The ROTC program started with only a few but is now thriving
The program started in 2005 with only five cadets but has vastly grown since then.
In position, the cadets are reporting to the first sargent, who makes sure that everyone is accounted for. Patrick Martin | News Editor
May 5, 2016
The Florida Atlantic Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program was formed in 2005 with just four cadets and the mission to teach students how to be leaders and become commissioned officers upon graduation.
Today, the program has more than 70 cadets in multiple jobs including cyber crime, aviation and military police.
The ROTC develops the next leaders of the U.S. Army while still in a college environment.
ROTC Rundown
A quick summary of what this program entails.
Cadets who are in the ROTC basic course — the first two years in college when the ROTC classes serve as electives — do not have a commitment obligation.
However, cadets who are in the ROTC advanced course, or the last two years in college when the ROTC classes serve as electives and the cadet must take lab courses as well, do require a commitment to serve as a U.S. Army officer.
Cadets don’t always go overseas to fight: Army missions are always changing and the cadet isn’t guaranteed to deploy or not to deploy. It all depends on the unit and the branch.
Information provided by the U.S. Army. To find out more, visit the Army ROTC site.
The Owl Company is part of the Southern Strike Battalion originally formed at Florida International University, according to Capt. Michael Chezum, an instructor for the ROTC program.
FAU is one of just many schools in the Southern Strike Battalion. According to its website, FIU, FAU, Florida Memorial University, Barry University, the University of Miami, Palm Beach Atlantic University, Miami Dade College and Broward College are all in the battalion.
On campus they learn about improvised explosive devices, putting together operations orders and sexual harassment awareness, said Chezum. These classes are commonly referred to as “hip-pocket training.”
The classes will help the cadets when they conduct training at Snake Creek in Hollywood, Florida — where they perform both raids and key leader engagements. This training teaches cadets how to talk to leaders in the local community when they are deployed overseas.
The military science first-year cadets through the military science third-year cadets conduct ropes course training at FAU. [Usually, MSI through MSIII cadets are freshmen to juniors, according to Cadet Lt. Col. Skyler Philbin, a senior business major.]
On Dec. 4, 2015, FAU approved the inclusion of a military science minor.
“One of our primary motivations for creating a minor is to reward FAU cadets who work so hard to obtain a commission as an Army officer,” said Hillabrandt in a memorandum announcing the new minor.
The minor is open to all 3000-level students and they must make a commitment to ROTC upon selecting it.
Hillabrandt said, “In addition to the minor appearing on their transcript, completion of such a program would provide the student with credentials that can help secure employment or special assignments in the Army, state department or other government agencies.”
Patrick Martin is the news editor of the University Press. For tips regarding this or other articles he can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter.
