ROTC cadets pass field-training test at Lackland

  • Published
  • By Raymond V. Whelan
  • 37th Training Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  “Uncle Sam” requires all Air Force cadets to go through field training before they can think about receiving their commission and sporting the gold second lieutenant bar on their shoulders.

Field training is a fierce mental and physical regimen that can make or break the spirits of aspiring Air Force officers.

“Basically, I felt overwhelmed my first day,” said Cadet Terrance Wynn from Georgia Tech. “From the start, I was forced to step out of my shell and learn how to take control of people. I was scared. I was wondering, ‘Is this what I really want to do?’”

July 23 marked the successful end of field training for Cadet Wynn and more than 500 Air Force cadets from ROTC detachments at colleges and universities across the nation. For the past six weeks, the cadets have been encamped in dormitories here to pass the mandatory part of their military education.

During their field training here, days for the future Air Force leaders were packed with drills and exercises designed to instill peak physical fitness and extensive knowledge of military ceremonies, courtesies, customs and uniforms. The cadets also participated in a field exercise at nearby Camp Bullis, and many had orientation flights at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.

Each cadet also had to take several academic courses and examinations related to communication, leadership, management, professional relations and responsibility, Air Force history and other subjects.

Typically, the cadet field-training day started with a wake-up call around 4 a.m., followed by breakfast, then about two hours of calisthenics or other physical training. Two to three mornings a week, their commander led the cadets while they sang in formation through a motivational “warrior run” for as far as three miles around the base.

“I used to absolutely hate running,” said Cadet Tara Hein from the University of Missouri. “Now, I actually kind of look forward to it.”

“It was the most fun we had all day,” said Cadet Jonathan Kougias from Brigham Young University.

“You’re running with your squad and your flights, and even if you feel you can’t make it and you don’t want to push further, (the) team keeps pulling you along,” said Cadet Chris Brehob from the University of Georgia.

After morning PT, the cadets donned short-sleeved blue service uniforms for class or study. While seated in class, they had to rise and snap to attention if called upon, or when they volunteered to answer a question.

Class time meant learning.

“I learned how quickly airpower came to fruition,” said Cadet Nicholas Longo from the University of California at Los Angeles. “It came from nothing, and within a matter of years, we had jets. It amazes me how fast technology developed.”

After lunch, the cadets continued their day with more class or study. Then, another two-hour physical training session occurred during the late afternoon before dinner.

Throughout the day, each cadet had to carry a canteen to make sure they were hydrated, especially those prospective officers unused to the south Texas heat. Some suffered blisters, sore limbs and fatigue from their rigors.

All cadets spent their evenings in their dormitories hitting the books. Before “lights out” at 10 p.m., each cadet was allowed about 30 minutes of “individual cadet time” for purely personal matters.

“There were 800 things to do and only 30 seconds to do it, and you helped your squadron mates figure out how to get everything accomplished,” said Cadet Kelly Collier from Michigan State University. “That’s still a challenge.”

Before fall begins, the cadets will return to their ROTC detachments. There, they will work through the rest of their academic curriculum and advanced professional-officer courses before they are formally commissioned to serve in the Air Force.

“I’ve learned to be more tolerant of other people,” said Cadet Autumn Lorenz from Charleston Southern University. “Not everyone is at the same skill level, so I’ve learned to step back and give people a chance.”

“Field training has affected me like I never would have imagined,” said Cadet Eric Buschelman from the University of Kansas. “I just hope wherever I go, I can take care of my people, and that whatever I do, I can do a good job.”

“I’m very proud of them,” said Col. Tom Garza, the Air Force ROTC Field Training Unit commander. “They have all come a long way.”