Pershing Rifles (P/R) at Northeastern University is a branch of the National Society of Pershing Rifles, a tri-service, co-ed military honorary society which draws from ROTC units around the country.
A Company, 12th Regiment, Pershing Rifles is built around military proficiency, scholarship, leadership, and a very strong esprit de corps. Members of A-12 are leaders in their respective ROTC units, and are often seen as role models by other cadets. Potential new members are inducted into A-12 through a challenging Candidate Term, which lasts approximately two months. They undertake a rigorous physical training program, consisting of calisthenics, running, and weight training, and to ensure that academic success remains a priority, candidates attend study halls moderated by members with past experience in their fields of study at Northeastern University.
Candidates also learn many new military skills including infantry tactics, land navigation and the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS), drill & ceremony, and emergency field medicine. They will participate in a weekend-long Field Exercise modeled on the US Army Special Forces’ ROBIN SAGE exercise, during which they will plan and execute their own small-unit missions in a tactical environment.
Most importantly, over the course of Candidate Term each candidate will develop the mindset of a leader and will gain some initial understanding of the sacrifices necessary to become an outstanding officer in the United States military.