After 25 years of honorable service in the U.S. Army, with four of those years as Professor of Military Science, Lieutenant Colonel David Campbell is retiring and leaving behind a legacy of positive impact.
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell has acted as academic chair of the Military Science Leadership Program within the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences (LAS) since August 2022. Under his guidance, the program has maintained a reputation for discipline, mentorship, and practical training, preparing students for both military service and broader civic responsibility and helping bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world military leadership.
During his tenure at UCCS, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell led the UCCS Army ROTC Mountain Ranger Battalion to exceptional achievement, with 144 U.S. Army Officers being commissioned and the Mountain Ranger Battalion exceeding their commissioning mission by 70% over the past four years. He also mentored 37 Distinguished Military Graduates (DMGs), which are the top 20% Army ROTC cadets across the nation recognized for exceptional performance, leadership and potential as future officers.
Additionally, he mentored 67 cadets to receive their first Army branch of choice upon commissioning. He also helped the ROTC program earn the 2024 General Douglas MacArthur award, a prestigious honor presented annually to the top eight Army ROTC programs in the United States that exemplify “Duty, Honor, Country.”
Lieutenant Colonel Campbell’s impact doesn’t stop there. He helped generate 3,000-plus hours of volunteer work in the local community, including support to Labor Day Lift off, NORAD’s Santa call center, and numerous high school drill competitions where cadets served as judges; strengthened relationships with various entities at Fort Carson, Colorado National Guard and the United States Air Force Academy, leading to the success of numerous training events; and supported over 20 JROTC drill meets and over 200 high school ROTC national scholarship interviews.
With this dedication, he has embodied the “Train, Educate and Develop future Army leaders” mission statement, fostered leadership, discipline and integrity and contributed to a structured yet supportive environment, fostering growth not only in military competence, but also in character and critical thinking.
With his many contributions and efforts, Lieutenant Colonel Campbell’s outstanding performance has been central to the success of UCCS, the Mountain Ranger Battalion and the United States Army, leaving an impact that will last long beyond his retirement.