By Angelina Castro '16
After serving across the country and around the world in places such as South Korea and Afghanistan, LTC Patrick Lane decided to settle down back home in New York’s Capital Region where he oversees the Army ROTC program, the Mohawk Battalion.
“I was probably in line to go back to Washington, D.C. or Tampa, Florida, but I know for a fact that the number one priority of the chief of staff of the Army is leader development,” Lane said. “I think that this is where I need to be in terms of being invested in the future of our Army.”
Now a professor of military science, the award-winning Albany native is finding new ways to dedicate his life to the armed forces. Instead of being deployed overseas, Lane is stationed at Siena College where he is mentoring cadets from Siena, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and UAlbany.
Lane was born into an armed forces family and followed the family tradition after graduating from college in 1999. He returned to work on a college campus in May and said that the people at Siena have made him feel at home. “I could not think of a better place,” Lane said. “The support that we get from the Siena community is just tremendous.”
During his distinguished military career, Lane earned several awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and a master’s degree from University of Phoenix and the Naval War College.
Now an educator himself, Lane hopes to continue to channel his military experience and Catholic upbringing by stressing the importance of service to all of his cadets. “My mission is that hopefully we are a viable entity where the campus looks at the ROTC as a sense of pride for the institution,” Lane said. “That is ultimately my goal and I think we are doing a pretty good job at that.”
Siena has a rich tradition of educating military veterans and the ROTC program has been a staple of the College community for decades. Siena College was named a 2015 Military Friendly® School by Victory Media, the leader in connecting the military and civilian worlds. The Military Friendly® Schools designation is awarded to colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace military students and help them succeed.
Lane is excited about the environment Siena College has built to support ROTC cadets and veterans, including the opening of a dedicated space for them called the Veteran and Cadet Lounge.
“We are able to tie in the veterans and the cadet community because the cadets can benefit from the veterans’ experiences. The veterans are able to come in if they want, or so choose, to tell their story and be around people that are up-and-coming,” said Lane. “They have a shared common sense of identity. Ultimately, I think it’s going to be fruitful for everybody.”
While he has traded life on base for life in class, Lane is still fulfilling his duty to protect this country, only now he is training the next generation of soldiers with spirit and a sense of what it means to serve.
