NC State Navy ROTC Places Sixth Overall at Mardi Gras Drill Meet

NC State’s Naval ROTC Wolfpack Battalion participated in the 50th Annual Mardi Gras Drill Meet held Feb. 9. Hosted by Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, the event attracted 30 schools, including service academies, military colleges and other ROTC units from across the country. NC State, along with its Piedmont Consortium partners Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, demonstrated exceptional skill and discipline.

The drill meet consisted of multiple events: platoon, platoon inspection, squad, color guard and exhibition. The Wolfpack Battalion spent the last semester practicing before sunrise at least once a week to ensure it was prepared for the Drill Meet.

Despite stiff competition, NC State performed well and secured sixth place overall. The platoon team was exceptional and tied for second place in its event. Other highlights saw the squad place sixth in its event and the exhibition team receiving unanimous praise for completing its entire drill sequence without any verbal commands. 

Midshipman 4/C Sean O’Connor (Aerospace Engineering ’27) said “The drill meet at Tulane overall was a great experience. I was a part of the squad drill team which ended up doing very well in the competition. Seeing the extra practices the squad did and all of the hard work Midshipman Tyler Miller put in as squad leader pay off, was wonderful. I greatly enjoyed being able to bond with the other midshipmen as we explored New Orleans and gained this new experience”. 

Midshipmen 4/C Joaquin Blades (Mechanical Engineering ’27) felt the drill meet was a summation of “commitment, confidence, and spontaneity. For two semesters the sun rose to find us working on perfecting moves and bearing. Getting to the stadium with two semesters of early morning practices under my belt made me confident that the platoon had all the tools it needed to outperform the other schools. However, there were unscripted parts to the competition that required the ingenious spontaneity of every midshipman in the platoon. I felt proud to be someone whom my platoon could trust.” 

Beyond the competition, the midshipmen enjoyed New Orleans’ vibrant nightlife, experienced Mardi Gras, tried Cajun culinary delights and even visited a Buc-ee’s on their journey home. The battalion’s impressive rankings are a testament to their dedication over the past six months. Their performance at the drill meet is an indication of NC State emerging as a name to remember in upcoming drill meets and events. One thing that can be assured is that this will not be the last time you’ll hear about the NC State Wolfpack Battalion’s achievements.