MAJ Ron Braasch
Professor of Military Science Major, Aviation
302-831-1763
Ron was born south of Jacksonville, Florida, to Ron and Donna Braasch. He grew up with two younger sisters, Danese and Cynthia, and worked as a small engine mechanic at the family business before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2002. While serving with B/1-64 Armored Regiment “Black Knights” (2nd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division), Ron deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom I, fighting his way north from Kuwait as an M1A1 Abrams tank loader and driver. He participated in battles at An Nasiriyah, As Samawah, Karbala, Najaf, Objectives Peaches and Saints, and Baghdad. He completed his enlistment and, in 2004, attended the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) preparatory school at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, followed by the Academy in New York, graduating from the latter in 2009.
Ron next attended flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and graduated in 2010 as the distinguished student of Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training in the CH47F Chinook Helicopter. He then moved to Fort Bragg and joined the 82nd Airborne Division, deploying to Operation Enduring Freedom 11-12 as a Chinook Platoon Leader with B/3-82 General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB). During his time in Afghanistan, Ron flew over 500 hours of combat missions in Regional Command East from key bases like Sharana, Shank, Bagram, and Jalalabad, serving as a Pilot-in-Command and Air Mission Commander during the deployment. After returning to Fort Rucker, Ron attended the Aviation Captains Career Course and the CH47F Instructor Pilot Course and took command of A/1-223 Aviation Regiment. He then served as the Battalion’s Operations Officer, where he began implementing the Aviation Restructure Initiative. Later, Ron completed the UH72A Lakota Aviator Qualification and Instructor Pilot Course and assumed command of C/1-14 Aviation Regiment to oversee Advanced Flight-School Students and the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 110th Aviation Brigade.
He then attended graduate school and served as an Assistant Professor of History at West Point, where he taught ancient, medieval, and modern social, economic, and military history and founded and led the West Point Latin Reading Group Turma ad Latinam. Ron then completed Resident Intermediate Level Education at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to serve as a Field Grade Officer and CH47F Standardization Instructor Pilot. He served in 6-101 General Support Aviation Battalion as the Executive and Operations Officer from 2022 to 2024, where he helped pioneer the Large-Scale Long-Range Air Assault (L2A2). Ron’s assignment with the 101st Airborne Division culminated as the Brigade Operations Officer for the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, forward deployed to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Some of Ron’s key military awards include the Combat Action and Senior Aviator Badges, Airborne and Air Assault Wings, Meritorious and Presidential Unit Citations, the Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal for Valor. He also holds academic degrees from the United States Military Academy, Norwich University, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a Ph.D. from Fordham University. He has been published in multiple Aviation Branch publications and peer-reviewed journals, including “The Skirmish: A Statistical Analysis of Minor Combats During the Hundred Years’ War, 1337-1453,” Journal of Medieval Military History XVI (2018).
Ron and Amanda Elizabeth Tavel Braasch (MAJ, USAR, USMA 09) met as Cadet Candidates at the USMA preparatory school, dated throughout West Point, and married following graduation. They have three boys: Ronnie, Cannon, and Flynn, who are the pride and joy of their lives.
Mr. Carlos Washington
Recruiting Operations Officer
302-399-1130
Carlos Washington serves as the Recruiting Operations Officer (ROO) for Army ROTC at the University of Delaware. Originally from Columbia, South Carolina, he is a proud father of two.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Carlos went on to earn a master’s degree in School Psychology and Athletic Leadership from Clemson University. Before transitioning to higher education, he served 12 years in the U.S. Army as a Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Agent, where he gained extensive investigative, leadership, and mentorship experience.
Serving previously as the ROO at Drexel University, Carlos distinguished himself by earning the USAREC “Recruiter of the Year” award twice, reflecting his commitment and excellence in cadet recruitment and retention.
At the University of Delaware he continues his passion for developing future leaders through dedicated work in Army ROTC, combining his background in both military service and academic leadership to mentor and guide cadets toward fulfilling careers.
Mrs. Karine Pierre
Administrative Assistant
302-831-2218
Mrs. Pierre is the Administrative Assistant for the AROTC. She has many years experience working in Higher Education supporting a Department Chair and working in the Registrar’s Office. Mrs. Pierre earned her associate’s degree from Peirce College in Philadelphia, PA. She also attended Eastern University in St. Davids, PA where she majored in Organizational Management.
Mrs. Pierre lives in Delaware with her husband and two daughters. In her spare time, she loves to volunteer at the Hagley Museum.