EWU ROTC – Page 30 – EWU Army ROTC

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.

EWU ROTC Throwback Thursday: 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Bieber Commissions in 1969

03/21/2019 by jstafford3

Here is a old clipping from the Cheney Free Press that covered the 1969 commissioning of 2nd Lieutenant Lawrence Bieber. He was commissioned by Professor of Military Science Colonel Andy Pribnow. Back then Eastern Washington University (EWU) was called Eastern Washington State College. Do any of our alumni remember 2LT Bieber during their time at Eastern?

EWU ROTC Hosts 62nd Annual Military Ball at Historic Hargreaves Hall

03/19/2019 by jstafford3

On March 15, 2019, the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) held our annual Military Ball also known as a dining out. The Military Ball was attended by 150 EWU Cadre, ROTC supporters, Cadets, and family members. We were honored to also have alumni and local recruiters from the US Army and National Guard attend as well.

The Reading Room at Hargreaves Hall is set up for the 62nd Annual ROTC Military Ball.

The ball was held at the historic Hargreaves Hall on the EWU campus. The building was named after former EWU President Richard Hargreaves. Dr. Hargreaves became president of the university in 1926 when the campus did not have its own library. During his presidency, Dr. Hargreaves advocated to have a library constructed on campus. Finally a library was constructed in 1940 a year after Hargreaves passed away. Hargreaves Library was named in his honor.

EWU ROTC Color Guard posts the colors during the Hargreaves Hall Reading Room.

Hargreaves Library remained the campus’s main library until the 1960’s when the much larger JFK Library was constructed. The old library was remodeled into office and classroom space. In 2009 additional remodeling was done to modernize the building while still maintaining its historic library charm. One of the major renovations was the beautiful ballroom constructed in the former library reading room. It was fitting that this historic room ringed with classic books was used to host the Military Ball which is one of the longest running traditions at EWU stretching back to 1957.

EWU ROTC Cadet Jennafer Knight proposes a toast during the 2019 Military Ball.

However, the history of military dining outs stretches back even further, to the days of the Roman empire. Over 2,000 years ago Roman commanders held feasts with their officers and guests to celebrate great victories and showcase plunder from their conquests. Over 1,500 years ago the Vikings also held feasts where the commander sat at a head table with his warlords in descending order of rank. From the head table they sat and watched great feats of strengths from their men as they dined. These Roman and Viking traditions were then transplanted to England during centuries of Roman and Viking conquests. These feasts in Medieval England were eventually held on round tables where knights sat and celebrated their victories.

Centuries later after the creation of the British Empire, the dining out tradition became very formalized to promote camaraderie with troops stationed abroad to include in the American colonies. From this British military custom is where the US military tradition of a dining out comes; guests of honor sit at a head table while the rest of the attendees sit around round tables. It is through hosting the annual ROTC Military Ball that our EWU Cadets learn about this military tradition and how to properly host a formal dining out.

2019 EWU ROTC commissionees pose for a cake cutting picture.

However, this military tradition at Eastern would not have been possible without the great support of EWU Dinning Services. They did an amazing job setting up the reading room and preparing outstanding food. They also established a designated room for our professional photographer to set up a picture studio where all guests could have pictures taken.

EWU ROTC Cadets and alumni pour ingredients into the Grog Bowl.

Definitely the part of the dining out that the guests enjoyed the most was the Grog Ceremony. Cadets and alumni came forward to pour various ingredients into a grog bowl that had certain meaning to the ROTC program. After all the ingredients were mixed, the grog bowl was then stirred and ready to be drank. Cadets caught breaking the rules of the mess were then nominated to drink from the grog bowl.

Cadets Jordan Johnson (left) and Adam Burnside (right) drink from the Grog Bowl.

After the grog ceremony our guest speaker, a 1968 EWU ROTC graduate, Retired Colonel Al Watson gave his remarks. He gave an inspiring speech about small unit leadership that he experienced in his career to include being a lieutenant during the Vietnam War.

Retired Colonel Al Watson was the 2019 ROTC Military Ball guest speaker.

The Military Ball concluded with each ROTC class showing a video they made. The rest of night the guests were able to show their moves on the dance floor to the jazz music provided by the Washington National Guard Band.

Washington National Guard Band plays during the 2019 ROTC Military Ball.

It was truly a great night for the Fighting Eagles battalion. The night was made possible by the great coordination done by our lead planners Cadets Scott Hinshaw and Tyler Bergman. Special recognition goes out to the EWU Dining Services and the Washington National Guard Band for their great support to the dining out as well. Special thank yous also to all the alumni and supporters of the program that helped make the night possible. More pictures from the event can be found on the following EWU ROTC Facebook links: (link 1, link 2, and link 3)

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eagles!