About Me

EDUCATION
-Political Science Major
-Military Science Minor

LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCES & POSITIONS
- GAMECOCK BATTALION COMMANDER
- MURPHY'S CLUB TEAM LEADER
- RANGER CHALLENGE COMMANDER
​- RANGER PT COMMANDER 

AWARDS / RECOGNITION
- 2021 SOUTH CAROLINA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIER OF THE YEAR​
- MARSJMERKET RECIPIENT
- U.S. ARMY AIR ASSAULT SCHOOL GRADUATE
- U.S. ARMY RANGER SCHOOL GRADUATE
- U.S. ARMY AIRBORNE SCHOOL GRADUATE 
- DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARDEE 
- TOP 1% OF ALL CADETS ACCESSING IN 2023 ​

See my interviews and articles
Service With a Purpose
2021 SCARNG Soldier of The Year
Ranger School Graduation
Cadet Summer Training

My name is Daniel Walters and I am majoring in Political Science and minoring in Military Science at the University of South Carolina (USC). I am graduating in May of 2023 with Honors and Leadership Distinction in the Professional and Civic Engagement pathway. Through my experiences both within and outside of the classroom, I have developed the skills required to be a successful leader in the United States Army and in my community. 

I was born in Charleston, South Carolina and attend James Island Charter High School (JICHS). My three older sisters and two younger brothers also attended JICHS. However, I was the only one of my siblings to enroll in JROTC, and interestingly enough I only joined JROTC for the PT credit. However, JROTC was what put me on the to USC. In my junior year in JROTC I held my first leadership position, Operations Officer, where I was responsible for all events and functions for the unit. This was the first time I had ever connected with leaders within my community to set up and collaborate on volunteer events, which included a yearly coat, food drive and a drop off for Toys for Tots. 

After talking with an Army National Guard recruiter at JICHS, I decided to enlist and opted to graduate a semester early to attend Basic Combat Training. Prior to leaving for Basic Combat Training, my recruiter sat me down and helped me apply to USC. After finishing my training and getting accepted to USC, my recruiter showed me how to use my benefits to help me pay for college. I had been fortunate to have such great mentors and leaders who help me get to college and are the reason I am the person I am today. In fall of 2019, my freshman year at USC I was put on State Active Duty Orders for hurricane and flood relief and in the spring I volunteered Federal and State Active Duty to assist in COVID-19 relief missions. Through these missions I found a great appreciation for service, not only in the military but within my community. In the following semester, I contracted with Army ROTC, and officially became a Cadet here at USC. Through Army ROTC I have held multiple leadership positions, such as,  Gamecock Battalion Commander, which have shown me the importance of communication and coordination. Additionally, the courses and classes I took at USC reinforced the concept that leaders within a community need to be able to communicate, coordinate and then respond effectively. 

Upon graduation from the University of South Carolina, I plan on commissioning as an Infantry Officer and attending the Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course (IBOLC) at Fort Benning, GA. The following year I plan on coming back to Columbia, South Carolina to pursue my JD at the University of South Carolina School of Law while simultaneously continuing to serve in the South Carolina Army National Guard. 

The courses I have taken, the experiences I have had and the connections I have built here at USC will serve as a foundation for both my military career and law school. In my E-portfolio, you will find three of these experiences in my Key Insight sections. The experiences include “A Community In Need”, “Understanding Aggressive Action & Its Impact On A Community” and “Developing Leaders & Community Ties”. These key insights highlight my experiences while and beyond the classroom as well as highlight lessons learned and how they have impacted me. Additionally, my Leadership tab goes into detail on how I plan on continuing to serve Columbia, SC.