CHAPMAN PICKED TO LEAD ARMY ROTC
Posted on July 15, 2025
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Kurt Chapman has been named chair of the University of South Alabama’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. He assumed his role June 13 and replaced Lt. Col. Jared Sunsdahl, who retired.
Chapman served 18 years in the Army, including two years as an assistant professor of military science at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana.
“I wanted to invest in people and mentor the next generation of Army leaders as a professor of military science,” Chapman said. “An ROTC program’s success is largely due to the support of the institution. After talking to Lt. Col. SunsdahI knew the University of South Alabama wholeheartedly supported the program.”
The ROTC curriculum is created by the United States Army Cadet Command. The goal is to create leaders who begin serving as second lieutenants.
“The experiences that ROTC offers are meant to challenge, develop and inspire an individual to push beyond their boundaries,” he said.
Chapman said the military offers various opportunities to serve and prepare those who do for life outside of the armed forces.
“Leadership at its core is about building positive relationships and creating effective teams,” Chapman said. “These teams can solve complex problems leveraging critical and creative thinking, something valued not only in military service but in corporate America as well.”
In addition to Army ROTC, South also has an Air Force ROTC program.
