News – Page 41 – EWU Army ROTC

EWU Army ROTC Supports Wreaths Across America

12/26/2018 by jstafford3

Over the winter break many students from Eastern Washington University (EWU) immediately headed home for the holidays, but that was not the case for a group of Cadets from the EWU Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” Battalion. Before heading home for the holidays the Cadets stayed in the Cheney area to support the annual Wreaths Across America event. The Cadets assisted staff members from the Washington State Veterans Cemetery at Medical Lake, WA with placing wreaths on each grave site.

EWU ROTC Cadet Melinda Leen places a wreath at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery at Medical Lake, WA.

Wreaths Across America has its beginnings back in 1992 when the Maine based Worcester Wreath company found themselves with a surplus of wreaths near the end of the holiday season. Instead of disposing of the wreaths they were able to coordinate to have the wreaths placed on graves at Arlington National Cemetery. Over the years awareness about the wreath project grew to where today Wreaths Across America is a national organization placing wreaths on the graves of fallen Soldiers at over 1,200 locations across the United States. Great job by all our EWU ROTC Cadets that participated in the Wreaths Across America event.

Back row from left: Cadets Tyler Bergman, Tyler Roylance, Megan Anderson, Megan Baker, Malisa Barrier, Front Row from left: Melinda Leen, Austin Pfennig, Nicholas Null, Liam Hewey, Andrew Norby. (Not pictured: Joseph Jordan)

Happy Holidays from the EWU Army ROTC “Fighting Eagles” Battalion

12/24/2018 by jstafford3

The above picture is of our EWU Army ROTC “Cannon Crew” during a home football game at Roos Field earlier this year that featured very cold and snow conditions. As always our Fighting Eagle Cadets brought joy to Roos Field after every touchdown by firing our historic World War II era pack howitzer. Like the joy our Cadets help bring to Roos Field, we hope all the alumni, friends, and family of the Fighting Eagles Battalion have a joyful holiday season as well.

Throwback Thursday: Eastern Washington Football Back in 1903

12/20/2018 by jstafford3

With the Eastern Washington University football team moving on to play in the FCS championship game, it is only fitting to show a historical photo this week of EWU football back in 1903. Besides how well dressed everyone is, something I else I noticed was the people watching the game with horses and wagons. I wonder if the people in the wagons were early tailgaters?

Back then the football team was called the Cheney Normal Football Team since the university was named the “State Normal School at Cheney”. The below Google Maps image the gold rectangle shows approximately where the field would have been located at where the JFK Library and Williamson Hall are at. The ROTC office would not have existed back then since the program was founded back in 1952.

Thank you to Jerry Mellick and Jerry Jantz for sending the photo.

EWU ROTC Supports Football Team During Semifinal Playoff Win Against University of Maine

12/15/2018 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Fighting Eagles Battalion was out for the final time this year at Roos Field in support of the football team. The third ranked Eagles were playing the seventh ranked University of Maine Black Bears in the FCS Playoff Semifinal game. This was the first ever meeting between the two teams and it would become a memorable one for the Eagles and one to forget for the Black Bears.

The EWU ROTC Jeep affectionately called “Lil Eag” is ready to move our historic World War II era howitzer to Roos Field.

Color Guard

EWU ROTC first supported the home team by having the Color Guard present our national and state colors during the playing of the National anthem prior to kickoff. As they have done for every home football game this year, the Color Guard with precision and professionalism presented the colors at midfield.

The EWU ROTC Color Guard prepares to present the colors prior to the start of the FCS semifinal playoff game at Roos Field. From left: Cadets Liam Hewey, Michael Beier, Ethan Smart, Christian Goldbach, & Sara Pollelo.

The EWU ROTC Color Guard presents the national and state colors on the 50 yard line at Roos Field.

The EWU ROTC Color Guard marches off of Roos Field after the playing of the National Anthem.

Cannon Crew

After kickoff the Fighting Eagles Cadets then had a busy day supporting the home team with our popular Cannon Crew. The EWU ROTC Cannon Crew has been supporting home football games at Eastern Washington for decades with our historic World War II era 75mm pack howitzer. After every touchdown our Cadets fire the crowd pleasing cannon. The scoring started early after an interception by the EWU defense inside the five yard line led to an easy first quarter touchdown for the Eagles offense.

Cadet Samuel Coutts fires the cannon after a first quarter touchdown.

In what was expected to be a tight game due to the impressive showing Maine had last week defeating #2 ranked Weber State, the Eagles offense scored two more touchdowns in the first quarter to take a 21-0. By halftime the Eagles built up their lead to 28-0 and the party was on at Roos Field.

EWU ROTC Cadet Haley Bent fires the 75mm pack howitzer after a first half touchdown.

In the third quarter the Black Bears would cut the deficit to 35-19, but would get no closer. The Eagles would dominate the rest of the way winning by a final score of 50-19.

Cadet Sara Polello fires the cannon after a second half touchdown.

Way Ahead

On behalf of the EWU ROTC Fighting Eagles Battalion, congratulations to the EWU football team for their impressive playoff victory. With the victory the EWU football team advances to the FCS College Football Championship game that will be played January 5, 2019 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. In the FCS Championship game the Eagles will play the North Dakota State Bison. NDSU is the defending National Champions and have won six of the past seven FCS College Football Championships. The Eagles will no doubt have their hands full in the national championship game, but the resilience and heart they have played with all season shows they have the ability to beat anyone.

Go Color Guard! Go Cannon Crew! Go Eags!

EWU ROTC’s Hosting Of German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge Testing Featured on Multiple Media Outlets

12/10/2018 by jstafford3

The recent hosting of the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (GAFPB) test by the Eastern Washington University (EWU) ROTC program has brought a lot of positive media attention to the Fighting Eagles Battalion. Below is a list of the articles published about the GAFPB with short excerpts. Click the links to read the full articles.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessica Dillow, 92nd Medical Operations Squadron medical technician, performs the marksmanship test during the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge Competition hosted 17-18 November, 2018 by Eastern Washington University ROTC. (Photo Credit: A1C Lawrence Sena)

Eastern Washington University ROTC Hosts First German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge Competition (US Army website)

“The individuals who competed for the GAPFB this weekend, whether they earned a badge or not, are an excellent example of why the United State military is so great,” stated Sergeant First Class Jason Hennig, EWU ROTC’s Senior Military Instructor. “They recognized the opportunity for a unique challenge, they accepted that challenge, and gave it everything they had. Readiness is the Army’s number priority and this event absolutely reinforced that. The Service Members that prepared for these events were rewarded with the opportunity to wear this unique foreign award. For those who did not prepare, they were left with the understanding of how important rehearsals and preparation are to any exercise or training event.”

Fairchild Airmen Compete for German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Fairchild AFB website)

“Wearing the GAFPB is a symbol of pride,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ken Chudoba, 92nd Maintenance Squadron Munitions Material section chief. “The badge shows Airmen stepped outside their comfort zone and did something to set themselves apart.”

There were more than 160 participants from 23 different military units throughout the Pacific Northwest region, including Air Force recruiters, Air Force ROTC recruits and four units from Fairchild.

Competing for the GAFPB provides an opportunity to test the physical and mental skills Airmen may use in battlefield situations and provides a first-hand look at how German forces measure their combat readiness, said U.S. Air Force Maj. Joseph Schneider, 92nd Security Forces Squadron commander.

ROTC Cadets Compete for Military Proficiency Badge (Eastern 24/7)

“We have cadets who have transferred to Eastern for its ROTC program,” said Capt. Gregory Benjamin, assistant professor of military science. “This event is an opportunity to highlight what the ROTC program brings to the university and what the school does in return.”

EWU ROTC Takes Top Spot in Military Badge Competition (The Easterner)

Null competed for the honor to wear the GAFPB along with 167 other members apart of 22 different U.S. military units throughout the West Coast. Other universities that competed included: Gonzaga University, University of Idaho, Washington State University, Seattle University, University of Washington and Central Washington University.

“To me, it means that I’ve come much farther than I ever would’ve had I not been here,” Null said. “It means that I’ve been doing all the right things. I’ve been working to achieve, not just the gold for the GAFPB, but it means I’m likely to get commissioned in the Army and that I’m likely to put myself on the path to a brighter future.”

Fairchild Airmen Compete in German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Department of Defense Video)

Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington participate in the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge competition hosted by Eastern Washington University, November 17th and 18th. The competition is an opportunity to reinforce German and American alliances, and allows members of the US Armed Forces to experience how allied forces stay mission ready.

Go GAFPB! Go Fighting Eagles!

EWU ROTC Supports Football Team’s Quarterfinal Playoff Victory Over UC-Davis

12/08/2018 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets were out once again supporting the home football team during its quarterfinal game against University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) today at Roos Field. The two Big Sky Conference foes had played just a month earlier at Roos Field with Eastern winning by a score of 59-20. This game would prove to me much different. One of the differences was the weather which was much colder than the last time these two teams met. Throughout the day the temperatures remained below freezing with a thin layer of frost covering everything around the stadium. Despite the cold conditions the EWU ROTC Cannon Crew was ready to support the home team with our historic World War II era howitzer:

After a quick first touchdown by EWU the first half began to be controlled by UC-Davis by going up 14-7 before EWU made it a 14-14 tie game capped by an incredible defensive stand at the goal line just before halftime.

Cadet Polello fires the EWU ROTC howitzer after a home team touchdown.

Cadet Smart fires the EWU ROTC howitzer after a home team touchdown.

In the second half the sun went down making the temperatures even colder. However, our Cannon Crew was ready with a small fire to keep warm around:

The more the temperatures dropped though the more the game seemed heat up as Eastern and UC-Davis traded touchdowns.

Cadet Beier fires the historic EWU ROTC howitzer after a second half touchdown.

After UC-Davis went up by a score of 29-28 after a successful two point conversion with 1:13 left in the fourth quarter, prospects for the home team were not looking good. However, the resilient Eagles football team fought back to score a touchdown to win the game with :26 seconds left on the clock by a score of 34-29.

Cadet Beier fires the historic EWU ROTC howitzer after the final home team touchdown to win the game.

Congratulations to the EWU football team for an incredible win. The football team will be in action next weekend in the FCS Semifinals against the University of Maine. Since EWU is the higher ranked seed in the playoffs, they will host the playoff game at Roos Field in what will be the first ever meeting between the two teams. The EWU Color Guard and Cannon Crew teams will both be at the game supporting the football team. We look forward to welcoming Maine to Roos Field with the sound of our howitzer.

Go Cannon Crew! Go Fighting Eags!