There’s a new face leading Syracuse University’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) this year, and he’s already feeling right at home. Lt. Col. Jared C. Larpenteur has stepped into the role of professor of military science, taking charge of one of the longest-running Army ROTC programs in the nation.

Becoming a professor of military science is a competitive process. Officers apply and their records go before a selection board. If chosen, they rank their preferred universities. The Army then matches officers to programs based on those preferences and each program’s needs. For Larpenteur, Syracuse was the clear favorite.

“Syracuse was my number one choice, so my family and I were extremely excited when I was selected to come here,” Larpenteur says.

A Leader at Fort Drum

That excitement didn’t come out of nowhere. Larpenteur has served at Fort Drum in Watertown, N.Y., several times over the course of his career, most recently as a battalion commander in the 10th Mountain Division. Those years gave his family a chance to fall for the region.

“Over those assignments, my family really fell in love with Central and Northern New York, the people, the outdoors and the community,” Larpenteur says. “When Syracuse appeared on the list, putting it first was an easy decision for us.”

Since arriving on campus, Larpenteur says one thing stood out to him right away.

“The first thing that stood out to me was the level of support Syracuse University provides its ROTC program and its military-connected community,” Larpenteur says. “A successful ROTC program depends on having a strong relationship with the university, and I saw immediately that Syracuse values that relationship.”

He’s also been struck by the people he’s inherited.

“I have also been impressed by the professionalism of our cadre and staff and, most importantly, the quality of our cadets,” Larpenteur says. “I inherited a program with a strong culture and a record of success. My responsibility is not to come in and reinvent it, but to understand what has made it successful, take care of our people and continue moving the program forward.”

Larpenteur is a native of Plaquemine, Louisiana, where he and his wife, Clare, met in high school. The two have been married for more than 16 years and have two children, Ruthie and Charlie. The family doesn’t have deep roots in Central New York, but years stationed at Fort Drum made the area feel like a second home well before the move to Syracuse. His last assignment was command of the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division. “Being able to finish that assignment and move just down the road to Syracuse, rather than across the country, was a great opportunity for our entire family,” he says.

Larpenteur was commissioned as an infantry officer through Army ROTC at Louisiana State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Over 19 years of active-duty service, he has served with the 1st Cavalry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division and the 10th Mountain Division, with deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. His assignments and training have also taken him overseas to Japan, Australia, Poland and Germany. He holds a master of science degree in adult learning and leadership from Kansas State University and a master of military operational art and science degree from the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Developing the Next Generation of Leaders

Looking ahead, Larpenteur hopes his time leading the Stalwart Battalion becomes more than just another assignment.

“I hope Syracuse becomes a genuine home for my family and me,” Larpenteur says. “From my first interactions with the university, people have been incredibly welcoming, and I want to contribute to that community rather than simply work here for a few years. Professionally, what excites me most is the opportunity to develop the next generation of Army officers and leaders. The Army has given my family and me tremendous opportunities over the past 19 years. At this stage of my career, I see this assignment as an opportunity to invest some of that experience back into young people who are just beginning their own careers.”

For the broader campus community, Larpenteur has a simple message: get to know your cadets.

“I hope the campus community continues to see Army ROTC as part of the Syracuse community, not something separate from it,” Larpenteur says. “Our cadets are Syracuse students first and foremost. They are in classrooms, on athletic teams, in student organizations and throughout the university while also preparing to serve as U.S. Army officers.”

While the cadets will continue to be a core component of the university’s culture, Larpenteur hopes for even more visibility beyond those moments the cadets are most known for.

“You’ll certainly continue to see us at some of the more visible Syracuse traditions, our cadets presenting the colors at major events and carrying the large American flag onto the field in the JMA Wireless Dome before football games,” Larpenteur says. “But I also want our cadets engaged with the university beyond those events. The Stalwart Battalion has established a very strong record of performance nationally. My goal is to build on that foundation while developing good officers, good leaders and people who positively contribute to Syracuse University.”

For more information on the Stalwart Battalion, and the support programs available for ROTC cadets, visit the Syracuse University Army ROTC website.