Veteran's Day Experience

I have always thought about Veteran's Day with a heavy heart. I thought about all the soldiers that have lost their lives. Up until recently I hadn't thinking about my parents, who are now both retired Air Force enlisted. But on Veteran's Day this year my whole perspective was changed because I was the one being recognized for standing up to defend our nation. It was so different standing there being looked at enviously instead of just being another face in the crowd. I know now what if feels like to truly be an Air Force airman and the Veteran's Day ceremonies are to thank.

C/ Ellis

Veteran's Day

Veterans Day Lead Lab was an incredible learning experience. The thought of participating in my first official Air Force related event was a little frightening. But when Thursday came and we were lining up to march toward City Hall I felt calm and confident because I believed that we were well prepared! I knew that we were a part of a very important event. My family has zero military background, and honestly it was one of the only military memorial events that I have ever attended, and I am thrilled I did. My appreciation for all those who have spent their life protecting our country and I was vastly widened. I am grateful for all they have done, and for the opportunity to honor all our wonderful Veterans.

C/Marquart

My name is Cadet Tesch. I am a Junior and a POC, in the AFROTC program at the University of Columbia-Missouri, better known as Mizzou. After three years in the program, I still think that it is one of the best decisions that I have ever made! I’m kept to a higher standard than if I was not in ROTC. I’m more physically fit, more confident, and I feel that I have been afforded more opportunities than I ever thought possible. I have met many people that I’m very glad to call my friends and that I have the utmost respect for. I have learned a lot about myself, because as a POC, I am placed in charge of other cadets and I am no longer following, I am leading and it has opened my eyes to many things that I can not only take into my military career, but my life in general.

All in all, I feel such a sense of accomplishment, pride, and determination in AFROTC. I feel accomplishment in that I am on a path to join one of the world’s most elite fighting forces. I feel pride that I am part of something larger than myself, and determination to carry on with the tradition of excellence that has been laid before me.

A Letter For Future Cadets

At the time of this writing, my name is C/4C Jonesi. I am an IMT (Freshman) in AFROTC. I am trying to improve my PFT score by doing both PT and PST regularly. If you want to participate in ROTC, you’ll have to learn what all these things mean. But don’t worry, you will. If you want to join AFROTC detachment 440 here at MU, or anywhere, know that it won’t be easy. Know that sometimes it won’t be fun. But also know that if you put the right amount of effort into being the best future officer you can be, you will find it well worth it.

You’re not going to have the typical college experience. From the outset, you’ll have more pressures and responsibilities placed on you than the average freshman, and over time, more and more responsibility will be placed on you. All that being said, the Air Force isn’t going to throw anything at you that you won’t be able to catch, provided you’re paying attention.

First and foremost, you are responsible for yourself. That means you’re going to have to earn better grades than many of your peers, avoid underage drinking and illegal drugs like the plague, and don’t plan on gaining the freshman 15 or Mizzou 22, it will count against you in the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). The Air Force does not have a zero tolerance policy on fun; they just expect you to have a decent head on your shoulders, both inside and outside the classroom. Once you graduate, you could very well be responsible for millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, and more importantly, the safety and welfare of the taxpayers themselves, who place their trust in you.

In the meantime, it isn’t the distant taxpayers who will place their trust in you; it’s also the people you will encounter on an almost daily basis at AFROTC. The cadre will trust you because you’re the future of the organization that has very literally been their life and livelihood. Whether you succeed or fail is a reflection of how much use you have made of the lessons they have taught you. Your actions and attitude decide the success and failure of detachment 440 just as much as they decide your own.

Even more importantly is the trust your classmates place in you. The most important lesson AFROTC can teach you is how to work as part of a team and from the beginning it is the lesson you need to learn best. That means you have to learn how to depend on others and have them depend on you. No matter what major you are doing or what career you are seeking you must prepare for the eventuality of war. In combat, this lesson means the difference between life and death.

There are many different reasons why you might have decided to become a cadet. Maybe one or both of your parents have served and you want to follow in their footsteps. Maybe you are interested in the career and educational opportunities the Air Force has to give you. Still maybe you know that America is besieged on all sides by its enemies and you want to be part of its first line of defense in a future dominated by technology. For whatever reason, I hope that the Air Force gives you what you were looking for. I also hope that wherever your career takes you, you find out something new, and good, about yourself.

SAMUEL G. JONESI, C/4C, AFROTC

As we get further into the fall semester of 2010, the weeks seem to be flying by. Each week the cadre presents the younger members of AFROTC with something new, and they begin to teach different techniques that we will need to succeed in future missions and military areas of our lives. The new material, such as learning how to inspect uniforms and how to perform an ORI are essential because we will be performing these inspections once we become part of the military officially. As it was a little intimidating, it was a great learning experience to watch the FTP take on leadership roles and take charge of each squadron. Each FTP member would take turns commanding our squadrons and walking side by side with an inspector as they would in an official ORI. As freshmen, I stood there being inspected, while silently taking notes on the mistakes made and good things that were done as well. I look forward to performing these tasks and others as well, as my class becomes upperclassmen in the ROTC program and eventually officers in the Air Force. The upperclassmen this year have done a great job on making material interesting and useful, thus far.

This last week, the Det 440 wing took a trip to Columbia College in support of our fellow cross-town cadets. Lead lab opened with practicing parade marching, which was performed flawlessly at the Homecoming parade as the crowds cheered as we passed. Following practice, we began training for open rank inspections. This gave the GMC a new challenge where we will be performing ORIs and will be expected to know this information in the upcoming lead labs. To end the day, a formal retreat was performed requested by Columbia College.
As always, the FTP cadets are challenged to step up, lead, and learn from our mistakes, and this week was no different. We trained for open rank inspections, where we will be executing these in just a couple of weeks leading as the key staff. The knowledge we take in from every LLAB is essential to our preparation and success for Field Training. Each week, the challenges we face become increasingly more difficult and the FTP as a whole become a stronger and unified team. We have a true sense of team as we progress through the semester facing these challenges. Each FTP cadet wants the other to succeed and we are at each other’s side to motivate, push, and learn to show the best of our abilities and Excellence in All We Do. Next week, the FTP will be tested as we fill the major job positions in AEF 2, and we will face obstacles only teamwork and good leadership will be able to overcome. For any challenges we face this year, preparation as we gain knowledge to be great leaders, working together as a team, and learning from our mistakes and improving from them is essential to our success.
Daniel J. Steitz, C/3C, AFROTC

Transition from IMT to FTP

Moving from IMT to FTP marks a significant transition within Air Force ROTC. An IMT cadet's main responsibility is personal leadership, molding him or herself into the best member of a team while carrying out the orders of their team leaders to the best of their ability. However, their is a marked change in emphasis this year, we are no longer expected to simply sit back, observe, and learn from those above us, we are now expected to take on the responsibilities of leadership and learn through doing.

FTP (Field Training Preparation) year is meant to do just what its name implies, prepare cadets to undergo the rigors of field training. However, this explanation belies the true intention of this years training, to press FTP cadets into situations they do not feel fully prepared to address, forcing them to dynamically adapt and by doing so expand beyond their own boundaries of leadership and personal ability. Throughout this year we will be asked to not only increase our knowledge of important Air Force structure, codes of conduct, customs, courtesies, and regulations; we will be asked to further internalize what it is we are undertaking as members of the United States Air Force. This year truly represents the core of what the Air Force is, men and women thrust into situations that cannot be addressed simply through preparation and knowledge, but that require the dedication of a motivated team able to adapt and overcome through combined effort.

We all fully understand that the tasks that lie before us are not meant to be met as individuals. If there is one thing that we must all take away from this years training, it is that to overcome adversity we have to come together as a team. In every challenge we undertake, the emphasis lies on the point that we rise and we fall as a team, not as individuals. If we allow one person to fall to the side, it is the failure of everyone, not just that individual. This is pointed out repeatedly, through AEF (Air Expeditionary Force) training which requires constant accountability for every team member, and through FTP PT sessions, which are focused on group runs forcing every individual to put their strength towards a common goal. In everything we do this year, our constant focus must always be on the support of our fellow cadets, because our unity is our strength.

Regardless of the challenges that await us this year, the FTP class is fully confident in our ability to come together as a team and accomplish any goal. We know what is at stake, we know what we are preparing for, we know that Field Training is the culmination of all our efforts to this point, and that it will throw countless obstacles in our path. We will do everything in our ability this year to prepare ourselves in every way possible for this summer, and as a team we will not fail.

THOMAS J. SPEARING, C/3C, AFROTC

Career Day

This past Tuesday at DET 440 we were privileged to have many active duty officers come to career day. They took time out of their own schedules to talk to the cadets. There were several officers, including lieutenants, captains, and majors. Some officers came from Whiteman AFB, while others traveled from Leavenworth, KS! They represented many different careers including; Pilot, Air Battle Manager, Security Forces, LRS, Force Support, Aircraft Maintenance, Civil Engineering, and more. We were able to learn a great deal of information about the different career fields and life as an officer.

The officers were extremely helpful to those of us who already know what our careers in the Air Force will be. They were also helpful to those cadets who don’t know what they want to do yet. Either way, we were very excited to learn all we could from them. Career day is one of the most important Leadership Labs we have during the semester. As you can see, we gain a lot of knowledge from having the opportunity to talk to active duty officers. We are very thankful we had such a great turnout, and we really appreciate them taking their time to talk to our cadet wing.

The Beginning of Fall Semester at Det 440

Welcome back everyone! It is a month or so into fall semester here at DET 440, and we are getting a move on the semester quickly. We have accomplished a lot in just these last few weeks, and have a busy schedule for the rest of the semester as well. We have many new freshman and sophomore faces in the wing, and they are learning quickly.

So far, the freshman went to Alpine Towers as a class and had a great learning experience. They were able to get to know one another, and do some team building exercises. The entire wing went to Alpine Towers as well a couple weeks ago. The wing was also able to do some intense skill-building and team exercises. The FTP (sophomore class) have already started work on drill and are in training for this summer when they will go to field training. The freshman and new FTP are picking up drill quite nicely, and are working hard to perfect it!

Last week the wing did AEF (Air Expeditionary Forces) training. They learned how to do a vehicle search, land navigation, pace counting, self aid buddy care, and radio communication. They were able to practice hands on with these skills. These skills will be the building blocks for future AEF training days and AEF capstones at DET 440. The wing also participated in a warrior run after AEF training. We ran in groups and were able to build morale. It was a great way to end the day!

Next week the cadets will be taking their PFA's (personal fitness assessment), and we are looking forward to doing our best to pass with flying colors. The semester is going by quickly, and there is still a lot to learn. We have very motivated cadets and are excited to see how well we can finish the semester.

AFROTC Impressions - Cadet Watson and Tesch

If I had to sum up my experience in AFROTC in three words, it will be challenging, growth and accountability. Challenging because opposed to what you may hear about the Air Force as far as it being the “laid back" branch, it is demanding. Waking up early in the morning for PT (physical training), working outside of PT to stay in shape, Leadership Laboratory, squadron tasks, memorizing AFROTC knowledge, class and all the other tasks not mentioned on the list. Not to scare you with the list, it all can be done you just need to balance your schedule and plan your time accordingly. AFROTC is also challenging because you have to push yourself mentally and physically. I remember the first time I did PT my legs hurt for two weeks, it hurt just to walk down the steps in buildings. You have to challenge yourself to push your pace or run longer to keep in shape. AFROTC also helps you to grow personally.

You learn how to be more responsible for yourself and others around you. Although in your freshman year your job is to look at yourself and focus on academics, you are highly encouraged to look out for your fellow cadets. It’s important to care and look out for people because that is one of the most essential roles of a leader. Last, everything you do inside and outside of PT you are accountable for. This is a blessing in disguise because although you can't do what you want to all the time being accountable for your behavior matures you and with that comes integrity and dependability you will soon see character growth. I chose to be in AFROTC because I wanted to make an impact and be different from the average college student. The military is not for everybody if it was we would see higher numbers of people joining the service when in fact military officers make up less than 1 percent of the worlds population. So far I have not regretted joining and plan to stay.

Cadet Forth-Class Sierra Watson


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I have been in AFROTC for two years now, and I have loved every minute of it. From the leadership labs, to the physical training, to marching. I have learned a lot about myself, what I want to be, and I think that I have changed for the better for it. Many people have remarked on how much I have changed since I first joined. Some people have said that I look more mature, and that I seem to be more of a “leader”. I don’t know about any of that, but I do know that I have made many friendships that I will carry with me into active duty. And I believe that it is those friendships that have helped me to grow and mature into the person that I am today.

Those friendships have instilled in me the drive for excellence and the desire to pursue higher standards. That is because they drive me to do better. They are there during the good times, and they have my back during the bad times. And that is something, to me, worth more than any amount of money I could get if I was not part of AFROTC.

Cadet Third-Class Karl Tesch

Freshman Cadet Experience - Cadet Spearing

From a very young age I have had a calling to military service. Up until recently, however, I had yet to decide what branch I felt I could best serve within. After speaking to members of my family who were active duty, reservists and retired from different branches of the U.S. Military, I decided that the United States Air Force was the right fit for me. I felt that as an engineer, the degree I planned to pursue in college, I would have a wide variety of careers available to me within the technically oriented Air Force.

The cadets meet Active Duty officers from Whiteman AFB on career day. They learn about the various career fields as well as what it is like to be an officer.

After completing all of the necessary applications, interviews and medical examinations I was accepted into Air Force ROTC at the University of Missouri – Columbia, Detachment 440. The first several weeks of Leadership Lab seemed like stepping into a completely different world. Though the Cadre and POC cadets were very helpful and patient, all of the information that was being directed my way seemed overwhelming at times. However, as the weeks passed by and I got to know the different cadets within my class and those in the classes above me, and things seemed less and less difficult to handle.

Over the following months I learned more than I thought there was to know about ROTC. My fellow freshman cadets and I learned the basics of drill and ceremony, customs and courtesies, chain of command, and many other topics. In addition to these more ceremonial skills, we were introduced to AEF (Air Expeditionary Force) training. This consisted of field exercises ranging from land navigation and radio communication to combat maneuvers and self aid buddy care. From time to time the memorization and execution of these new skills seemed to be out of my grasp, but with instruction and guidance from the more experienced cadets I was always able to succeed.

The cadets practice self-aid buddy care. In the field, Airmen must be able to perform life-saving procedures to stabilize the injured as they wait for emergency medical personnel.

Along with the new skills we were acquiring, we were introduced to regular PT sessions. Entering the program the physical fitness levels of the different cadets ranged from exceptional to below average. However, as a cohesive group we were able to motivate and elevate every cadet to a new level of fitness. For some it was a struggle to reach higher standards, while for others it was a challenge to pull those below them up to a new level. Every cadet functioned as a link in a chain, not only enabling everyone to rise together, but requiring this unified advancement. We learned that physical fitness was not an isolated pursuit, but that its challenges and lessons applied to all aspects of our training.

Cadets learn drill because military drill teaches attention to detail and self-discipline

Through all of these challenges I have come to understand my place within the Air Force, and within the military as a whole. I understand that my purpose is not simply to advance, but to lead, not simply to follow, but to support. Every member of the Air Force serves a vital function, whether it be the cadets preparing for entry into active duty, or those already serving, we all must strive for excellence. This first year of Air Force ROTC has instilled me with true confidence in my ability, and the ability of those who I will serve with. I look forward to the years to come and the challenges that I will face from this point onward.

Cadet Fourth-Class Thomas Spearing

LLAB 26 - AEF Capstone

AEF capstone was an intense but rewarding training event. As the AEF Flight Commander, it was my responsibility to plan the inner workings and details of the operation down to every last scenario, objective, mission, etc. I’ll have to say that seeing it unfold from my perspective was quite entertaining. The mission for the day was to operate “Camp Tiger”, a Forward Operating Base set up outside the home to the “Taji” people. My goal was to have created a situation where Freshman and Sophomore cadets had to both defend Camp Tiger’s perimeter from attack, and conduct other peace-keeping missions outside of its perimeter. The exercise started off in a somewhat chaotic fashion with the Force Support Squadron attempting to get its wing locked and loaded with paintball guns and ammunition. Slowly but surely, I began to see the cadets gel, work together, and set up a chain of command and communication, a key to any successful operation.

The Sophomore-led Force Support Squadron organize, distribute, and keep track of all of the paintball gear. Being acountable for property is very important, especially when it's being borrowed from the Army ROTC.

Soon after getting the cadets equipped for the day, Security Forces had successfully manned their stations around the perimeter. Fortunately, they had the Entry Control Point covered just before some Taji villagers came to the gate for a protest. While security saw some action at the front gate, the Medical Squadron caught wind of a group of Taji civilians in need of immediate medical care. This was an interesting mission requiring them to team up with a Quick Reaction Fire team for security, and navigate their way to the sickly civilians and provide treatment. Little to their knowledge an ambush had been set up for them along the way, making this peace keeping mission a little more difficult than originally anticipated. Other squadrons alike had their fair share of mission. The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance squadron patrolled the path outside our base in search for IED’s and quickly encountered hostile enemies along the route.

A patrol leaves the base to complete a mission. Enemy forces could ambush from any direction.

Overall, the day was quite successful in teaching Det 440 the complications and intricacies involved in the operations of a wing. I think it thoroughly challenged our FTP cadets specifically in working together as one unit and using their chain of command. At the end of the day the cadets were also successful in perhaps the most important thing; defending Camp Tiger from a massive scale ambush!

The cadets take cover and wait for the final ambush, where all of the opposing force attack the base at once. I just hope they don't have a paint grenade!

Cadet Captain Richard Gannon

LLAB 25 - 13 April 10

This week, LLAB took place at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) in Warrensburg, MO, which is 90 miles from Columbia. UCM is one of AFROTC Detachment 440's crosstown schools, the others, however, are in Columbia or nearby. The decision to hold a LLAB at UCM was made to be a logistical exercise. Supplies had to be transported, carpools for the cadets had to be established, area to hold LLAB and class had to be reserved, and cadets had to know how to get to UCM and where to park once they were on campus.

Besides being successful in its mission for cadets to practice logistics on a larger scale, the MU cadets got a taste of what UCM cadets have to do every week in their 4-hour round-trip to MU.

This week, we practiced Pass In Review again and then completed an official one, accomplishing a required event for the year. In addition, we did a run-through of the pass in review that we will be doing next week with the Army and Navy at the Joint Service Awards Parade on 24 April.

LLAB 24 - 5 April 10

The Pass In Review is a military tradition in which the commander reviews his or her troops in the unit. If there are visiting dignitaries or officials, they are invited to review the troops as well. The Pass In Review that AFROTC cadets learn involves a complicated script of events where several FTP cadets are given different jobs, including flight commanders, squadron commanders, colorguard, guidon bearer, and guide.

At field training, the Pass In Review will be performed several times so it is important for FTP cadets to learn each job.

The Future of our United States Air Force - Lt Col Doherty

"The Future of our United States Air Force" - A Note from AFROTC Det 440's Commander, Lt Col Wayne E. Doherty

Ask any leader in today's Air Force what our most important asset is and each would undoubtedly answer "our people." Our technology is state of the art, and our capabilities are more diverse than ever before in our history. Our day to day missions are global and are carried out in the domains of air, space, and cyberspace with tremendous speed and precision. But none of these claims would mean anything in and of themselves were it not for the amazingly talented men and women who operate our systems and execute these missions minute to minute, hour to hour, and day to day. Our Airmen are our greatest strength. We are fortunate today to have an all-volunteer military, and our Airmen understand what a true honor it is to serve our country and to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. Through military members' dedication, sacrifice, and hard work every day we all continue to enjoy so many freedoms.

I have great news for anyone wondering about the future of our Air Force. In my opinion, our future looks incredibly bright because of the absolutely spectacular next generation of officer leaders currently coming up in today's Air Force. It is my honor and privilege to work with and train some of this next generation of Air Force leaders as the AFROTC Det 440 Commander here at the University of Missouri. As the Det 440 commander I am responsible for recruiting, training and commissioning all AFROTC cadets on the MU campus as well as cadets from 6 other "cross-town" colleges in the mid-Missouri region. I'm here to tell you that these officer candidates are incredibly impressive young men and women who are accomplishing remarkable things as part of AFROTC's 440th Cadet Wing here at MU! These officer candidates have me truly excited about our Air Force's future, and I'd like to share a little of that excitement with you here now.

So far this academic year (2009-2010), the 440th Cadet Wing cadets have participated in well over 100 training, recruiting, fundraising, volunteer, and charitable events...all with great results. Through their innovation and creativity, they have managed to spark new life into their physical training program and managed to crack the top 20 nationwide with their collective physical training scores. While Det 440 was ranked 18th out of 144 detachments as of January 2010, they improved upon their average scores by more than 2 additional points since then and I believe they have cracked the top 10 list for all of AFROTC! Additionally, the cadet wing is currently training more than 30 cadets in preparation for summer 2010 officer candidate field training at Maxwell AFB in Alabama. This is one of the largest and most impressive training classes in recent Det 440 history. This class is full of cadets with great grade point averages, top notch physical training scores, and overall stellar leadership skills - due in no small part to the great training and discipline being fostered by our cadet wing leadership.

But this class is not the only one achieving great things. We've recently had members of all our classes selected for special programs and honors. Four of our cadets were just chosen as new pilot and navigator candidates, a few of our seniors were just chosen for outstanding active duty opportunities, and several freshmen recently found out they will attend special training programs this summer. All competed extremely well against their peers across the country for these limited slots. Finally, through outstanding events like the cadets' 24-hour Veterans Day vigil, the annual Relay for Life fundraisers (literally thousands of dollars raised for cancer research), and the cadets' Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) training (to name just a few events), the 440th Cadet Wing has set new standards of excellence here at MU and at our cross-town colleges and universities that I am sure will be the high marks for future events for some time to come.

Along the way this year our freshmen have worked hard developing their personal leadership skills, the sophomores have more fully developed their peer leadership skills, the juniors have become superb team leaders, and the seniors have mastered the basics of organizational level leadership. This is the essence of our training focus at Det 440 as we look to create leaders of character for the Air Force who are self-reliant achievers.

Our projections for fall 2010 enrollment look to be up significantly due in no small part to the cadet recruiting efforts and the high standards of excellence being set across the wing in each of the described areas. We have already commissioned two new outstanding Second Lieutenants for the Air Force from Det 440 this year. We are also already preparing another 13 cadets for that honor this spring and summer. We invite you to come out to "Mizzou" to see this happen at our 2010 Joint Service Commissioning Program scheduled to take place on 16 May 2010 at the Mizzou Arena. We at Det 440 will join our sister services in commissioning more than 40 new officers total this year for our armed services.

Therefore, I once again proudly report to you that our Air Force future looks incredibly bright and will remain in remarkably good hands. The officer leaders being developed here at MU's AFROTC Det 440 and across all of AFROTC, along with the rest of this next generation of officer leaders being produced across all of our Air Force officer accessions programs, are ready and willing to meet the vast and diverse challenges that await them upon entrance to active duty. As new Air Force officers, I know they will be up to those challenges and more, and I look forward to seeing them all serving their country very soon!!!




Lieutenant Colonel Wayne E. Doherty
Commander, AFROTC Det 440
Professor of Aerospace Studies

Recruiting Corner - Captain Provolt

All of you received this information when Cadet Sides gave you a briefing on recruiting during LLAB, but I wanted to touch on a couple of key areas. First of all, why do we want you to recruit? That’s simple, you are living the college/ROTC life right now and interested students want to know how you handle it. They also want to talk to someone who is much closer to their age. They can relate to you much better and feel more comfortable talking with you instead of one of the cadre. Second, what can’t you talk about? I think all of you have done a great job with this. The only area you really can’t discuss is the details of scholarships, i.e. the different types and amounts and saying they can definitely get one. What you can talk about is if you are on scholarship and how you got one and explain what your scholarship pays for, if it goes much beyond that, please direct them to see me or look at the national web site at www.afrotc.com.

I have been very impressed this semester with the many volunteers we have received for recruiting events. You all have shown great prided and dedication to the Wing and we really do appreciate it. As most of you know, this is my last semester with Det 440. I am coming up on 4 years here which makes this my longest assignment in 18 years and also the most rewarding assignment I have ever had. I still don’t know where I will go from here (I am still patiently awaiting that news—or should I say impatiently) but I do know that I hope to see all of you again one day as Second Lieutenants. Again, it has been a great 4 years with all of you and I look forward to the rest of this semester!

Captain Nicole Provolt

Unit Admissions Officer
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies

Full Circle - Major Dennison

When General Douglas MacArthur ended his military career he closed his farewell speech with a line from an army ballad: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away.” I think about that line more often as my military career comes to an end within a few months.

I started my career as an officer training at Crowder Hall at the University of Missouri 20 years ago. I came from a military family where my father, brother and sister all served as enlisted. I was the first in our family to achieve membership into the officer corps and felt proud as my father and wife pinned on my gold bars as the rest of my family looked on.

As a young man, I wanted to serve my country, see different places, and meet new cultures. I was honored to do all three. I have served in four different career fields, been to many countries, and have made friends in each. As time went on my desire to see new places waned and my desire to go home to Missouri grew. As a reminder of my love of home, I would swap out my wing patch from my flight suit and replace it with the state flag of Missouri during missions onboard the Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft.

I appreciate being an American where I have enjoyed the opportunity to serve my nation while simultaneously achieving my personal goals. I am also fortunate to be working as cadre at Crowder Hall at this institution of higher learning where I started my career many years ago. I feel the strength of our military is the people and the training they receive. While our technological advances are many, some of the lessons we teach today, integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do, and situational style leadership, are no different than when I was a cadet.

My career has come full circle and brought me back to where I started; now it is time for me to fade away. Rest assured, the young men and women we are training at Crowder Hall will be more than ready to take my place.

Major Charles Dennison

Education Officer
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies

Words from the COC - Captain Anderson

Great strides have been made this academic year in wing fitness. As you know, the wing average for the fall semester was over 91. This semester, that has increased to an astonishing average of over 93. I am amazed and proud of the job this wing has done with fitness. However, this will be wasted effort if you don’t continue your fitness over the summer. For the non-seniors, it’s very easy to become a couch potato over the summer and not do anything, but this will make your job that much more difficult when you return in the fall.

I will continue to provide unique training opportunities when I can, and attempt to make LLab an enjoyable experience. We are sometimes limited in what we can do in AFROTC, but if any of you have an idea about something you’d like to see or do, please come see me. Even if you think it might not work, I would like to hear about it. I am always willing to listen to new ideas and I will try to constantly improve the program while I am COC.

Captain Anthony Anderson

Commandant of Cadets and Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies

LLAB 23 - Operation Tenderfoot - 23 March 2010

This week was Operation Tenderfoot. It is a yearly extended march through the trails of the Mizzou campus that is designed to give the cadets going to Field Training this summer practice commanding a marching flight while under pressure from trainers, as well as to help break in the combat boots for those same cadets. It was a nice day in Columbia for a several-mile march through the woods.

The cadets separated into their four squadrons while the FTP cadets were rotated into different positions: element leaders, road guards, and the flight commander. The marching route took us from Stankowski Field, across Stadium Boulevard, to the off road bike and walking trails south of campus.

Crossing campus was good practice for using road guards. They are cadets in bright orange safety vests who march in front and behind the flight and block traffic so the flight can march safely through the intersection. The flight commander first enters the intersection to block traffic then deploys his or her road guards into position so that he or she can focus on marching the flight safely through the intersection. The flight commander is the last to leave the intersection once everyone else under his or her command is safely out of the road.

In addition, there were three stations where the flight stopped and practiced additional Warrior knowledge. The first station involved the familiarization of the inspection of vehicles in a hostile environment. Deployed military personnel who work in checkpoints must thoroughly inspect vehicles to protect from the threat of car bombs.

The second station involved reacting to heat stress. A serious problem in the military, heat stress is caused by not drinking enough water and the internal body-cooling system being overworked and includes symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, loss of coordination, low blood pressure, among others. "Hydrate or die", as the saying goes. Not knowing it was a planned event, cadets were expected to take appropriate action in order to assist and to get the sick cadets help.

Cadet Shirley fell out of formation and pretended to be suffering from heat stress. Her acting was so good, I briefly thought she was seriously ill even though I knew she would be acting sick at some point.

The third station involved being confronted by local hostiles, pretending to be friendly. Flight commanders were expected to identify a possible threat and take action to protect his or her flight from harm.

Cadet Wagner impersonated a local hostile at one of the stations. I believe Cadet Wagner watched the Borat movie several times in preparation for his role.

POC trainers insured the FTP flight commanders were traveling the correct route while correcting invalid marching commands and adding stress in order to fluster the cadets. At Field Training, the cadets will be in a training environment 24/7 and must not let the added stress affect them. Operation Tenderfoot is always good practice for this.

LLAB 22 & Base Visit Impressions - Cadet Porter

On Tuesday March 9, 2010 the wing at DET 440 went on a base visit to Whiteman Air Force Base. There were many things to see and do. Aside from touring the base we got to see different kinds of aircraft. One aircraft we got to see was the B-2 bomber, we got to look at it very close and ask many questions about the bomber.

Some of the cadets were chosen to go fly in a B-2 simulator which is basically the most advanced video game ever. Another aircraft we got to see and talk about was the T-38 which is the plane used for advanced pilot training. Four very lucky cadets were chosen to fly in a T-38. Whiteman Air Force Base is very diverse in military branches; it has Navy, Marines, and the Army. That being said, the next aircraft was the Army Apache helicopter. We got to look around it and ask the pilot questions about it. One of the places we got to go was the chow hall for lunch. All in all it was a good day and a good learning experience for the cadets to see was active duty would really be like.

Cadet Third-Class Christopher Porter

Learning to be a cadet - Cadet Crandell

Here recently, Cadet Gruening has challenged the members of the wing via email to look back on there first days as an AFROTC cadet in effort to develop a background for the pending new student orientation program (NSOP). This program would be used as a guide to help Cadets learn the ropes of being a cadet in AFROTC. For some, the distance of time may have stored those memories away with a lesser amount of clarity; however, for me (freshmen, IMT) it was just last semester and my memory has yet to dissolve the finer details.

I remember the barbecue we had for the parents and the new students, it was a brief hour or two of running back and forth between time with our parents and being briefed through power point on the rules and regulations. It was a lot to take in at the time, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to lock all this information into my brain. About a week or two (and a few hair cuts for the boys) later, the opportunity to wear my uniform for the first time presented itself; it just so happened a three star and a one star general were visiting the wing for the first time in a few years (which is not intimidating at all…).

I live in an ROTC learning community and luckily happened to make friends with a few Marine Options out of the NROTC detachment who taught me how to shine my shoes. Once that was taken care of, I proceeded to suck the life out of the few upper level Air Force cadets on my floor using questions on how to get my uniform ready. The several responses I received went something to the tune of “The UOD is service dress, so wear your LSB’s and your tie tab, and don’t forget to IP your uniform.” My initial thought: can I get some English please? After my brief phase of feeling pity for Webster and the act of turning his elaborately organized language into a series of acronyms, I did what was needed and ultimately made it through that Saturday morning without making a complete fool of myself.

With time, each and every one of these tasks became easier and easier to maintain, handle, and execute. However, the moral of the story is, I feel that a new student orientation program would be highly beneficial to the wing and it’s incoming cadets. It would most definitely eliminate some of the initial distress associated with these simple tasks and take a little bit off the edge of confusion for the future IMT. Through this program I feel that cadets will have more of an understanding of what ROTC entails and what is required of them as a Future Officer of the United States Air Force.

Cadet First Class Meaghan Crandell

FTP Impressions: Cadet Drue

This year has been challenging for me. The transition from being a freshmen cadet (IMT) to a sophomore cadet (FTP) was substantial. ROTC was much more laid back as an IMT cadet. I got to sit back and watch the FTP struggle with trying to work as a team among other pressures put upon them, knowing next year that was going to be my class.

Cadet Drue and her fellow FTP peers sit at attention, while their Field Training Preparation trainer addresses them. The sophomore year of AFROTC emphasis peer leadership, attention to detail, and self discipline.

Now that I am FTP I find myself given more responsibility and leadership roles. At the beginning of my sophomore year I was nervous for the obstacles I knew were to come. Marching, memorizing, and being a peer leader were all things that I was once uncomfortable with. Although these aspects of being FTP are challenging in their own rights the biggest challenge of FTP year lay in the fact that I had to find the courage to rely on and to become a team with my fellow FTP cadets. That, above all else, is the greatest obstacle of any individual throughout their FTP year.

In regards to my own accomplishments I can proudly say with every quote I have been given, every time I get the chance to stand in front of my flight and direct them as need be, and when I am given roles of being a true leader, I gradually get more and more confident in myself. In pertaining to being an FTP cadet of a group, the transition was not so smooth. In the beginning working together seemed an impossible goal. So many frustrations and problems arose until I found myself and others attempting to see through our own ideas and plans to accomplish objectives. Needless to say we never got anywhere. Then, somewhere along the way a point came when differences stopped and cohesiveness emerged. It was not until we became a single unit, one entity, that we started improving and conquering our goals.

Working together is the most important part of FTP year and for me it is one of the most rewarding. It is gratifying to walk away from a hard day of events in ROTC knowing that my fellow cadets improved and that I improved. Granted I still do make mistakes, tons of mistakes, but every mistake and chance to lead gets me closer and closer to my goal. The goal of becoming an officer in the United States Air Force.

Cadet Third Class Rachel Drue

LLAB 21 - 2 Mar 10

Part of ROTC includes community service and charity. In addition to adopting a highway for cleanup, this year the cadet commander, Cadet Swartz has led the way to the creation of a Relay for Life team. Relay for Life is the main fund-raising effort for the American Cancer Society, the leading charity for the cure of cancer.

As part of our fund-raising effort, the Wing is taking part in the Miss Relay contest. In it, each Relay for Life team has a male representative participate in a cross-dressing beauty pageant involving a "walk" contest as well as a talent show. To select our Peageant contestant, the wing is voting for POC males as well as our commander, Lieutenant Colonel Doherty and our NCO Staff Sergeant Kanoy. Each vote costs $1, and will potentially raise a lot of money for the American Cancer Society.

For more information, please visit http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=23699

This week, the FTP cadets participated in the second half of Operation Job Shadow. In it, some FTP cadets took over and led a tournament of a marching game called Tank, others met with Key Staff and wrote Operation Plans for various events.

In Tank, two flight commanders attempt to march their flights into each other. If they make a "hit" on the side or back, they score a point.

Cadet Roberson commands his flight in a pre-match warm up.

Cadet Pund makes for sure that everyone in his flight is on the same page when it comes to marching maneuvers.

Cadet Cherry, Porter, and Hurley planning and filling out an Operations Plan for an AEF skills event.

Operation Job Shadow - Cadet Flach

Last week at DET 440 the FTP took charge. Operation Job Shadow was meant for the FTP cadets to get a feel for how the wing operates.

The cadets had a wing commander, group commanders, squadron commanders, and flight commanders. Each cadet was shadowed by the POC who actually held the real job they were standing in for that day. We went into the SRC for Lab, and the group staff were given tasks to accomplish. While group staff was hard at work on various tasks, they were also in charge of the rest of the wing. The rest of the wing was on the court playing "tank" (which is a drill competition between flights.)

The FTP who were in charge had many things on their plate, but hopefully they now realize how actual Field Training will be. Field Training operates as a wing with cadets in charge. This exercise was designed to give them the opportunity to see how the wing works, and also to provide them some insight to Field Training. Overall the day went pretty smooth, and the FTP were able to put themselves in places they will use during Field Training and in their years as a POC here at the DET.

Cadet First Lieutenant Taylor Flach

LLAB 20 - 23 Feb 10

This week, the cadets broke into 4 groups and went to different stations, learning a skill at each that they will use at an upcoming LLAB including camouflage, clearing rooms of hostiles in a fireteam, and land navigation.

The cadets refer to their Airman's Manual

AEF, or Aerospace Expeditionary Force, refers to the deployment cycle that the Air Force has used since 2000. In this 21st century Air Force, airmen no longer are limited in their duties to what has been traditional jobs for airmen. In fact, because the Army and Marine Corps are stretched so thin in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, the Air Force has been performing duties that has traditionally been Army and Marine Corps jobs.

The cadets learn proper face camouflage techniques.

At Field Training, a large portion is dedicated to exercises similar to the duties they may one day need to perform in a deployed environment, such as convoy security.

NCLS (National Character and Leadership Symposium)

For many years now the United States Air Force Academy has been putting on a character and leadership symposium in Colorado Springs, Col. The purpose of the symposium is to allow cadets, midshipmen, and civilians to learn and grow in the aspects of character and leadership.

The United States Air Force Academy

This year I had the amazing opportunity to attend the symposium from 17 Feb – 20 Feb. I was hosted by cadets on campus at Academy, and had the pleasure of witnessing the day to day activities first hand. A typical day would consist of a 0630 hrs (6:30am) wakeup, followed by a quick shower and breakfast before the morning speakers, which would each last about an hour or so. Following the morning round of speakers we would have lunch at the mess hall, or “Mitch’s”, as it was known to the cadets. After lunch there would generally be two speakers, and then we would be given the rest of the afternoon off. Around 1700 hrs (5pm) we would grab a quick bite to eat, and then off to the final round of speakers, which typically lasted until about 2000 hrs. After the final speaker we had the night to ourselves.


The speakers that came to USAFA had all different types of backgrounds. Some were in business, while others were involved in coaching and others in medicine. Of course there were those who were in the military, which I found to be hands down the most interesting (probably a little biased). The opportunity to listen to these individuals who have had firsthand experience with some of the most challenging decisions in the world was a great experience for me. Over the last three years I have traveled numerous places for various reasons for ROTC, and I am grateful that they have provided me with not only the proper training to become a qualified USAF Officer, but the opportunities to learn and grow in the areas of character and leadership from some of the greatest men and women in this country.

For more information about the NCLS, please visit http://www.usafa.edu/Commandant/cwc/cwcx/ncls/?catname=ncls


Cadet First Lieutenant Steve Sellers

FTP impressions: Cadet Maloney

I am a Sophomore at University of Central Missouri and in Air Force ROTC. I am part of Detachment 440 at Mizzou, I am a cross town cadet so I travel one day a week, with a some other cadets, to Mizzou and participate in ROTC activities.

Since I am a sophomore and have been in the program for four semesters I am currently going through my Field Training Preparation (FTP) training. There are many activities that other FTP cadet and I are participating in to help us learn leadership skills.

Recently we had AEF which gets us out of the classroom and allows FTP cadets to lead cadets to complete missions and learn basic skills such as room clearing, radio communication and land navigation.

FTP cadets practice "room clearing", entering and eliminating hostiles who may be barricaded.

All sophomores are considered FTP and are training for the upcoming summer at Field Training. For the majority of cadets, Field Training is in the summer between their sophomore and junior year. Field Training is four weeks at Maxwell AFB in Alabama and cadets for their junior and senior years as POC and soon after a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force.

Cadet Third Class Maloney

Operation Air Force PDT 2009

Each summer AFROTC offers Professional Development Training (PDT) to cadets in the AFROTC program. This training is conducted all over the world. Professional Development Training is a group of summer training programs designed to: Help cadets gain knowledge of the management challenges in leadership and human relations encountered by a junior Air Force officer, Provide a general orientation in Air Force specialties, and Motivate cadets toward an Air Force career.

Operation Air Force PDT 2009

From 23 June 2009 to 9 July 2009, I participated in the Operation Air Force PDT at Goodfellow AFB near San Angelo, TX. I was assigned to shadow a couple 1st Lieutenants from the medical wing and contracting, as well as the CMSgt at the base HQ. This PDT provided me the opportunity to see and learn about contracting, occupations in clinics and hospitals on bases, and the duties of officers and enlisted personnel who work in the base Headquarters. I was also given the chance to view a SSgt/TSgt promotion ceremony, spend time with the base’s canine unit, welcome Airmen arriving from basic training, ride in a C-130 from Dyess AFB, and be a part of a small teleconference with Major General Anthony F. Przybyslawski, Vice Commander of the AETC MAJCOM (Air Education and Training Command, the Major Command which Air Force ROTC falls under). Each of these experiences was extremely exciting, but I must say that the teleconference was overwhelmingly amazing. The only people in attendance were 5 members of the Key Staff and me!

Cadet Wolfe and the rest of her PDT group.

This PDT has provided me with much motivation to become and Air Force Officer. After completing this training, there is no doubt in my mind that this is what I want to do with my life. From observing people around me, I learned several very valuable lessons. I was able to see how officers interact with enlisted personnel and civilian workers: giving respect subsequently gaining respect. Secondly, I learned much about life on base and how a base operates. Through observation and advice I was offered, I discovered that although mistakes are not encouraged, it is understood that everyone makes them. They are used as one of the greatest learning techniques. The biggest lesson learned was that you should never miss an opportunity to thank someone. It is not hard to do, and so many people are deserving of it.

I strongly encourage any cadet to seek the opportunity to participate in PDT. I had a great time, met some amazing people, learned valuable lessons, and made some incredible memories.

More information on PDTs can be found at http://www.afrotc.com/college-life/summer-programs/


Cadet 3rd Class Bailey A. Wolfe

Motivations for joining the USAF: Cadet Sean Sellers

Who are you?

I'll start with the basics. My name is Sean P. Sellers. I'm 22 and a sophomore here at the University of Missouri. My major is Information Technology. I enjoy flying, sports, movies, hanging with friends, video games, AFROTC and anything that is challenging. Quick history of myself: I was raised in the Philippines because my family were missionaries there. Because of the war we moved back to the US and I enrolled in Civil Air Patrol (CAP). I had always enjoyed airplanes and CAP was a great experience in learning about the history of airplanes and the Air Force. Shortly after, I joined the Air National Guard to help pay for school and serve my country. I trained for 6 months on how to be a Tactical Aircraft Maintainer (AKA Crew Chief). I started to drill in the St. Louis guard with the F-15s but then transitioned to Whiteman AFB, MO where I am drilling now as a crew chief for the B-2 stealth bomber.

Why the Air Force?

I started going to school here at Mizzou and attending AFROTC because, until i joined the Guard, I didn't realize the pride, joy and benefits that come in being in the world's greatest Air Force. Now, I am determined to do my best so I can continue to be a member of such a fulfilling team. Because I've always loved airplanes, my dream job, as an Air Force officer, is to be a F-15 pilot in Hawaii (although I'm flexible about the Hawaii part).

Cadet Sellers and other FTP cadets sitting "at attention". They will be "locked on" for most of Field Training, this summer.

What are you doing in AFROTC?

Right now we (AFROTC sophomore cadets) are in the middle of our second FTP (Field Training Preparation) semester. That means we are being pushed to work harder, smarter, and more efficient. As FTP you are expected to excel at everything you do. Anything short of excellence is not enough. Whether writing emails, memorizing, leading Physical Training sessions, greeting officers, cleaning the cadet office, motivating each other, or standing at the position of attention, we get it done through sweat, blood, tears, and teamwork. That's why I love AFROTC, because we are a family growing together for a greater cause than ourselves. No one claims to be perfect, but through team work, training, and practice, we slowly become the best of the best. I look forward to continuing my AFROTC training at Mizzou and hope I can contribute in some way to the world's greatest Air Force.

Cadet 3rd Class Sean Sellers

LLAB 19 - 16 Feb 10

Today during LLAB, the freshman and sophomores were split up.

While the freshman were instructed on proper uniform wear and command voice, the sophomores were instructed on information they will need for Field Training this summer. At Field Training, proper dorm maintenance as directed in the Field Training Manual must be maintained. The bed must be made a very specific way, the clothes in their drawers must be folded and aligned a very specific way, the clothes in their closets must hang a very specific way.

As an example, here's how the 2009 Field Training Manual describes how the t-shirts shall be arranged in the drawer:

(3) T-shirts. All T-shirts are folded the same way. Lay the T-shirt flatwith neck down and to the right. Fold each sleeve toward center, squaring the shirt. Keeping the neck centered, start with side closest to you and fold each side toward the center, until it is approximately six inches wide. Fold T-shirt in half from left to right twice. Stack and size T-shirts with the neck up and facing the front of drawer single fold to the front of drawer. Ground the brown/sand T-shirts to the front and right side of the drawer. The white T-shirts will be grounded to the front of drawer and to the brown/sand T-shirts. White T-shirts are mandatory for both male and female cadets and are to be folded the same as the brown/sand T-shirts.

And let me tell you, 6 inches means 6 inches. If it's 6 1/8 inches, the cadet will be penalized on his or her inspection.

In addition, the sophomores practiced dining hall procedures. Cadets don't even get a break from marching at Field Training during lunch. They must be at attention the entire time and must move through the chow line in a choreographed manner.

LLAB 18 - 9 Feb 10

LLAB was canceled today due to bad weather.

LLAB 17 - 2 Feb 10

Today, we moved LLAB down the street to Columbia College. Detachment 440 is located at the University of Missouri-Columbia, but includes 6 crosstown colleges and universities from which cadets commute from on Tuesdays. Later in the semester, we plan on holding LLAB and class at one crosstown school, the University of Central Missouri, nearly 100 miles away in Warrensburg, MO. Before we make that complicated move, we had a "trial version" at Columbia College, which is just down the street from MU.

After the squadron commanders established accountability and insured that everyone had made the journey, the freshman and sophomores broke up to practice drill.

The freshmen practice drill manuevers involving the guidon, the symbol of each flight. The Guidon-bearer marches in front of their flight, allowing the flight to be identified. The guidon is a source of pride for a unit, a military tradition possibly going back as far as 5,000 years ago.

For more information on guidons and colors, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colours,_standards_and_guidons

The sophomores practiced marching through traffic, crossing an imaginary intersection. To avoid being hit by drivers who are texting on their cell phones, flight commanders march using road guards. When a flight approaches an intersection, they halt and the flight commander stops traffic. They deploy cadets to be road guards, who keep traffic halted while the flight commander focuses on marching his or her flight across the street. It is a somewhat complicated process that is very important to get the hang of before attending Field Training, as the chaotic nature of Field Training puts cadets in a stressful environment. Adding traffic to the situation only increases the stress and proper road guard procedures insure the safety of the flight and the cadets marching in it.

The flight commander enters the intersection of a road first to stop traffic, before deploying his or her road guards. With the road guards in place, the flight commander marches his or her flight through the intersection.

Afterwards, the cadets split up into their squadrons and practiced Group Leadership Project, or GLPs. These are scenerios in which a problem must be solved. A cadet is chosen as a leader, and is evaluated on his or her's performance, leading the group. Afterwards, the evaluator lists what the leader did well and what needs to be improved upon.

GLPs are a good leadership exercise that lets cadets learn from the mistakes from others and gives cadets experience in leading a group to solve a problem.