Lt. Col. Weston Layfield, professor of military science at the University of Georgia (UGA) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), brings over 18 years of experience in the U.S. Army to his role training future Army leaders.
Layfield’s family has a strong military background, with both grandfathers serving in World War II and his father also in the armed forces. Initially planning to serve only a few years after graduating from the University of North Georgia Corps of Cadets program, Layfield decided to remain in the Army after finding satisfaction in military life. “I just fell in love with the Army lifestyle,” Layfield said. “I have a wife and four kids; we have all loved it.”
His early assignments included leading soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and deploying to Kapisa Province, Afghanistan during the Global War on Terror. He described these experiences as formative for his leadership abilities.
A significant point in Layfield’s career was accepting an assignment at Fort Polk, Louisiana instead of returning to Texas, which introduced him to influential mentors who helped shape his approach as a leader.
Layfield transitioned into higher education by becoming an assistant professor of military science at his alma mater before joining UGA as professor of military science for its ROTC program in 2018. At UGA, he is focused on growing the program and preparing cadets for service.
Daily activities for Layfield include interviewing prospective students and teaching classes that emphasize leadership development through physical training, classroom instruction, and hands-on exercises such as small unit tactics. Cadets participate in early morning physical training sessions three times a week and complete lab courses designed to prepare them for advanced summer training.
“We are the pathway for somebody who wants to join the Army as a commissioned officer, and I want to facilitate their ability to achieve that goal,” Layfield said.
Each year between their junior and senior years, contracted cadets attend a 34-day training program at Fort Knox, Kentucky where they are evaluated alongside peers nationwide on skills including marksmanship and land navigation. According to Layfield, most UGA ROTC cadets receive ratings of “outstanding” or “excellent,” surpassing results from many other universities.
When recruiting new cadets, Layfield looks for two key qualities: “a willingness to learn and understand that you don’t know everything, and a selfless mentality.” He explained: “If a lieutenant or senior cadet has those two things, they’re going to end up being successful because the Army is built to teach them on the job. But they need to have that mentality.”
Layfield encourages his students toward physical fitness, academic excellence and integrity so they are prepared for their first positions leading platoons ranging from 15-40 soldiers.
The UGA Army ROTC program currently enrolls 73 cadets—up from 57 earlier this year—with plans under Layfield’s leadership to reach 100 while maintaining quality standards. He also aims to inform more students about opportunities within ROTC across various career paths beyond combat roles.
“I love working with soldiers, and I love working with cadets,” said Layfield. “I want every one of our cadets who commissions through our program to take charge in the Army and be the best they can be.”
