EWU ROTC – Page 32 – EWU Army ROTC

EWU ROTC Cadet Selected as A Finalist for the Harry Truman Scholarship

02/27/2019 by jstafford3

Eastern Washington University (EWU) student and ROTC Cadet Nicholas Null, has been selected as a finalist for the Harry Truman Scholarship. Cadet Null was one of five college students selected from Washington State as a finalist for the scholarship. Cadet Null is a MS-III (junior) Cadet in the university’s Fighting Eagles ROTC battalion.

Cadet Nicholas Null

The Harry Truman Foundation was created by Congress in 1975 based on the original idea from President Truman of having a scholarship that would support future generations who answer the call to public service. Public service by becoming an Army officer is what Cadet Null is currently working towards in the EWU ROTC program. However, becoming a military lawyer is Cadet Null’s ultimate goal and receiving this scholarship will bring him one step closer to attending law school as a graduate student.

Next up for Cadet Null is that he will be interviewed at a Harry Truman Foundation office in Seattle next month along with other Finalists from the Pacific Northwest. The Finalists with the best interviews will be offered a scholarship to attend a graduate school of their choice. The Fighting Eagles are very proud of Cadet Null being selected as a Finalist and wish him all the best next month as he conducts his final interviews to compete for the scholarship.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Eastern Washington University Army ROTC Cadet Selected for Engineering Internship Program

02/26/2019 by jstafford3

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program continues to have great success having Cadets accepted for internships. The latest Cadet to receive an internship was Robert Wheeler. Cadet Wheeler was selected for the Engineering Internship Program (EIP) sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Cadet Wheeler was selected for the internship through a U.S. Army Cadet Command sponsored competitive nomination process that required him to demonstrate academic excellence, physical fitness, and high character.

Cadet Robert Wheeler

This summer Cadet Wheeler will travel to Louisiana and intern with the USACE New Orleans District. The USACE district in New Orleans is responsible for operating the dams, levies, spillways, bridges, and canals along the lower reaches of the Mississippi River. During the internship Cadet Wheeler will be exposed to and perform engineering functions such as design, project management, project engineer, Quality Assurance, and Geographic Information Systems responsibilities. Cadet Wheeler is studying mechanical engineering at EWU which this internship will provide invaluable experience and knowledge for his degree.

Congratulations to Cadet Wheeler for being selected for this great internship.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Cheney Water Works Becomes Training Ground for EWU ROTC Battalion

02/24/2019 by jstafford3

On February, 21 2019, the Eastern Washington University (EWU) ROTC battalion conducted its weekly leadership lab at the Cheney Water Works (CWW).

The CWW provides the “Fighting Eagles” Cadets a forested area near the EWU campus to practice their squad operations skills they learned from previous leadership labs. Due to the heavy snow fall this winter, the Cadets were physically challenged during the lab by having to trudge through knee deep snow. With all the physical training that the Cadets do in the morning, they were able to be resilient and push right through it.

Heavy snow covers an open area at the Cheney Water Works.

At first formation, the officer in charge (OIC) Cadet Erling Anderson, gave a safety brief for cold weather injuries and explained to the Cadets what they will be training on during the lab.

Cadet Erling Anderson (far right) briefs the Fighting Eagles Cadets prior to executing the weekly leadership lab.

At this weekly leadership lab the Fighting Eagles Cadets were tested on their skills to properly conduct an ambush and an area reconnaissance mission. After first formation each squad moved to their designated area in the woods to conduct their training. Each squad was assigned an MS-IV (senior) Cadet who evaluated and helped the MS-III (Junior) Cadets conduct their mission. The MS-III Cadets had a chance to rotate through leadership roles to give them practice on how to lead a squad size element at either the ambush lane or the recon lane.

EWU ROTC Fighting Eagles Cadets position themselves for a squad ambush.

The ambush lane is where Cadets had to position their squad on the objective where the enemy will be traveling through. The MS-III Cadet had to go through troop leading procedures (TLPs); which they have learned in their military science class from the Cadet Command NCO Instructor of the Year, Sergeant First Class( SFC) Jason Hennig. After the MS-III Cadets planned the mission they would lead their squad through the mission.

EWU Cadets position themselves to conduct a squad ambush.

Other Cadets playing the Opposing Force (OPFOR) would role play the enemy troops traveling down the road. Once the OPFOR reached the ambush site, the squad would then initiate their attack against the enemy force. After the execution of the mission the MS-IV Cadet would do an after action report (AAR), that is used to describe what the Cadet did correctly during the execution of the lane and identify areas of improvement.

EWU ROTC Cadet prepares to engage the enemy during squad ambush training.

During the recon mission, Cadets had to locate an enemy force without being seen. While observing the enemy, the Cadets had to collect Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIR).

EWU ROTC Cadets cross an open area while conducting a reconnaissance mission.

PIR is extremely important information that can be sent to higher command element to be used for future operations. Similar as an ambush, the MS-III Cadets had to go through TLPs to plan and then execute this mission.

Cadet Nicholas Null (center) briefs his squad after returning from reconnaissance mission.

The training conducted at the Cheney Water Works will help prepare the Cadets for next month’s winter Field Training Exercise (FTX). The FTX will test the Cadets on all the skills they have learned this quarter during the leadership labs. Training basic soldier and leadership skills is important for preparing the MS-III Cadets for their upcoming attendance at Advanced Camp at Ft. Knox, Kentucky this summer. The 37-day camp is a requirement for all MS-III Cadets to pass before commissioning as an officer in the Army.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Throwback Thursday: EWU ROTC’s Cadet Hall

06/23/202202/21/2019 by jstafford3

This picture shows Cadet Hall from the 1950s or earlier 1960s. The doors pictured is still the main entrance into Cadet Hall today. The double pullup bars in front of the building are still in place and regularly used by Cadets. However, the large grass field where this picture was taken no longer exists. This is because the Computing and Engineering Science Building was built over the field back in 2005.

EWU ROTC Cadet Attends the 2019 George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar

02/20/2019 by jstafford3

From 11-13 February 2019, the top ROTC Cadets from all 274 ROTC programs across the nation and the US Military Academy at West Point traveled to Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas to attend the George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar. Cadet Bryce Stanton from Eastern Washington University (EWU) represented the university’s Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) “Fighting Eagles” Battalion at the seminar. Cadet Stanton is an MS-IV (senior) Cadet that was chosen to attend the seminar after ranking first on the ROTC battalion’s Order of Merit List (OML). The OML is based on the Cadet’s academic performance, physical fitness test score, leadership, and achievements in the ROTC program.

Cadet Bryce Stanton at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas.

The George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar has been held annually since 1978. The seminar was originally held in Lexington, Virginia because Virginia Military Institute (VMI) was the alma mater of General George C. Marshall. Marshall as the Army Chief of Staff, grew the U.S. armed services from about 170,000 to more than eight million by the end of World War II. After the war, Gen. Marshall became the U.S. Secretary of State who formulated the famous “Marshall Plan” to reconstruct Western Europe.

The George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar was held in the Eisenhower Auditorium at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. (Cadet Command Photo)

During the seminar Cadets attended briefs and took part in round-table discussions with Army and defense experts on critical military and geopolitical subjects. The seminar was truly a unique opportunity for the Cadets to interact with senior civilian and military leaders.

Cadet Bryce Stanton (left) at the icebreaker for the George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar. (Cadet Command Photo)

The opening remarks for the seminar were given by Major General John R. Evans, Jr. the commanding general of the U.S. Army Cadet Command. In his remarks Maj. Gen. Evans challenged the Cadets to “Find their Fox” in reference to Major General Fox Connor. Maj. Gen. Connor is considered one of the greatest mentors in U.S. military history.

Major General Fox Connor

He is credited with mentoring many great future general officers to include General George C. Marshall. Here is what General Dwight D. Eisenhower had to say about Maj. Gen. Connor:

General Dwight D. Eisenhower served under, commanded, or worked closely with, GENs John J. Pershing, Douglas MacArthur, George C. Marshall, Omar N. Bradley, George S. Patton, Jr., and Walter Bedell Smith. However, when Eisenhower was asked who was the greatest American soldier he knew, he replied MG Fox Conner, adding, “In sheer ability and character, he was the outstanding soldier of my time.” [Army History.org]

I highly recommend listening to Maj. Gen. Evan’s opening remarks below and likewise encourage everyone to find their own Fox as well:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1N9gVz6CY5E]

Finally during the seminar, the Cadets broke into small groups and were tasked with preparing briefings on various topics that were then presented to one of the eight ROTC brigade commanders. These briefings trained the Cadets to think critically on topics important to modern day military operations.

Cadet Bryce Stanton (far left) participates in small group activities at the George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar. (Cadet Command Photo)

Congratulations to Cadet Stanton for being selected to attend the George C. Marshall Leadership Seminar. It is a prestigious honor that only the top Cadets in the nation get to attend. Cadet Stanton’s academic achievements and his outstanding performance in ROTC have clearly demonstrated that he is one of the top Cadets in the nation that proudly represented EWU and the Fighting Eagles Battalion at the seminar.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Fighting Eagles Cadets Show Their Toughness Conducting Squad Operations Despite Deep Snow

02/16/2019 by jstafford3

On February, 14 2019, the Eastern Washington University (EWU) ROTC battalion conducted its weekly Leadership Lab at John F. Kennedy (JFK) Field and inside Cadet Hall. The freezing temperatures and record snow fall did not stop the “Fighting Eagles” Cadets from conducting their training. This February the Spokane area has seen five times the normal amount of snowfall leading to deep snow levels on the EWU Campus.

Cadet Hall surrounded by deep snow.

At this week’s Leadership Lab the Cadets trained on how to properly execute squad attack and assault drills. The platoons while inside Cadet Hall rehearsed the drills before rotating outside to be evaluated on JFK Field. Once outside the Cadets met up with their MS-IV (senior) Cadet who evaluated each squad within the platoon on how well they executed the attack and assault drills.

EWU ROTC Cadet maneuver across JFK Field on the EWU campus.

The MS-III (junior) Cadets were responsible for leading each squad as part of their preparation for Advanced Camp. Advanced Camp is held each summer at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and the 37 day event is the culmination of three years of intense training in the ROTC program.

EWU ROTC Cadets maneuver through deep snow during weekly training.

The MS-III Cadets used skills learned at prior labs to effectively maneuver their squads to flank and assault the enemy during this week’s training. After each drill an after action report (AAR) was held that was facilitated by the MS-IV Cadet to help the MS-III improve on anything they did wrong during the drill.

MS-IV Cadet Megan Anderson (center) mentors subordinate Cadets.

At the completion of the lab a final formation was held where the EWU ROTC Professor of Military Science (PMS), Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Jonathan Stafford recognized the Hero of the Lab. For this week’s lab, MS-II (sophomore) Cadet Emma Latour was recognized as the Hero of the Lab for how clearly she communicated with her fellow squad members and the high motivation she showed despite the deep snow and cold.

14 Feb. 2019 Hero of the Lab

Great job this week by Cadet Latour and all the other outstanding Fighting Eagles Cadets.