A Semester in Review

Today the MSI's, or freshman, took their last PT test of the semester. It is coming down to the wire now. This is the final week in the semester and marks the end of a long four months. As a whole, the semester has been extremely productive and provided a number of lessons. In my case, I have found and implemented a workout that will actually work to improve PT results. In my case, I have improved my score by 25 points, including getting slower on the run. This was due to a foot injury. The workout is the same one that I wrote about a few months ago. The workout consists of about forty-five minutes of pushups and situps prior to any running or cardio. I typically do the workout four to five times per week. The only drawback is that it eats up time. You will need about an hour and a half to have a complete workout. If interested, you can look back to my previous discussions. Besides improving my overall physical shape, I was able to continue my success in school. It can be challenging managing time as a cadet. The biggest piece of advice that I can offer is to remember your priorities. As a cadet, your first responsibility is to graduate from school. At times this will not seem to be the case; however, without graduating, there is no point helping with ROTC. I am not saying to avoid participating by blaming your time commitments. You have the responsibility to do everything you can to help the program without hurting yourself. Balancing responsibilities is an acquired skill. Use this time to learn how to prioritize.

GRFD, What is it?

The GRFD is a guaranteed reserve force duty contract, which is a commitment that works just like a federal scholarship. When a cadet signs one of these, they commit to serving in the National Guard or Army Reserves for six years. Just like the Federal scholarship, any cadet who agrees to this will receive either tuition or room and board and a book allowance. In the case of the guard, soldiers already receive 100% tuition for a state school. This can be combined with the GRFD to cover almost all of a students expenses. This may be the main cause in the rise in the number of cadets joining the national guard. At ISU the percentage of cadets that are entering the National Guard compared to Active Duty is growing. The GRFD may be the main cause of this, but there are a number of other factors. Another factor is the prospect of getting a job after school. Many people view active duty as a loss in liberties and an involuntary relocation. It can be difficult to volunteer to move to a random location, especially if you hope to have a family or maintain a relationship. This jump in GRFD's, regardless of the reason behind them, has had an impact on the accessions process. It is now much easier for qualified candidates to get an active duty spot. Some of the most qualified candidates do not want to go on active duty anymore, opening up slots for those who would not have made it in past years. This change hasn't impacted active duty as much as one might think because the US Army can pull anyone it needs for active duty. The needs of the Army come before the wants of soldiers. The National Guard has had no trouble making its initial recruitment for officers. The challenge has been keeping officers beyond their initial commitment.

Best Staff Ride Ever

Our staff ride to the Jefferson Barracks was a great time. For starters we had amazing luck with the weather. Yesterday happened to be the best day of this year for weather. It was about eighty degrees, sunny, and slightly breezy. The day began with a brief class and discussion about the Battle of the Bulge. After we had a good feel for the battle and its background, we headed down to St. Louis. Once we arrived, we spent about an hour or so walking around the living display that was set up. The living display consisted of a bunch of collectors and WWII reenactors that had set up a large camp full of authentic WWII equipment. This equipment covered everything that you can imagine. There were a number of American, British, and Russian weapons on display. They all were in immaculate condition. I was surprised at just how clean everything was. All of the collectors were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We were able to see much of the equipment that was used during the war and develop a better understanding for what veterans went through. It was extremely entertaining to look at all of the old vehicles. We were even able to take a ride in two different half-track vehicles. After seeing the display, we met up with the Gateway Chapter of the veterans of the Battle of the Bulge. This group of men shared their story with us and all that they experienced in Europe. Their experiences and advice were extremely valuable and inspiring. There is a great deal to be learned from these heroes. Next time you have the opportunity, go out and talk to a veteran, and thank them for all they have done.

Ready for Active Duty

Now that it is coming close to graduation time, it is time for those of us graduating to get ready for the training that follows. The most challenging part of getting ready is doing so when we have so much going on. The end of the year is always incredibly busy with finals and packing. Time is at a premium. The hardest part is getting ready for active duty without any time to do so. My challenge will be getting packed, ensuring I know everything I need, and spending time with my family in the two weeks that follow graduation. The way things look now, I am a little worried that there will not be enough of me to go around. My main strategy will be packing everything military related in plastic bins early on, so I don't have to worry about getting my equipment ready when it comes time to leave. I also plan on labeling each bin with an inventory of everything inside. I also have the benefit of having a few months at Ft. Knox to review all of the information that I will need for my follow-on training. This is everything from 7-8 stuff to all of the specifics of the OPORD. I anticipate getting to LTC and having only a small amount to do. I am sure that it depends upon the specific job, but I am willing to bet that all of the jobs have only a limited amount. The biggest concern for me is the fear of the unknown. This is not to say that I am afraid of what awaits me, it just adds to the overall uncertainty. As a whole, I am excited for what lies ahead. It will be challenging to ensure I am fully prepared with less than a month remaining until I leave.

Staff Ride

As MSIV's you will have the opportunity to participate in the Staff Ride. The staff ride is an all day event that the seniors spend discussing military history at a historically significant location. During my MSIV year, we went to Cantigny. I forget exactly how it is classified, either as a park or a museum. When we were there, we each had a small presentation that described a situation or story that came from each of the different conflicts that the First Infantry Division was involved in. The museum shows artifacts and has displays for each of the conflicts. For the most part the day is a nice break from the day to day stuff. It also serves as a very informative experience. I learned a great deal from my classmates. We made sure to focus on more obscure stories, that way everyone learned new things. By the end of the day we were pretty worn out, but it was worth it. This year I have had the benefit of going on another staff ride. Luckily, we will not be attending the same venue. The plan is to visit the Jefferson Barracks. Although my knowledge of the Battle of the Bulge is limited, I do know that this is one of the most significant memorials in the area. The barracks overlook the Mississippi River, and are located in St. Louis. The plan for the day looks to be one of the best days as far as ROTC events are concerned. After spending a few hours at the museum, we will be changing and heading to the St. Louis Cardinals and Cubs game. I just wish that I was a fan of either team, but I will settle for watching the Cubs get destroyed. That always makes for a good time.

Leaving A Legacy

I must apologize up-front for the following blog. It is a rant, and I have no intention of dressing it up. As someone who has invested hundreds of hours into developing and building ISU's ROTC program, I have a certain level of attachment with its success. I would like to see the program continue to improve from year to year. Nothing would make me happier than to see the next class take what we did and make it that much better. Running the program as MS IV's is not a competition with the previous years. Instead, you are competing against yourself to make the next group as strong as they can be. That is the whole point of an ROTC battalion. Our mission is to train and recruit Army Officers. Everything we do should be based on accomplishing the mission put before us. As seniors it is our job to do everything we can to help out the underclassmen. This pertains to training, operations, and administrative matters. As trainers it is our responsibility to prepare stimulating and challenging training opportunities. This doesn't happen when people don't show up, complete their responsibilities, and simply don't care for others. There is no room for leaders to be selfish. This is a dangerous attitude for people who will be looking out for others for years to come. Remember this when it comes your turn to lead. Remember when you were coming into the program. Think about what you could not stand and what your concerns were. By taking care of the younger cadets, you are leaving a legacy. Take pride in what you are doing, and leave the program better than when you entered it.

A Different FTX

Today was the Field Training Exercise (FTX) for the MSI's and MSII's. Typically the FTX consists of a three day weekend spent at Marseilles. These weekends always were a killer for the younger cadets as well as the seniors. They eat up the entire weekend and leave cadets with a lot of work to do. This year was much different. Instead of a three day adventure, the spring FTX is only a half-day consisting of scuba lessons, air rifle training, and a catered barbecue. I took advantage of the opportunity to go to the pool early for a swim. With no more free swim at McCormick, I take advantage of any opportunity for a wet work out. The bulk of participants showed up around 730. The gentlemen that handled the scuba courses were much more professional than I expected. They came in with full sets of gear for about 15 people. Within 20 minutes everything was set up and ready to go. Unfortunately, the cadets weren't ready for another ten minutes. As a training event, a brief scuba class seemed like a great idea. Everyone involved seemed to be excited when it came time to get in the pool. The other event, the air rifles can be a good time. The rifles are not like the typical BB guns that we all grew up with. They are precision rifles, costing over two thousand dollars each. Shooting the rifles is a good time; however, it can get a little slow at times. Overall, the two events make for a good Saturday. The cadets weren't trapped all weekend, and they got to eat good food. I think that it was a great move to shorten up the weekend and make it fun. Kudos

LDAC

Overview

The Leader Development and Assessment Course, conducted at Fort Lewis, Washington, provides the best possible, professional training and evaluation for all cadets. Although the camp mission includes continued training and leadership development, the primary focus at camp is to evaluate each cadet's officer potential. This camp represents the only opportunity for this command to gather all cadets on one "level playing field" for the purposes of making this assessment as accurate and as professional as possible.

Warrior Forge places each cadet and officer candidate in a variety of leadership positions, many of which simulate stressful combat situations. In each position, cadets will receive evaluations from platoon tactical and counseling (TAC) officers and noncommissioned officers. In addition to proving their leadership ability, cadets and officer candidates must meet established standards in physical fitness, weapons training, communication, combat patrols and demonstrate their proficiency in many other military skills. Cadets and officer candidates must excel at WARRIOR FORGE to be considered competitive for a commission as an Army officer.

As a whole, the event is not nearly all that it has been hyped to be. For the most part, the day to day stuff isn't all that difficult. You will find that the worst part of the camp will be dealing with the other cadets. Everyone wants to do as well as they can, and the atmosphere can get a little intense. Just remember to do your best, and everything will work itself out.

Safety: Sexual Assault

Rape and Sexual assault Prevention

It may seem that sexual assault may not be prevalent in our battalion; however, with all that has been happening around campus, it is important to know just what is wrong. Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, physical threat or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent. Sexual assault includes rape, non consensual sodomy (oral or anal sex), indecent assault (unwanted, inappropriate sexual contact or fondling), or attempts to commit these acts. Sexual assault is a criminal offense incompatible with the Army’s high standards of professionalism and discipline.

Measures to avoid becoming a Victim of sexual assault

1. Be aware of your surroundings and be careful not to overindulge in alcohol.
2. Walk only in lighted areas after dark.
3. Buy time with the rapist by talking.
4. Attract help/attention.
5. Report misconduct
6. Do not be intimidated.

If you are a victim, you should

1. Go to a safe place where a phone is available.
2. Call the local or military police.
3. Avoid showering, douching, changing clothes, or straightening up the site where you were victimized since that may affect any subsequent investigation that may occur.
4. Go directly to a hospital or clinic and have the police notified for you.
5. Call someone from your chain of command, a friend, a rape hot line, or social work services.

When assisting a victim, you should

1. Listen to what the victim has to say and sympathize.
2. Do not ask what the victim did to cause this to happen.
3. Support the victim in the decision and effort to report the crime.
4. Encourage them to talk to a professional counselor.

Safety Concerns

Overview

Safety is one of the top concerns in the ISU ROTC Battalion. We strive to keep cadets safe during all training events, even during high-risk events. Safety is also important even when not engaging in military training. As a cadet, you have the duty of being a constant safety officer. At any time during any event, you have the power to stop an event if you witness any unsafe act that may place a fellow cadet in harms way. MS IV cadets and cadre will always be present during a training event and will be the primary instructors unless otherwise stated. All commands should be taken from them and followed as ordered.

Suicide Prevention

Some Soldiers get so overwhelmed by all the things that are happening to them that they make impulsive decisions to harm himself or herself or someone else. ALWAYS take immediate action to tell your instructor, advisor, or someone in authority regardless of whether you think you are afraid of losing friendships, butting-in where you do not belong, or getting someone in trouble. As a Soldier, it is your responsibility to have the personal courage and loyalty to your fellow Soldiers to help them not to be harmed.

Threats of harming self or others are important warning signs. You may think the Soldier is kidding. NEVER take these threats lightly. Get medical help for your buddy before they get to the stage of thinking there is no other way to solve their problems.

If you suspect that someone you know is contemplating suicide, provide “AID.”

A - Ask. Do not be afraid to ask, “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?”
I - Intervene immediately.
D - do not keep it a secret.


Five things to say to a possible suicidal person:

1. “I hear you.”
2. “I understand.”
3. “I care about you.”
4. “You’re not alone.”
5. “Let’s go together and get someone to help you.”


Five things NOT to say to a possible suicidal person:

1. “You’ll snap out of it.”
2. “It’s just a phase.”
3. “Stop being so selfish.”
4. “You are just trying to get attention.”
5. “You are a jerk; everyone has problems.”

End of the Semester cont.

Pass it on

The next major activity related to the ROTC at the end of the semester is the Pass it on event. What this event does is collect food and clothing from college students and gives it to local charities and homeless shelters. Everyone knows how wasteful college students can be. Every year when it comes time to move out, the dumpsters are overflowing with useful items. The program is designed to help cut back on the waste while helping out those struggling in Bloomington-Normal. As noble as this program seems, it is almost impossible to recruit the number of required helpers. As potential volunteers, I urge you to come out and help such a worthwhile cause. It may require some sacrifices at a very difficult time during the year. Just keep in mind the benefits of humanity and how much you will help the program. ROTC has taken responsibility for helping out.

The Commissioning Ceremony

This is the culminating event for ROTC and attending it is very helpful and useful. The event itself can be a little long and drawn out. It also features everyone’s favorite decoration, the flag boxes. If you have been in the program for a semester, you know that the flags being set up means work for you before and after the event. Despite the work, the event can be rewarding for younger cadets. When I was in my II, III, and IV year, I found that the event help put things in perspective. It reminded me that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I recommend that you show up, support your fellow cadets, and get a better feeling about what you’re doing.

End of the Semester Activities

At the end of every semester there are a few events that will always come up. As a new cadet it may be useful to know what to expect from each one.

The Awards Assembly
As a whole the spring awards assembly is a decent time. It is the biggest awards ceremony for the year. Most of the awards given at this event are legitimate awards. This having been said, all awards are only for wear in ROTC. The awards are typically for outstanding performance throughout the semester. Many of the awards come from the many organizations designed to support soldiers and veterans. Because of this, you will get to meet many of the community leaders that will be your biggest supporters. Participation at the event has been somewhat disappointing, leaving many of the awards un-presented or not received. This year there is a push to make sure that everyone will be attending and not disrespecting the presenters. The bottom line is that, no matter what you feel about the importance of ROTC awards, you need to show up and receive the honors that have been bestowed upon you. It may seem like a long ceremony, but is important, especially for upperclassmen, to remember just how good the freshmen and sophomores feel about receiving awards.

There will be more event descriptions to follow in tomorrow's blog.

Final Extra Curricular blog

Drill Team
The drill team is relatively new to ISU ROTC. The drill team focuses on learning and perfecting the precision movements of Drill and Ceremony. Drill instills discipline through precision and response to orders. After much work and dedication, the drill team will move as one unit. To be a member of the drill team takes a lot of hard work, discipline, and dedication. If interested contact your mentor or MSG Pittman.

Community Service
When you become a member of the Army community you possess something the civilian world cannot comprehend; the idea of self-sacrifice. Becoming a member of the world’s most powerful army, means that you have a greater responsibility to society, a responsibility to help others in need. This is why the Redbird Battalion provides service to the community. The Redbird Battalion participates in a variety of community service events throughout the year. One bi-annual program the Battalion participates in is called “Pass It On”. During this program ROTC cadets collect items, such as clothing, various unused supplies, and non-perishable foods, from all residence halls on campus. The collected materials are then donated to local shelters on behalf of ISU students and ISU ROTC. ROTC also has taken on tutoring grade school students at Jefferson Elementary in El Paso on Friday afternoons. Other community service events the battalion has participated in during previous years include working at local shelters, community/campus clean-up projects, and other projects with community based groups. If you have any questions about how to get involved or what events are happening during the semester, talk with your mentor. Remember, giving back to the community you live in is just as important as protecting it.

As a whole, these activities will teach you useful skills and develop social skills that you will need as an officer.

Extra Curriculars cont.

Ranger Challenge
Ranger Challenge is designed to mimic the skills required by United States Army Rangers. US Army Rangers are well-trained, highly conditioned, and extremely disciplined soldiers able to accomplish any mission at any time. United States Army Rangers take great pride in what they have done and the missions and goals they are able to achieve.

The Ranger Challenge club at Illinois State University is a program designed to concentrate on building self-confidence, technical and tactical leadership skills using activities such as rappelling, rope bridges, physical conditioning, map reading, and small unit tactics. The team begins training early in the fall semester and practices for several weeks in preparation for the Ranger Challenge competition. The competition is held at a number of locations and is a culmination of all military skills. The competition puts teams from each university against others in the brigade. Examples of events are rifle marksmanship, land navigation, APFT, one rope bridge, grenade assault course, 10K road march, and weapons assembly.

This club is for those Cadets that are intelligent, disciplined, willing to learn, have a “never quit” attitude, possess a strong work ethic, a team player, and enjoy the military.

Rifle Team
The Redbird Battalions Rifle Team shoots .22 caliber match rifles throughout the academic year in competitions against schools across the Midwest. The rifle team practices weekly by firing air and small bore rifles. The Rifle Team has won numerous competitions and awards in past years, and is always ranked nationally among the top non-scholarship teams. To become proficient in the skill of marksmanship, one must be willing to practice, practice, practice! Rifle team cadets take pride in their organization and commit numerous hours during a week enhancing their marksmanship skills. Cadets who believe they are up for this challenge and would like to join the rifle team, should contact the club president or the Redbird Training NCO.

ROTC Extra Curricular Activities

Overview
The cadets’ involvement with ROTC goes beyond their military science classes and leadership labs. Participating involves joining ROTC sponsored clubs, community service, fundraising, and university sponsored activities. There is a lot to do on the ISU campus, so it is also important to not get too involved because it is very easy to do. The following activities are open to all military science students. You do not have to be a contracted cadet to join these groups.

ROTC Clubs and Activities
As an ISU cadet you have the opportunity to participate in rewarding events such as community service or fundraising for ROTC. You can also take advantage of extra high-speed training through ROTC clubs. Each club focuses on different skills needed in the United States Army. The ISU Battalion highly encourages all cadets to participate in each club for at least one event. This experience will provide you with valuable training experiences that can be built upon in both the civilian and military lifestyles. At the beginning of each academic semester, the clubs and club leaders will be announced during a leadership lab. During this time you can express your interest in a club, sign up for participation, or just simply have something to think about for the future.

Color Guard
The mission of the ISU ROTC Color Guard is to honor and present our nation's colors at school and community events, while upholding our nation's values and traditions. The color guard is the most patriotic club on the Illinois State University campus and is one of the finest traditions of our nation. The color guard is responsible for presenting the colors at all Illinois State University home football games. The color guard also presents the colors for other local civilian organizations and all Illinois State University ROTC events. The club meets once a week to perfect the basic drill and ceremony skills taught to all cadets and become a highly disciplined and precise team.

Staying Busy as a Cadet

As I have written before, Cadets can do as much or as little as they choose. When it comes time to finding something to do, the more you have done in the past, the more you will have to do. This is why it is crucial to keep up with your tasks and keep trying to expand them. This having been said, there are a number of specific tasks that can be done by cadets to remain busy during drill weekends.

Get Ahead on Upcoming Work
If you have responsibilities that are recurring every month, like risk assessments or operations orders, work ahead. There is no better place than the armory to prepare the next two month’s paperwork. Very little is likely to change because the training calendars are established months ahead of drill weekends. Completing these early will open up time during future weekends when more training is planned.

Volunteer to Complete Existing Tasks
Every month in the National Guard there are tons of administrative tasks that have to be completed. If you find yourself with nothing to do, talk to your training NCO, and see if he or she has tasks that need to be accomplished. These can range from chasing people around with sign-in rosters to taking responsibility for teaching a class. As an officer you aren’t supposed to be leading training, but it is a useful experience for a young cadet.

Create Training
As a future officer, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are properly trained on the tasks and skills that will be required of you. If you can’t find something to do, create something. Go to the vault and sign out an M 249. ROTC cadets have limited access to much of the equipment that you will see on active duty. Take the opportunity to learn something you should know.

National Guard Weekends as a Cadet

Drill weekends in the National Guard can range from challenging and exciting to downright mind numbing. Cadets have a different experience depending upon their unit. In my experiences, Cadets are often underused. As a cadet I have served in a number of different roles. I began as a private, without all of the cleaning. This time gave me the experience of being the member of a squad. We were in a recon troop, so there was a great deal of time spent together in the woods. From this point forward, I began to assume a greater number of responsibilities until becoming company XO. I remained the executive officer despite the unit having plenty of lieutenants. I was always treated with respect and given the opportunity to act as an XO would. After transferring units, my role quickly shrunk back to where it had begun. After being at the unit for a few months, I began seeking more responsibilities, and slowly they came. These came in the form of risk assessments and operations orders evolved into running training missions. The main thing that I have learned is that, as a cadet, you will have as much responsibilities as you want. No one will be pushing for you to do anything. Many soldiers doubt the usefulness of cadets. You will have to seek out tasks and prove that you are capable. This must be done in order to develop as a leader. Step forward and volunteer your services; it will help you in your quest to become the best officer you can.

Tracking Down Equipment

I will be going on active duty in late May. As a guardsman, this commitment brings about a few challenges. Before you can leave the National Guard, you must turn in all of your TA-50. For those of you who do not know what TA-50 is, it is the standard issue that every soldier receives. These are things like the rucksack, kevlar, and sleeping bag. Over the course of three years of training and ROTC events, it can be very easy to lose items. Also, there are always people who will need to borrow things here and there. As a piece of advice, be very careful about who you are loaning your equipment to. Many items will have the tendency to disappear throughout your career. There are two very important factors to keep in mind. First, you will have to pay for any items that you fail to return. Second, many items are grossly overpriced. For example, a pair of Goretex pants cost $94. Combining these two factors can make for an expensive weekend, especially if you are prone to losing things. Once you know that you will be turning equipment in soon, start consolidating it. It can wear on your mind if you keep trying to figure out where everything is. Just put everything in one place until it comes time to give it back. The last major challenge comes from having ROTC equipment in addition to the National Guard TA-50. It can be confusing, but I have a suggestion for identifying where your equipment is from. If it looks like it is from the 70's, it's ROTC equipment; if it looks like it's from the mid 90's, it is from the National Guard.

Getting Ready to Travel

When it comes closer to graduation time, you will have to get ready for all of the traveling. In my situation, I have until late may to get all of my things together and get to Kentucky. The process of getting all packed can be quite hectic, especially if you live on campus and try to do it right after graduation. One suggestion that I would make is to find an apartment off campus. This will greatly reduce stress around the time of graduation. These apartments will have normal lease terms and will allow you until the end of May to move out. This will be a significant break from trying to get all of your finals finished, stuff packed, and preparing for the commissioning ceremony. I always remember what the seniors look like on that Friday, and I definitely don't want to be like that. The next step in life will be preparing your equipment for BOLC II or a trip to one of the ROTC camps. This shouldn't be too bad. Unfortunately, you won't have any TA-50 or standard issue that is required. You will be able to pick up what you need on post. Once you are all packed and physically ready for the next step, it will be time for you to brush up on your skills. Hopefully, you will have plenty of time before it is time to leave to look back at OPORD's and 9-line medevacs. It will also be a good idea to look into the correct way to do paperwork. You will go over this later in training, but its good to get used to it. The final thing would be to get your confidence back up. You may be a little rusty and a review would certainly help get you ready, but I hear BOLC II is pretty easy.