By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Jerromy Cissell didn’t join the military because he felt a calling to serve his country.
At least not initially.
The North Platte native had a much more practical reason for enlisting in the U.S. Army Reserve during his senior year of high school.
He needed money for college.
“I knew I wanted to go to college, but I had no way to pay for it, and I didn’t know how it was going to happen,” Cissell recalled.
When his best friend asked for a ride to a military recruiting office, Cissell also listened to the pitch. He hadn’t seriously considered joining the Army, but the recruiter quickly caught his attention with an offer that included college tuition assistance and a $20,000 signing bonus.
“I was like, say less, I’m in,” Cissell said with a smile.
That decision in January 2009 changed the course of his life in ways he never could have imagined.
After completing basic combat and advanced individual training, Cissell remembers hearing the national anthem for the first time as a soldier. The familiar song suddenly carried a much deeper meaning.
“It brings tears to my eyes,” he said. “I originally joined to do this for me, but no longer is it about me. It’s about my country and serving the people who are in this country. I felt like there was a huge pride shift.”
Nearly 18 years later, that commitment to service continues to guide Cissell, a sergeant first class in the Nebraska Army National Guard and military science instructor in the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program.
After two deployments to Afghanistan and years spent recruiting soldiers, the 2019 UNK graduate is embracing a new mission: preparing the next generation of military leaders.
FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS
Cissell’s military career has taken him a long way from his hometown.
He first deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, serving on a military police team that provided security for a U.S. intelligence unit in Kandahar.
Three years later, while attending UNK, he was activated for another yearlong deployment. This time, he served on a personal security team protecting a four-star U.S. general in Kabul.
Both assignments carried significant responsibilities and exposed him to challenges far different from those he experienced growing up in Nebraska. They also reinforced the importance of discipline, accountability and putting others before himself.
“It made me realize that it’s not about me,” Cissell said in a 2019 UNK News interview. “There are people out there who have it way worse than I do. My deployments really showed that. Here in America, we have it pretty easy compared to most every other country.”
His military service shaped his outlook on life and helped him succeed in the classroom.
Cissell was 23 when he enrolled at UNK in spring 2014, following his first deployment. He balanced his studies with monthly military drills, a full-time job and, eventually, the responsibilities of being a husband and father.
His second deployment interrupted his college education, but faculty in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences worked with him to complete coursework while preparing to serve overseas. Professors recorded lectures and made other accommodations that allowed him to continue his studies.
He remains grateful for their support.
“All of the professors in that department were super easy to work with and very helpful,” Cissell said. “They really helped me succeed.”
Military training provided another advantage. Cissell understood the importance of showing up, following through on commitments and completing tasks even when they were difficult.
“I think one of the most important things was having that basic discipline to do what you needed to do, regardless of whether you felt like it or not,” he said. “If I know it needs to be done, I should just go do it.”
A first-generation college student, Cissell graduated with honors in May 2019, earning a bachelor’s degree in athletic training. He was selected to speak during the commencement ceremony.
By then, he’d transitioned from the Army Reserve to the Nebraska Army National Guard.
A recruiter who helped him make the switch encouraged Cissell to apply for a full-time recruiting position with the Guard. The job offered stability for his family and a chance to help young people facing circumstances similar to his own.
“I know there are kids out there who are in the same boat I was in,” Cissell said. “They want to go to college, but finances are an obstacle. I have an opportunity to help them out and give them a jump-start in life.”
He spent the next several years working with students at 17 area high schools, introducing them to military careers, educational benefits and other opportunities available through the National Guard.
Cissell enjoyed helping young people begin their military journeys, but he saw the chance to make an even greater impact by working with them throughout their college careers.
That opportunity brought him back to UNK, where he now serves as a military science instructor while continuing his recruiting duties on a part-time basis.
DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS
Cissell returned to his alma mater March 1 as an ROTC instructor, joining fellow UNK graduate Capt. Cannon Marchand, who oversees the program.
The new role allows him to work with cadets nearly every day, building stronger relationships and playing a more active role in their development as future military leaders.
“I thought this would be a cool change of pace and a way to kind of pay it forward by using all of the lessons that I’ve learned over 17 years of being in the military to help steer them and guide them,” Cissell said. “It’s a great mentorship opportunity.”
Part of UNK’s College of Business and Technology, the ROTC program combines military science courses with leadership, communication and organizational training. Currently, 28 cadets are enrolled in the program, which prepares students to become commissioned officers in the Army, Army National Guard or Army Reserve.
Cissell primarily teaches freshmen, introducing them to Army values, military traditions, land navigation and other fundamental soldiering skills. He also assists with sophomore courses, oversees physical fitness training and helps cadets prepare for leadership exercises and summer training.
His background in athletic training is especially valuable when developing fitness programs and helping students improve their physical performance.
“When it came to athletic training, my favorite aspect about it was the sports performance,” he said. “And I get to use that within ROTC and within the military. I still get to use that knowledge I gained from UNK.”
The technical skills are only part of what Cissell hopes to instill in his cadets. He also views himself as a mentor and life coach who helps students develop confidence, take initiative and hold themselves accountable.
Cissell wants them to understand that leadership isn’t simply about giving orders. It’s about setting an example, accepting responsibility and helping others succeed.
Another benefit of the ROTC program is that it offers students an opportunity to explore military service before making a commitment. They can take ROTC courses during their first two years without any military obligation, gaining skills that are valuable in virtually any profession.
“Leadership is a skill everyone needs, regardless of whether you stay in the military or not,” Cissell said. “You can take that and apply it anywhere in life.”
Cissell believes UNK offers an ideal environment for developing military officers. The ROTC program is large enough to conduct meaningful military exercises while remaining small enough for instructors to have personal relationships with each cadet.
That individual attention, combined with the students’ work ethic and determination, makes UNK special, according to Cissell.
“We have a group of very sharp cadets who are motivated, physically fit and disciplined,” he said. “We crush it. They’re really high performers.”
Last summer, more than 6,000 cadets from across the country attended ROTC Advanced Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Four UNK cadets completed the training, with three ranking in the top 25% and one finishing in the top 9%.
Those results reflect the high standards Cissell and Marchand expect from their students, as well as the dedication cadets bring to the program.
“I consistently tell people UNK has the best ROTC program in the state, and I genuinely believe that,” Cissell said. “The people who come to UNK are just tougher and more resilient than the average college student.”
A LIFE OF SERVICE
Cissell’s dedication to serving others extends beyond his roles with the military and UNK.
He and his wife Blair, also a UNK graduate, live in Kearney with their 9-year-old daughter Bexley.
They’re active members of New Life Church, where they lead a monthly Family Night program designed to help parents strengthen their families through faith. Through the church’s Men In Action group, he assists older community members with home maintenance and improvement projects.
Cissell also serves on the foundation board at Faith Christian School and volunteers with Royal Family KIDS, a nonprofit ministry supporting children in foster care who have experienced abuse, neglect and other trauma.
Those activities reflect the same philosophy that ultimately guided his military career. He believes his purpose is to serve others and make a positive difference in their lives.
“My life is not my own,” Cissell said. “I’m doing this for the benefit of other people and trying to answer the call.”
