Sister ROTC Cadets Compete Together at All Army Event

Here are Cadets Hayle and Jesse Mayer, from the Texas A&M Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), at the 2023 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia in March 2023. The annual, live fire training event is open to Army ROTC cadets and all soldiers in the active duty, Army Reserve, and National Guard, and is therefore commonly called the ‘All Army’. CLICK HERE to Read Full Story on USAMU website. (Photo by Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato.)

Cadet Sisters Compete at the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships
Story by Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit

This year’s U.S. Army Small Arms Championships was more than just a unique training event for two Texas A&M ROTC cadets, it was a family affair. Cadets Hayle Mayer and Jesse Mayer, who are sisters, participated in the week-long, comprehensive, live-fire marksmanship training event that brings together more than 250 soldiers from across the U.S. Army to the Maneuver Center of Excellence.

The annual event, which is commonly called the “All Army”, is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) and begins with All Army competitors receiving a variety of classes from the USAMU champions and experienced trainers.

After that, the soldier competitors, who were a mix of service members from active duty, Reserve, National Guard, and ROTC, competed in 11 different courses of fire during the week … both rifle and pistol matches, with and without combat gear, as well a 4-stage multi-gun match.

As a senior, All Army 2023 was Jesse’s second year to compete and the cadet said each year has been extremely helpful in developing her soldier skills. “I think both times that I have come here, I have really grown as a marksman … just learning the basics, what I am capable of, watching improvement each year, and just learning how complex marksmanship is. It’s been really incredible each time.”

For her sophomore sister, Hayle, it was her first All Army experience. With limited prior marksmanship experience … Hayle said she was trying to absorb all that she could. “I am just learning basically everything you can about shooting.”

Cadet Hayle Mayer, with Texas A&M ROTC, competes in the Bullseye Pistol Match at the 2023 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Sisters Come from a Multi-Generation Military Family
Though Hayle and Jesse may at be different levels of marksmanship knowledge, the sisters say that military life in general is nothing new to them. In fact, they were born into that life since both their parents were Marines, both grandfathers were soldiers, and a grandmother was an Airman.

That meant that military life was just always there. It’s what we saw and respected, Jesse explained. “Everyone was so disciplined and so patriotic. There was just such a higher purpose to the military that I always saw, and I wanted to be part of that.”

So when it came time for college, joining an Army ROTC program was nothing out of the ordinary because both our parents instilled a strong sense of independence and strength in us, Jesse said.

“Growing up, I watched it — the honor, the sacrifice, and what it meant to give back and serve other people, your Country and your family.”

With all that, Jesse is proud to say that she is contracted to commission in May of 2024 and looks forward to carrying on her family’s tradition of service.

“It means a lot to me to serve my Country, to push myself in any way that I can, and it is part of a family legacy — being in the military — and I just want to complete that and do that for my family.”

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