Lindsay Dixon calls herself a “Cowboy Platoon Leader!” Throughout her 4-year active-duty military career as an Ordnance Officer (Maintenance and Supply), Lindsay Dixon (Burton) ‘19 prides herself on having done things a bit differently. At the outset, she had no knowledge of the Army’s complex supply and maintenance procedures, but she knew how to establish relationships and build trust within her unit. Lindsay’s cowboy superpower helped her create a sense of community, build morale within her platoon and company, and establish the teamwork that overcomes problems and accomplishes complex missions.
Lindsay Dixon (Burton) ‘19 was the first in her family to attend college. A four-year scholarship was essential, so Lindsay applied and was accepted for a national ROTC Scholarship even while she looked for the right school to attend. She was delighted when one of the admission counselors at CMC reached out to her and encouraged her to apply. She was accepted and inspired by CMC’s ROTC program and the courses offered in her combined major in Government and Middle Eastern Studies. At 5 feet 5 inches and 110 lbs., she sometimes struggled with the demanding physical requirements imposed by the ROTC program, but as a cross country and track runner in high school, she found she could keep up. She used her relationship-building superpowers to establish close connections with other cadets and her classmates, many of whom have endured to this day.
Upon commissioning and graduation, she was chosen for the “Outstanding Military Science Cadet Award” and received the gift of a Saber. Seven days after graduation as a brand-new Second Lieutenant, Lindsay left the comfort of her homes at CMC and Redlands and headed for Ft. Knox, Kentucky. There she spent one-month temporary duty as a Platoon Trainer managing ROTC cadets going through their summer ROTC Advanced Camp training experience. Lindsay then headed to Ft. Lee, Virginia for 4 months of Basic Logistics Officer training and then on to a plumb assignment to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.
Arriving in Oahu, Lindsay faced three major shocks. First, she was made the motor pool maintenance platoon leader at the 25th Aviation Brigade, an assignment with which she had no familiarity. Second, at age 22, she was placed in charge of 64 soldiers, 18 and 19 years old. And third, the world was hit by Covid-19. While the rest of Hawaii and America were on lockdown, her motor pool assignment was mission critical and needed to continue to operate. In addition to daily routine maintenance activities, they wore masks, cleaned surfaces, and sprayed disinfectants every two hours.
It was hot and humid. There was great concern within her platoon about the impact of the pandemic and morale was low. That is when Lindsay became a “Cowboy Platoon Leader” and started to do a few things differently. She brought her platoon together for an outdoor barbeque every other Friday. Practicing safe distancing and wearing masks, the soldiers of Lindsay’s platoon came together to share food and create a sense of normalcy in the midst of an uncertain pandemic. Under Lindsay’s leadership, morale improved. The unit developed a sense of community and trust and respect for their leader. Fortunately, she had an empathetic Company Commander who allowed a lot of latitude so Lindsay could run her own show. She shielded the men in her platoon and developed a close rapport with her NCOs and squad leaders. She was so well respected by her soldiers that when it came time to be pinned with her 1st Lieutenant bars, she asked her Platoon Sergeant to perform the honor.
Lindsay volunteered for a special assignment as part of the Pacific Pathways Training. She and a group of 40 soldiers and a senior NCO partnered with Philippine, Thai, and Indonesian Army units in Indonesia to conduct joint training exercises. For six weeks they were on temporary duty attached to an Aviation Support Group servicing helicopters: Blackhawks, Apaches, and Chinooks. Their role was to provide maintenance of ground vehicles and fuel services for helicopters.
It was important for the aviators to understand that US fuel for helicopters contained additives and was different from regular aviation fuel found in Indonesia. At the beginning of the exercise, the Brigade lacked the fuel needed to fly the helicopters safely for the exercise. Lindsay and her team went into action and formulated a plan for ensuring quality fuel for the helicopters throughout the training exercise, allowing the choppers to fly safely and accomplish their mission.
When helicopters need to be refueled, they do not shut down and Lindsay’s team would rush forward with a mobile gas station called a FARP (Forward Arming and Refueling Point) and refuel the choppers with blades churning. The Indonesian soldiers were amazed to see that a female officer was not only in charge of the unit but participated in the refueling operations herself. Lindsay was always “hands on.” This personality trait is characteristic of this remarkable officer. If she did not understand something, she would dig in and learn how to do the work. She watched her maintenance soldiers and asked them to show and explain what they were doing. She took an interest, developed rapport, learned and established the comradery and teamwork that leads to successful mission accomplishment.
Lindsay loved her job as a Platoon Leader, and she appreciated her Commanding Officer’s patience and willingness to teach and advise. She learned that working for a great leader makes all the difference in her performance and the performance of a unit. This was a lesson she carried forward throughout her remaining time in the Army and in her civilian work. After return from Indonesia, Lindsay became the Executive Officer of her company. On many occasions she assumed command of the company and gained valuable leadership experience.
While at Ft. Knox for her temporary duty as a Training Officer, Lindsay met her future husband, Donnie, another Army officer. Leaving the Army in 2020, Donnie pursued a master's degree in business and followed Lindsay to Hawaii to run a business. They were married in Hawaii in October of 2022. In the three years since their wedding, they’ve attended CMC alumni events and West Point football games; proud of their own and each other’s alma maters.
After four years of active duty, Lindsay was scheduled to attend the Career Course. While she had enjoyed her time in the service, she wanted to serve a new mission, so she decided to begin job hunting and prepare to leave the Army. She was fortunate to be able to take advantage of an internship called “Hiring Our Heroes” and spent 5 months working for Deloitte in Washington, DC. Upon leaving the service in 2023, she was offered a permanent position with the company, consulting with government clients.
While working for Deloitte, Lindsay completed her reserve obligation at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia with a Logistics Support Battalion. Their mission was to work with contractors who would provide life support and staging facilities to the Army when needed for troop deployments.
Recently, Lindsay was bitten by the advanced degree bug and after consulting with her CMC Professor, Dr. Jennifer Taw, she enrolled at Georgetown University to begin a two-year master's degree program in Foreign Service. She is excited and apprehensive about returning to the classroom after so many years but feels that her military and civilian experience have been an excellent foundation for what is yet to come.
Lindsay offers the following insights to the Life Lessons Learned she carries in her cowboy saddlebags from both military and civilian experiences:
- Resilience. As a young officer, she did not realize she could accomplish so much.
- Do Your best. In challenging times, it is essential to keep plugging and not give up.
- Humility. Do not think you are the smartest person in the room despite your CMC education. Many of the senior NCOs she worked with taught her valuable lessons.
- Grow where you are planted. Keep your eyes on the ground and not on the ladder.