Just Another Day in the Trenches

ROTC, Reserve Officer's Training Corps, is a student organization in which students contract with the U.S. Army while attending college. For those contracted cadets, either as a scholarship cadet or an academic junior or senior, many tasks need to be accomplished in order to obtain a commission as a second lieutenant. Before becoming an MS III, military science 300 level cadet, a student must either have completed all 100 and 200 level military classes, attended and completed Camp Challenge, or attended army basic training. Once one of the above requirements are met a cadet endures many training events while taking MS 301 and 302 with the labs. Cadets learn leadership, tactics, and the military way of life. After the MS III year is completed, the cadet then goes to Advanced Camp which is five weeks long. At this camp cadets are evaluated on their ability to lead and physical capabilities. When this camp is completed, the graduated MS III cadets are then MS IV cadets. The role of the MS IV is very important. Training events are planned by the IV ís and their knowledge gained from Advanced Camp is then passed on to the new MS III ís. After completing 401 and 402 with the labs, the MS IV has completed their ROTC commitment. Upon graduation from college, the cadet earns a commission as an army officer. The following is an overall idea of what a cadet must go through in order to earn a commission. In the classroom, the MS III learns tactics, leadership and its dimensions, duties and responsibilities of an officer, land navigation, marksmanship, FTX (field training exercise) components, and army policies.

Outside of the classroom each cadet is committed to attending PT, physical training. PT starts at 6:00 in the morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The goal of PT is to obtain good physical condition. The exercises generally included in the PT plan are many variations of the pushup, sit-up, flutterkicks, the side straddle hop, and at least a 20 minute run by ability groups. Also, the PT plan includes, at least once a semester, water survival. This training is conducted at the pool with cadets being dressed in the BDU uniform, the LBE, and an M-16 dummy rifle. Many events have to be passed in order to pass water survival. For example, the 25 meter swim, make a flotation device out of BDU trousers and blouse, treading water, expected entry off the low dive with the M-16, and unexpected entry (blind folded) off the high dive with the M-16. PT, however, is not all training. Cadets also participate in organized sports, such as basketball. This shows the cadet teamwork and sportsmanship, plus it breaks the monotony of regular PT. With all the various PT sessions, the mission of being physically fit to the army standard is usually met with flying colors.

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: Front Row L-R: Sivert, Poling, White, Lucas, Moore, Cook, Runyon, Neal; Second Row: Merdricks, Camden, Metcalf, Alverson, Rodriquez, Clay; Third Row: Adkins, Reese, Dixon, Buskirk, Nida, Sifford

Photo 2: Front: Sivert, Poling, White, Lucas, Moore; Second row: Adkins, Merdricks, Reese, Dixon, Metcalf, Buskirk

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