served as an orientation leader with New Student Orientation in 2014, sat on the Student Health Advisory Council for two years, serves on the Alcohol Coalition and belongs to the Arnold Air Society, an honorary professional service organization that gives him new opportunities to train as an Air Force ROTC cadet.
With Arnold Air Society, Heger has volunteered with local churches for food drives and done other community service.
Heger is currently a cadet colonel in the Air Force ROTC, the highest rank in ROTC.
As cadet wing inspector general, he is responsible for the effective and appropriate training for the 67 people at Detachment 128 here at the University of Delaware.
Heger said he is proud of what Detachment 128 has achieved already this year:
• Jointly with Army ROTC, held a 9/11 ceremony for first time.
• Started an intra-detachment newsletter.
• Restructured cadet organization, including a mentoring program where older cadets mentor younger cadets.
• Hosted the vice chief of staff at a speaking event – “combat dining in” in December 2016.
“Alex has been exceptional in his RA role and has been a person of great impact with each of his residence hall communities and his staff teams,” said Jim Tweedy, senior associate director, Residence Life and Housing. “I have been so impressed with his ability to excel in every facet of the RA role while also performing at a top level academically and fully investing in his ROTC leadership roles. It is a great privilege to work with students like Alex.”
Over Thanksgiving break, Heger traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay, with four other cadets in the country from Air Force ROTC to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Escuela Militar de Aeron’autica, the Uruguayan air force academy.
The cadets, chosen for their record and Spanish-speaking ability, marched in a formal parade in front of Ra’ul Sendic, vice president of Uruguay, and Uruguayan Air Force Gen. Alberto Zanelli.
“I never thought I’d ever have a reason to go to Uruguay,” Heger said. “Montevideo is a great city. We celebrated Thanksgiving in the old Colonia del Sacramento, across the water from Buenos Aires, and had our big Thanksgiving meal in a restaurant.”
Heger, who is graduating this year, will be commissioning as a second lieutenant on May 26, the day before Commencement.
Contact Us
Have a UDaily story idea?
Contact us at ocm@udel.edu
Members of the press
Contact us at 302-831-NEWS or visit the Media Relations website