Daniel Montano: From a Lincoln Learner to a Marine

One of our seniors won a scholarship to become a U.S. Marine Corps officer. Learn all about the NROTC Program and Daniel’s journey to achieving his dream. 

What comes next after graduation? For Daniel Montano, it’s the Marine Corps! After IB exams and celebrating the end of his school year, our senior attended a special ceremony at Lincoln to receive a scholarship of $180,000 from Captain Omar Felicino and Captain Yahia Aldhahraa, as part of the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship program (NROTC). 

“It’s been my dream my entire life to be a United States Marine Corps officer.”
 

The NROTC is a program designed to train young people to serve as Naval officers while also pursuing their education in a traditional college or university. Out of 144 applicants, he got second place. How? Hard work and a ton of Lincoln spirit: he completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme with flying colors and trained with his father for the physical fitness test requirement. 
 

“It’s just that sense of camaraderie that inspires me to push and achieve my goals even more.”

Working as a self-navigator to achieve his dream

“It’s been my dream my entire life to be a United States Marine Corps officer.” Daniel expressed this in an interview with Dvids, a news website of the U.S. Department of Defense. With his father being a retired U.S. Marine, and because of the lifestyle he led for years, his dream only grew even more as time passed: “I’ve spent my entire life traveling from embassy to embassy surrounded by Marines with the MSG detachments, and it’s inspired me even further to become a Marine,” Daniel added in the same interview with Dvids. 

With no intention of smoothing the challenges and trials that come with being a university student and future officer, Daniel chose the Corps of Cadets NROTC Program, due to its demanding and structured organization. “It’s just that sense of camaraderie that inspires me to push and achieve my goals even more,” he explained when asked about his drive. 

What is the NROTC program like?

So, what does Daniel's next year look like? On one hand, there will be academic courses, physical training, Naval Science classes, practice drills, and learning about all the principles of a military officer. On the other hand, he will attend Texas A&M University starting this fall. 

Now, our senior is learning the basic military instruction at the New Student Indoctrination at Naval Station Great Lakes, Ill. His Lincoln years may have come to an end, but the Condors' Spirit is still visible in his determination and resilience.