http://youtu.be/NvZmIjo_igg
05.08.12 (LAS CRUCES) – Many students on college campuses around the country are learning how to be soldiers in the military. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication and discipline.
Cadet Col. William Thomson is working hard to be a pilot for the United States Air Force. He is training for the military all while balancing a college career.
“There’s a different amount of stress for the different classes so, I joined as a sophomore, and some start as a freshmen throughout your college career. The way I explain it to people is, almost like a student athlete, the amount of time we spent doing ROTC functions,” he said.
Each semester cadets are involved with color guard and other ROTC activities on campus, in the community and on military bases through out the area.
“To teach discipline and different types of leadership skills because essentially when you go active duty into the air force that’s your job is to be a leader,” said Thomson.
Cadets learn about military life and what it’s truly like to be a soldier early on in the program.
“It’s a year-long process to get cadets ready actually a four year less process to get cadets reads to commission to the army or the air force and there’s a lot of physical fitness, there’s a lot of military studies but the most important factor on either army or air force side are the academics of the cadets,” said Lt. Col. Dan Bennett.
An activity cadets spend most of their time working on is the annual ‘Pass-In-Review,’ a formal military ceremony displaying the strength and unity of a detachment as well as promoting teamwork and pride within the organization.
“It takes a affair amount of effort. I mean a lot of the times, we have our cadet leadership start preparing for the event at the beginning of the semester,” said student Conner Chenevert.
Every movement in the ceremony is important and is performed in front of military and university leaders. It shows just how each cadet develops in the program.
“It’s a chance for them to pull together and pull this whole thing together. Like, I know most of the cadets put so much effort into helping out with BBQ with teaching people how to perform all the movements, its not a step forward movement but more of a learning experience on how to teach people,” said student Micah Ward.
