Reserve Officer Training Corps – Page 19

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Randall Arney

07/13/2019 by jstafford3

RANDALL NAVE ARNEY

(U.S. Army Reserve)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Klickitat, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 31 December 1943

Death: 12 July 1968

Location: Thua Thien, Vietnam

In the Army, when a family loses a member in war, we refer to them as a “Gold Star Family.” Each of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) graduates that were killed in action we consider them a “Gold Star Alumni” because they are part of our ROTC family.

First Lieutenant Randall Arney’s hometown is Klickitat, Washington and he commissioned as an infantryman from Eastern in 1967. He would go on to serve in Vietnam the following year and was killed in action on July 12, 1968. He was 24 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Randall Arney and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Randall Arney, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU College of Social Sciences Dean Experiences COI Training at Ft. Knox

07/11/2019 by jstafford3

Besides being home to the United States gold reserves, Fort Knox, Kentucky is also the home to the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s premier training event, Advanced Camp. At Advanced Camp, Cadets from Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs spread out across 274 college campuses, come together to conduct leadership training at Ft. Knox. Cadets generally attend Advanced Camp the summer between their Junior and Senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a requirement for every Cadet who wants to commission as an officer after graduating from college.

EWU ROTC Cadets (From Left) Megan Baker, Austin Pfennig, & Chad Triplett participate in Advanced Camp 2019 at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

In effort to help university faculty and community leaders better understand the training ROTC Cadets conduct at Advanced Camp, select personnel from across the nation are invited to attend a one-week course at Ft. Knox. Recently our very own Dean of the College of Social Sciences (CSS) at Eastern Washington University (EWU), Dr. Jonathan Anderson had the opportunity to attend this course known as Centers of Influence (COI) Training.

While at Fort Knox Dr. Anderson attended a number of informational meetings about ROTC and also participated in training Cadets experience during Advanced Camp. These events included a Leadership Reaction Course and rappelling.

Dr. Anderson (upper right) participates in an informational brief.

Dr. Anderson (center) prepares for rappel tower training.

For a very select few of the personnel that attended the COI training, they were able to participate in a jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute demonstration team. Dr. Anderson was chosen as one of the few COIs to participate in the parachute jump.

Dr. Anderson prepares to jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team.

Dr. Anderson flies off with the Golden Knights.

Dr. Anderson parachutes over Ft. Knox, Kentucky with the Golden Knights.

EWU ROTC thanks Dr. Anderson for attending the COI training and the strong support we receive from the College of Social Sciences.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Throwback Thursday: Cadet Hall in 2003

07/11/2019 by jstafford3

This picture of Cadet Hall was taken by Eastern Washington University photographers back in 2003. Fortunately we no longer have the red sign that is pictured to identify Cadet Hall and instead have much better signs to better brand our building with today.

EWU ROTC alumni, Captain Levi Floeter stands in front of Cadet Hall in 2018.

EWU ROTC Cadet Receives 2019 Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship

07/10/2019 by jstafford3

The 2019 Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship was issued this week to Cadet Kylie Crooks. Kylie is an incoming MS-IV Cadet with the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. The scholarship is in honor of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity’s EWU chapter co-founder First Lieutenant Randy Turner. Randy was a 1968 graduate from the EWU ROTC program who was a recipient of the Silver Star and was killed in action in 1969 during the Vietnam War.

Cadet Kylie Crooks (center) is pictured with members of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the EWU Professor of Military Science.

This year his fraternity brothers decided to honor his service by establishing an ROTC scholarship program. The scholarship is awarded to EWU ROTC Cadets that demonstrate academic excellence, high physical fitness, leadership, and financial need. Through a board process, Cadet Crooks was chosen as our second 2019 Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship recipient. Cadet Crooks is studying nursing and is on pace to graduate with honors. She has also shown a high level of physical fitness by scoring a maximum 300 on her Army Physical Fitness Test.

Kylie also recently completed ROTC Advanced Camp where she received the highest rating of “Outstanding”. Besides being a Cadet, Kylie also serves as a watercraft engineer in the U.S. Army Reserve’s 467th Transportation Company.

Cadet Crooks after completing a 12-mile road march.

The scholarship worth $7,545 will pay her full tuition next year as she pursues her nursing degree and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Congratulations to Cadet Crooks for being awarded the Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship and a big thank you to Pi Kappa Alpha for sponsoring this scholarship in support of our outstanding EWU ROTC Cadets.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Fighting Eagles Cadets Continue to Arrive at ROTC Advanced Camp

07/09/2019 by jstafford3

Our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets continue to arrive at Ft. Knox, Kentucky to attend Advanced Camp. Advanced Camp is Cadet Command’s premier annual training event that assesses Cadets on their ability to conduct basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets usually attend Advanced Camp during the summer between their junior and senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a mandatory requirement for all Cadets who want to commission as an officer in the U.S. Army after graduation.

From Left: Jacob Villasenor, Hunter Smith, Austin Bristow arrive for inprocessing at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

The latest EWU ROTC “Fighting Eagles” Cadets to arrive at Advanced Camp are Jacob Villasenor, Hunter Smith, and Austin Bristow. They are part of the 10th Regiment at Advanced Camp. Another addition to our Cadet Summer Training team is Cadet Michael Beier. He is an MS-II Cadet that volunteered to go to camp as an Opposing Force (OPFOR) participant. During field training exercises the OPFOR role play enemy soldiers for the Cadets being assessed to engage.

EWU ROTC Cadet, Michael Beier begins inprocessing at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

Our final EWU ROTC Cadets will be arriving on July 12th for the start of the 11th and final Regiment of Advanced Camp. Best of luck to all of our Fighting Eagles Cadets attending summer training.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

4th of July Holiday was a Busy One for EWU ROTC Cadets at Advanced Camp

07/08/2019 by jstafford3

This summer Cadets from the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) have been participating in ROTC Advanced Camp held every summer at Ft. Knox, Kentucky. Advanced Camp is Cadet Command’s premier annual training event that assesses Cadets on their ability to conduct basic officer leadership tasks. Cadets usually attend Advanced Camp during the summer between their junior and senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a mandatory requirement for all Cadets who want to commission as an officer in the U.S. Army after graduation.

EWU ROTC Cadets in 6th Regiment: (From Left) Megan Baker, Austin Pfennig, & Chad Triplett.

One of the most important tasks Cadets must excel at during Advanced Camp is the Field Training Exercise (FTX). The FTX assesses Cadets on their leadership abilities while executing small unit tactics such as ambushes, raids, and recons.

EWU ROTC Cadet Megan Baker during FTX preparation at ROTC Advanced Camp.

Despite hot and humid conditions Cadets from the EWU ROTC battalion, assigned to 6th Regiment ROTC Advanced Camp were in high spirits this 4th of July as they made their final preparations for their FTX. Cadets Megan Baker, Austin Pfennig, and Chad Triplett participated in finalizing platoon standard operating procedures (SOPs), conducting platoon rehearsals, and platoon formations and orders of movement. Even though it was a busy 4th of July holiday for the 6th Regiment Cadets, they did get a chance to see some of the Ft. Knox fireworks show.

Fireworks over Ft. Knox, Kentucky

Good luck in the field Fighting Eagles!