Newly commissioned SC State ROTC grad thankful for motivation from Bulldog Battalion commander

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Although Allona Elizabeth Carter was one of 129 seniors graduating from South Carolina State University at Fall Commencement, she was the sole graduate to cross the stage as a newly commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

“It feels great because I accomplished a lot to get here,” Carter said after her commissioning ceremony on Dec. 11 at SC State’s 1890 Research and Extension auditorium.

Carter, who hails from Beaufort, South Carolina, became the latest officer to earn a commission via the SC State Army ROTC Bulldog Battalion, joining a tradition 2,228 officers strong. She was inspired in part by her older brother, Capt. Ezekiel Carter, who also earned his commission at SC State in 2020, and other family members who served in the military.

She weighed whether to follow Ezekiel into the Army or her other brother into another military branch. A financial incentive helped her choose the Bulldog way.

“It was the Army or the Air Force, but I got a bonus, and I like the choice I made,” she said.

The Bulldog Battalion experience meant finding the energy to wake up early each morning for physical training and classes. Carter also needed motivation during a particularly challenging training camp. She got it from the Bulldog Battalion’s commander, Lt. Col. Antonio Pittman, SC State professor of military science.

“When I went to Advanced Camp, that was a toll. I was ready to leave, but seeing my lieutenant colonel who told me, ‘You got this -- see it through’ -- that’s what helped,” she said.

Carter sees herself as a change agent as she enters the service as an officer.

“I want to go as far as I can in rank and make a statement,” she said.

Carter’s undergraduate degree from SC State is in biology. While biology is not directly related to her Army assignment in logistics, she still intends to use her degree.

“I will either start medical while I’m in the military or when I get out, I will either teach biology or continue to go to school,” she said.

What advice would Carter offer to freshmen considering joining the Bulldog Battalion?

“I would tell them to go as hard as you can. Don’t slack. Get everything done. No procrastinating. Put yourself into it,” Carter said. “Don’t let anybody else influence what you’re doing because some people will question why you’re doing it. In reality, you are doing this for you.” 

For more information about SC State's Military Science Program and the Bulldog Battalion, visit www.scsu.edu/military-science/ or contact Anthony Watson, recruiting operations officer, at AWatso9@scsu.edu or 803-533-3604.