jstafford3 – Page 33 – EWU Army ROTC

Fighting Eagles Cadets Start Spring Quarter With Platoon Operations Training

04/10/2019 by jstafford3

On April 4, 2019, the Eastern Washington University AROTC battalion conducted their first leadership lab of the Spring quarter, kicking it off immediately with platoon operations on the Montague’s Farm property located adjacent to the EWU campus. Over the course of the next month, Cadets will be training on platoon tactics to prepare for our upcoming field training exercise (FTX).

Cadet Scott Hinshaw briefs Cadets on the task, conditions, and standards of the leadership lab.

Following first formation, the OIC of this lab, Cadet Scott Hinshaw, began instructing cadets on formations and order of movement (FOOM) as a platoon size element. Cadets were able to physically see these from a designated demonstration platoon that showed the step-by-step process of movements, as well as linear danger areas (LDAs), and actions on contact. Since these have slightly changed from Squad Operations from last quarter, Cadets were given time to practice these with platoon time in the early hour of the lab.

Cadet First Sergeant Cheyenne Sweet participates in platoon operations training.

Several MS-III (junior) Cadets had the opportunity to rotate through leadership as platoon leader (PL) and platoon sergeant (PSG) to prepare themselves for their upcoming Cadet Summer Training (CST) and Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, KY.

Fighting Eagles Cadets practice platoon formations on the EWU Intramural Fields.

The hills at Montague’s Farm gives Cadets enough space in their training area to get the fundamentals of basic soldier skills to successfully execute platoon missions. During these patrols, MS-III leadership is able to communicate with their platoon on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for their FTX to make tactics run smoothly and more effectively for their platoons.

EWU ROTC Cadets move in a platoon size formation across the Palouse Hills west of Cheney.

Once done with rotating through platoon time, movements, and LDAs, Cadets then rotated to actions on contact and how to conduct this in a platoon size element. MS-IVs (seniors), assisted MS-III leadership to further develop their knowledge and apply their skills they have learned in their weekly classes. Following the lane, the MS-IV Cadets conducted an after action review (AAR) to test the knowledge of what the Cadets just learned and correct/answer questions that were identified while being on the lane.

EWU ROTC Cadets move across the Montague’s Farm property adjacent to the EWU campus.

Overall, EWU ROTC kicked off their Spring Quarter with a great leadership lab, setting conditions for a successful Spring FTX. It will be challenging and will test the grit of the Cadets, but they are ready to excel at the Spring FTX.

EWU Ranked the 9th Best Public College for Women Studying Computer Science

04/06/2019 by jstafford3

There are plenty of great reasons to attend Eastern Washington University (EWU), but here is another reason; The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized Eastern Washington University (EWU) as being the 9th best public college in the United States for women studying Computer Science.

The EWU Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program is a great option to consider pursuing a computer science degree through. We have many different scholarship programs to help students pay for tuition, books, and fees and even a monthly living expense stipend.

Give our Enrollment Officer a call at 509-359-6110 to learn more.

Eastern Washington University Celebrates Its 137th Anniversary

04/03/2019 by jstafford3

Today is the 137th anniversary of the opening of Eastern Washington University all the way back in 1882. Back then a donation of $10,000 by Benjamin P. Cheney allowed the school to open its doors to 200 students. At its opening the university was called the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy. A few years later in 1889, the academy changed its name to the State Normal School at Cheney. 1889 was the same year that Washington received its statehood. The college would go through a few more name changes over the years until 1977 when the state legislature officially named the campus Eastern Washington University.

Historical photo of the original Cheney campus.

Modern day Eastern Washington University Campus.

At its founding the university focused on education degrees for its initial 200 students. Since then EWU has expanded to approximately 12,000 students with multiple colleges with over 100 fields of study. One of the fields of study that students can pursue is Military Science. The EWU Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program has been teaching students military science and commissioning officers into the Army for 67 of the university’s 132 years. The future of the Fighting Eagles Battalion shines as bright as ever and will continue to be an important part of EWU history and developing leaders of character for service to our great Nation.

Eastern Washington University Ranked #4 By Field and Stream Magazine for Hunters and Anglers

03/29/2019 by jstafford3

According to Field and Stream magazine, Eastern Washington University is the 4th best university for Hunters and Anglers:

Eastern Washington University (EWU) sits roughly five miles north of Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, which is home to 18,000 acres of the Channeled Scabland. It’s a gateway to diverse terrain replete with coyotes, waterfowl, elk, turkey, and even black bears.

Eagles can get range time with the EWU Archery Club or go fishing with the EWU Fishing Club. [Field and Stream Magazine]

Fish Lake is located 5 miles from the EWU campus and is one of dozens of lakes in the Cheney area popular for fishing.

ROTC is a great way to experience the outdoors in the Cheney area. For example the Channeled Scablands terrain mentioned in the article is where we hold many of our leadership labs, our Expert Fighting Eagles Badge competition, and most recently our Winter Field Training exercise. Anyone looking to improve their hunting marksmanship should also consider signing up for the Basic Rifle Marksmanship class offered by EWU ROTC this Spring quarter

If you want to experience the outdoors attending EWU and joining the ROTC program is a great way to do it.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

EWU ROTC Offers Basic Rifle Marksmanship Class for Spring Quarter 2019

03/24/2019 by jstafford3

The Easterner recently did a profile on the Rifle Marksmanship Class being offered by the EWU ROTC program for Spring Quarter this year. It will be taught by our very own Sergeant First Class (SFC) David Ratliff and held in our indoor shooting range at Cadet Hall:

The ROTC is bringing the basic rifle marksmanship class back to EWU.

The class, which will take place in Cadet Hall this spring, is back from hiatus thanks to Sgt. David Ratliff of EWU’s ROTC.

The course is open to all students, not just those in the ROTC program, and is listed as a military science course for those wanting to register.

Students registered will be practicing their rifle skills using a Crosman CH2009 CO2 rifle, which is provided by the ROTC.

The current iteration of the course is new, though EWU has had marksmanship classes in the past. The school was also host to a shooting team, which it hopes to bring back, according to Lt. Col. Jonathan C. Stafford.

“Our shooting team has historically been very good here,” said Stafford. “We had two Olympic medalists that came out of the ROTC program here.”

The new course will cover three-position shooting, meaning students will be practicing firing a rifle from the prone, kneeling and standing positions.

There is currently a cap of 20 students in the course.

Training will take place in Cadet Hall’s indoor range, which features a 10-meter firing line, the distance that those wanting to compete in EWU’s shooting team, which will begin the following quarter, will need to be proficient in. [The Easterner]

You can read more at the link, but we encourage anyone looking to learn about or improve their marksmanship to sign up for the program. The marksmanship program has historically been very good with two Olympic medalists coming out of EWU, Wanda Jewell who received a Bronze Medal in the 1984 Olympics and Launi Meili who received a Gold Medal at the 1992 Olympics.

You do not need to be a Cadet to enroll into the marksmanship class, it is open to all EWU students. Below is the course catalog listing for the class:

MLSC 288. BASIC RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP. 1 Credit.

Notes: open to all EWU enrolled students.
Pre-requisites: permission of instructor required.
Students taking this course will develop firearm safe handling skills and the knowledge to safely operate at a firearm range. Students will receive expert instruction in the fundamentals of rifle marksmanship.

US Army Combat Studies Institute Conducts Staff Ride with EWU ROTC Cadets

03/22/2019 by jstafford3

On March 21, 2019 a team from the United States Army Combat Studies Institute conducted a staff ride with Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. A staff ride is an in-depth study of a historical campaign or battle. The intent of the staff ride is to educate participants on lessons learned from the battle. Typically a staff ride is conducted on the actual terrain of the battle. However, for a battle in a location such as Afghanistan, the US Army Combat Studies Institute conducts what are called Virtual Staff Rides.

Dr. Dan Jordan from the US Army Combat Studies Institute conducts a Virtual Staff Ride of the Battle of Wanat.

For a Virtual Staff Ride an Army historian using digital mapping technology is able to replicate the terrain from the battle without participants having to actually visit it. Conducting a staff ride is a commissioning requirement for all ROTC Cadets. For the Virtual Staff Ride, 19 MS-IV Cadets from the EWU ROTC program nearing commissioning attended the event.

MS-IV Cadets from the EWU ROTC program participate in a Virtual Staff Ride.

The Virtual Staff Ride featured one of the deadliest days for the US Army in Afghanistan, the Battle of Wanat. The battle occurred on July 13, 2008 and featured an insurgent attack on US troops from the 173rd Airborne Brigade. After the battle 9 US paratroopers were dead and 27 more wounded. The battle featured many good small unit leadership lessons that the future US Army lieutenants in attendance were able to learn from.

EWU ROTC thanks Dr. Dan Jordan and Mr. Joe Gonzalez from the US Army Combat Studies Institute for executing a fantastic Virtual Staff Ride for our outstanding EWU ROTC Fighting Eagles Cadets.