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.