FORT KNOX, Ky. – Green to Gold is a program where active-duty soldiers in the Army get the chance to join the ROTC program to become an officer.

For Cadet Joshua Drinkwine from Boise State University, Cadet Carlos Manuel Llamas-Pellecer from University of Colorado Colorado Springs and Cadet Kendall Latta from St. John’s University assigned to 6th Regiment, Advanced Camp, this program is how they were able to get here.

Drinkwine started his military career in 2019 where he went to basic training at Fort Hill. After he graduated camp in 2020, he went to Korea to work in the ER during the COVID-19 Pandemic. At the beginning of 2021, he left Korea and went to White Sands Missile Range in Mexico where he worked in family health medicine. After re-enlisting, he went to Joint Base Lewis-McChord where he worked on strikers and got accepted into the Green to Gold program during his last rotation in Korea.

Drinkwine was influenced by his Master Sgt. to apply for Green to Gold. His Master Sgt. told him that his leadership ability would be used a lot more as an Officer, leading and helping out more people.

“As he was promoting me, he gave me a hug, and told me that I’ve been becoming a great leader and if I wanted to become an even better leader, then I should become an officer,” Drinkwine said.

Drinkwine remarks on how Cadet Summer Training has been helping him become a better leader by showing him efficient leadership styles and cohesive teamwork among cadets.

Llamas-Pellecer started his military career in 2016 when he went to basic training. From there, he went to airborne school and was a part of the 82nd Airborne Division from 2017 to 2023. After that, he went to Fort Carson and was stationed there for 2-3 years.

Llamas-Pellecer was influenced to join the program by his old platoon leader, who went through this process as well. They were a part of the same Multiple Launch Rocket System field artillery, where they also started to build a brotherhood. Llamas-Pellecer says that this brotherhood has been like none other, where the stories his platoon leader has for him has impacted his life even outside the military.

“And that’s one thing that I want to strive to be too,” Llamas Pellecer said. “Be able to share my experience, share my story, impact any soldier whatever rank they are, and be able to just lead them into the right direction as I was led to as well”

He talks about how CST has been growing his leadership by teaching him proficient organizing and planning. CST has been helping him retain and absorb the right information and planning the work instead of just doing the work.

Latta started his military career in 2019 where he signed in to the 82nd Airborne Division. In 2020, he went into Brigade Support Battalion where he was there until spring of 2025 and transitioned into the ROTC program.

Latta talked about how surreal the moment felt when he got accepted into the Green to Gold program. It was surreal to him because he tried two years prior to join and got rejected but through resilience and submitting the packet again, he got accepted.

He ends with advice for other enlisted soldiers thinking about going and applying for the Green to Gold program.

“I would say for anyone that is trying to go down this path, don’t hesitate to make that decision. Some of the great decisions you’re going to make in your life are going to be the ones that are scary,” Latta said. “Just put your best foot forward, do everything you possibly can to give yourself a foot in that door, and once your foot’s in that door, just bust it wide open.”