The
Spartan Warrior
February 2010
So...You’re Doing What???
C/1c Jack Johnston
The average Air Force ROTC
cadet gets about 20 funny
looks, three ‗thank you‘s,‖ an
occasional snide remark and
about five questions every
time they wear their uniform. We stick out on
college campuses, and
few people understand
what we‘re doing. Even
our parents, relatives and
friends find what we‘re
doing confusing.
Inside this issue:
SAVE THE DATE!
2
A 100 View
3
Field Training Prep
4
The POC Corps
5
Civil Engineering
6
Public Affairs
7
Intelligence
8
Pilot
9
Commander‘s Corner 10
So you‘re in the military?
When do go to basic?
You‘re going to school
and training? Your commitme nt
is HOW
LONG????
I‘ve gotten every one of these
questions.
Truth be told,
ROTC is a confusing concept,
and it‘s understandable
that people have some
questions. In order to
clear a few of these up,
here is a basic rundown of
Caption describing picture or
graphic.
get their commission in the
United States Air Force.
Think of taking the 12
weeks of training received
by future officers in
Officer Training
School and extrapolating that over four
years. This is done
through classes,
taught by active
duty Air Force
members (―cadre‖)
at the detachment,
and through Leadership Laboratories.
Continued on page 2
what the career of a cadet
will look like at Detachment 380, and how the
vast majority of officers
Welcome!
C/1c Jeff Movsesian
former cadets are now in
their Air Force careers.
Take a few minutes to read
through this issue, and be sure
As the editor of the Spartan
to check out the Detachment
Warrior newsletter this se- You‘ll find that every unit website at www.msu.edu/
mester, I‘d like to welcome of the Air Force, large or ~airforce. If you have any
you to the Detachment 380 small, becomes a family. suggestions, comments or
family. If you and the cadet Detachment 380 is no dif- have a particular topic you
you‘re affiliated with are ferent. We take care of our would like to see, please feel
new to AFROTC, this issue own and strive to commis- free to contact me at
will answer a lot of your sion young people with the [email protected].
questions. It includes an tools they need to prosper
outlook from each class of in the world‘s greatest Air Again, welcome to DetachWelcome to an ment 380. I think you‘ll find
AFROTC, along with Force.
the following pages worthalumni updates on where exciting ride!
while.
February 2010
Page 2
So...You’re Doing What??? (cont.)
This is the basic outline:
Cadet Johnston will
commission in May
2010, and will attend
pilot training next fall.
SAVE THE DATE!
Mark the following events
on your calendar to support
Detachment 380!
**April 3rd, 2010**
Trot for the Troops
5k Run.
Freshman year: cadets begin
their General Military Course
(GMC) training. For freshmen, the course is two years
and covers ROTC and Air
Force basics, such as uniform
wear, marching, briefings and
basic knowledge. Cadets often
pledge or candidate for the
Silver Eagles Drill Team or
Arnold Air Society during this
time, which supplements their
training.
Summer: Cadets can partake
in Professional Development
Training (PDTs), which take
place at military bases
throughout the world and expose cadets to the active duty
force.
Sophomore year: Higher
expectations are held for
cadets. They must refine
their skills they accumulated
in the previous year as well
as help the new cadets get
acclimated to ROTC.
Summer: Field training!
Cadets split four weeks in
sunny Alabama at Maxwell
Air Force Base and Hattiesburg, Mississippi at the Joint
Forces Training Center. It‘s
essentially AFROTC‘s version of boot camp. Lessons
in leadership as well as team
building are taught, and cadets are stratified by merit
among their peers.
Junior year: Cadets who
pass field training are eligible for admission into the
Professional Officer Corps
(POC). These cadets are
given responsibility within
the cadet wing, which mirrors that of an active duty
wing. It‘s the POC who are
responsible designing and
implementing the training
programs for all cadets.
Summer: Cadets are once
again given opportunities to
participate in PDTs around
the world. These include
cultural immersion trips,
where cadets find incredible
opportunities to learn about
foreign language and lifestyles. Other cadets choose to
return to field
training as Cadet
Training Assistants, or CTAs.
Senior year: Cadets prepare for
active duty. They
hold positions of
higher responsibility within the
cadet wing and
polish their skills
and
leadership
abilities in order to
be properly prepared to commission as Second
Lieutenants.
Arnold Air Society hosts a
5k on MSU‘s campus to
benefit troops and their
families.
**April 10th, 2010**
Dining Out
Cadets and their families are
invited to a formal dinner to
celebrate a successful year
and give the senior cadets a
proper send-off. Details to
follow in the next issue.
A Joint Army-Air Force ROTC group holds the colors at Spartan Stadium.
Cadets who complete
all
the
AFROTC requirements
within the time allotted receive a commission. After
that, the time and place of
further training for their job
depends on the career field a
new lieutenant receives.
Pages 3-5 will provide an in depth look at one member of each class, from freshman to senior year.
Page 3
A 100 View
C/4c A.J. Beckner
Do you remember that cook-out at the beginning of the
year? I know for certain many of us 100‘s do. For us it
was during one of the greatest changes of our life and an
introduction to a totally new culture. I can clearly recall
walking up to Bessey Hall that day and trying to find
other people who looked as lost as I felt at the time. We
noble few ended up standing in an awkward circle around
the trash can (I still don‘t know why we chose that spot)
not saying much at all. We have learned much since that
day.
Many of us took the advice, repeated to us by anyone we
could muster up the courage to talk to, of ―being a
sponge‖ to heart and dove right in to all Det 380 has to
offer. We were taught the basics of drill and ceremony,
many of the necessary customs and courtesies, what it
feels like to complete an exhausting workout before the
sun comes up, and DO NOT RESPOND TO
LISTSERVES. Some of those things were easier than
others, but they all took a great deal of practice and quite
some time to get accustomed to. Those of us who went to
FLX were able to enjoy its icebreaking qualities and were
able to come to know more of their fellow cadets, GMC
and POC alike. As enjoyable and informative as all of our
events have been this last semester, nothing prepares a
cadet better for their future in the Air Force than the
pledge and candidate process of the Silver Eagles Drill
Team and Arnold Air Society, respectfully. That is where
the biggest change can occur in your first semester. A
cadet goes from fumbling their way through basic facing
maneuvers to being able to march a flight around campus
GMC Cadets gather before performing “Big Flag” at the MSU
vs. WMU football game last fall.
with ease, and from not even knowing
what the Code of Conduct is to being
“We have
able to rattle off all six of its articles
without batting an eye. It builds confilearned much
dence in their personal abilities, but,
more importantly, it teaches them the
since that
power of a flight in the ever coveted
day”
Performing Stage of group growth. The
cadets with whom you train become
family, and all of you know how to use
each others‘ strengths to succeed in whatever challenge is thrown
your way. I can‘t speak highly enough of the benefits these processes provide to any cadet who completes them.
Air Force ROTC, along with most things in life, only gives as
much as it gets. The 100‘s that became involved and made every
day a chance to be that proverbial sponge have come out noticeably ahead of those who did not. However, the silver lining for
those IMT cadets out there who have yet to jump in with both
feet is that time has most definitely not run out. If you get involved, and stay involved, your time in Detachment 380 just may
be some of the best times of your life.
Cadets at Dining In during Fall 2009
February 2010
Page 4
Field Training Prep — A 200 View
C/3c Michelle Stratton
Prior to my enrollment at
Western Michigan University I was
a sophomore at Grand Valley State
University. I had
heard many great
things about the
AFROTC program
through
friends, so I
found out more
about it and became interested
in giving it a try.
The
more
I
thought about it,
the more I liked
the idea of building a career
based on serving
my country. Not
to mention it
would be especially cool if I
Cadets climb a rock wall at FLX at
could become an
the Alpena CRCC in Fall 2009.
Air Force fighter
pilot – which is one of the
goals I hope to achieve. So I
decided to transfer to WMU
and enroll in the Aviation
Flight Science Program and
AFROTC.
My experience in AFROTC
is unlike any other challenging experience I‘ve had before, and I can confidently
say it has been the best so
far. It‘s not easy by any
means, but all the hard work
is worth it. Pledging for Silver Eagles Drill Team last
semester is something I will
certainly never forget, although I think no one on the
team will ever forget their
pledging experience! We
learned so much so fast, and
we trained each other to
perform great as a team and
help each other out. It was
tough during the pledging
process, but becoming a
member of the team felt like
such a great accomplishment. It made all of the
hours of hard work worth it.
Getting to know the other
AFROTC cadets has been
great. Teamwork and its
benefits is something we
hear about everywhere today, but becoming a part of
the AFROTC team has not
only been the best team
building experience I have
had, but also the most fun
(paintball, anyone?). I would
be lying if I said I‘m not a
little nervous about field
training, but I am looking
forward to it for the team
building experiences that
I‘m sure will meet me when
I get there. I‘m also looking
forward to many more team
building experiences at both
MSU and WMU.
What is Field Training, Anyway?
C/2c Katie Broyles
A month in the
sun? You’ve got
it!
Cadet Broyles will
receive job placement this spring
and commission in
May 2011.
Field Training. A month
long, fully paid vacation to
sunny Alabama, right? Ha,
hardly. Field Training is a
grueling 28-day program
that tests cadets physically,
mentally and emotionally.
Completion of the training
during the summer between
sophomore and junior year
is a requirement to enter the
Professional Officer Corps
(POC). The month is spent
between Maxwell AFB,
Alabama and Camp Shelby,
Mississippi. Each summer is
split into six sessions, ranging from Maxwell 1 to Maxwell 6. Cadets experience
intense physical conditioning, survival training,
marksman training, group
leadership activities, applications of drill and ceremo-
nies and much more. Preparation for this program requires intense training
throughout the spring semester, known as ―Field
Training Preparation (FTP)
Semester.‖ In this environment, cadets are expected to
come together as a team to
learn and improve, while
constantly developing teamwork and the ability to follow and lead people. Activities that used to be more
relaxed are now intense, as
the FTP cadets are exposed
to stress and must make and
carry out decisions under
pressure. Not all cadets who
go through the FTP semester
make it to Field Training.
Earning a slot, or an Enrollment Allocation, is competitive, as there are more cadets than there is availability. That is the reason why
outstanding performance
throughout the FTP semester
is crucial. Field Training is a
test of the integrity, attitude,
confidence and adaptability.
Most importantly, followership, leadership and teamwork potential of each cadet
is evaluated. A month in the
sun? You‘ve got it. However, while many cadets are
competing to go, ―vacation‖
doesn‘t quite do Field Training the justice it deserves.
Page 5
Junior Year — Crunch Time
C/2c Nick Meinhart
For those of you
perience
comthat don‘t know
pared to most
me, my name is
students my age.
Nick Meinhart,
E ven
m or e
and I‘m a junior
unique is being a
studying Aviation
cadet
fr om
at Western MichiWMU,
where
gan University.
I‘ve gotten to
I‘ve been in the
watch the numAir Force ROTC
ber of cadets
program all five
grow from a
semesters of my
handful in fall
college
career, Cadet Meinhart will receive job placement 2007 to the 30+
and consider it the this spring and commission in May 2011. currently in the
highlight of my
program or on
time as a college student. My ulti- active duty.
mate goal is to fly the C-17 Globemaster, but if that doesn‘t work out,
Over the last two and a half years, I‘ve
I‘d like to be either space and missile had some incredible opportunities – base
or intelligence officer. making it to visits, PDTs, Big Flag, FLX, color
the point of cadet officer in ROTC, guard, Veteran‘s Day run, etc. That‘s
I‘ve already had a highly unique ex- one message I can‘t stress enough to the
GMC: take advantage of every opportunity, because you never know what you
might get out of it. After all, how often
do you get a trip to Europe, Africa, or
South America, paid for by the Air
Force? I‘ve also received other benefits
as well – close friends, professional and
leadership development, and scholarship funds.
This semester I have been frequently
grateful to be done with FTP semester
(and Field Training in general), but it
reminds me that I am still under a different kind of pressure. Especially as a
flight commander, I need to make sure
my cadets get the same level training I
did, so that they are prepared when it is
their turn to prove themselves. I can
only hope that they enjoy their time in
ROTC as much as I am, and I look forward to seeing what my senior year has
in store.
Seniors...One More Semester!
C/1c Matthew Byrne
As I enter into my last semester here at Detachment 380, I realize I‘m only just beginning my experience with the Air Force. As we
commission on May 9th, we‘ll realize that we
really know the bare minimum to get us to our
first assignments… dates, times, and places.
Some of us won‘t begin our journey for
months, left in that limbo of trying to find
employment, since the only change in our
military status is a green ID card that now
reads ―2DLT‖ instead of A1C.
But I‘m hopeful. I am lucky to know that I‘ll
go on Active Duty in August, and I‘ll be entering one of the best medical schools in trauma
care in the nation. Some of us will be entering
pilot training, and the rest of us will be going
to training at ASBC, and eventually our individual AFSCs at bases across the world (not
necessarily in that order). We will get to that
next step and begin our tours of defending our
nation.
If there is one guarantee, however, it will be
that we will rely on the training we received as
cadets. It won‘t be marching a flight around base
which I‘ll utilize, but my cool and composure I had
to maintain when posed a formidable challenge.
Learning to use the tools provided to me, those
problem-solving skills will be
invaluable as I tackle being a
Second Lieutenant. Gaining
invaluable mentorship from a
goldmine of NCOs and Officers
has helped prepare me to try
and avoid those dumb mistakes
that a new O-1 often makes.
So if I had to give any advice to
the younger cadets who will be
here next year, it would be to
do it all. Candidate and pledge,
Cadet Byrne will commission in May 2010
be active, sign up for every- and attend USUHS medical school in Bething, and give it your all every thesda, MD next fall.
PT, LLAB, and Flight Meeting.
Grades will always come first, but you won‘t know
your limit unless you try and push yourself to it.
Learn everything you can and push yourself to that
goal of butter bars, because it will be here much
sooner than you could ever imagine.
February 2010
Page 6
Civil Engineering as a New Lieutenant
2d Lt Andrew Zanotti
Since commissioning last May, time has flown
by. I‘ve been all over the country, met all sorts
of new people, and have learned so much as I
have started my Air Force career.
William‘s museum). You definitely
don‘t have to spend all your time
studying, but make sure you are
performing well on the academic
portion of class. If memory serves
me right, there is one test, one briefing, and one
paper – put
some time into
them and do a
good job on
that.
Im m edi a t el y fol l owi n g gr a dua t i on /
commissioning, I
had
a
couple
months off. I spent
most of that time
with my family.
My advice to all of
you who have some
time off before
Following
entering
active
ASBC, I drove
duty, really take
across country
advantage of it! If
to Colorado
you have to get a
where I am
job to stay afloat
stationed
at
financially, well
Peterson AFB.
then, you have to 2d Lt. Zanotti in an exercise at ASBC.
A lot happens
do what you have
when in procto do. But if you
essing to your
can find a way to get by, you‘ll have the rest of
base. Ask a lot of questions to other
your life to work. I‘d recommend spending the CGOs about good places to live and
majority of your time with friends and family,
stuff like that. This topic is probaenjoying Detroit Tigers games, and MSU bly an article in itself (if not more)
Dairy store ice cream, because once they send so If you have any questions, email
you to Alabama, Colorado, Texas, and/or
me and I‘ll give you any advice I
Alaska, you don‘t get to enjoy those things as can. I was only in Colorado for
often- if you catch my drift.
about 5 weeks before heading to
Civil Engineering Tech School at
Last July I took off for ASBC at Maxwell AFB,
Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton,
Alabama. You may have heard horror stories OH. It was good being at my base
about how dull ASBC and Alabama are. I before going to school, because it
found this to be completely untrue. At times, helped me get an idea of what I
ASBC is a little repetitive of what you may needed to learn before going to
have learned in ROTC, but there are a lot of
school.
new things and some interesting topics covered.
I really enjoyed ASBC. I met a lot of great Now I can only speak for CE
people, enjoyed spending some time in the school, but I‘m guessing for a lot of
South (which was an awakening experience in other career fields it is similar. At
itself), and came out of it more knowledgeable
school, there was a lot of informaabout the US Air Force. A couple pieces of tion that came really fast. I tried to
advice about ASBC: Do whatever you can to make cheat sheets as we went along
make sure you have a vehicle (it‘ll make your
to use for studying and to put tolife a lot better while there). Atlanta, Nashville, gether for future reference. Another
Florida and New Orleans are all within driving highlight of tech school was that it
distance and make for some good weekend was good to be back in the Midtrips. I‘d also recommend staying in the local west. I even got to catch three MSU
area for a weekend if you can talk someone else football games!
into it. Montgomery has some neat history to
check out (Martin Luther King Jr.‘s church, Once I got back to Colorado, things
first White House of the Confederacy, Hank at work picked up quickly. My first
day back, I found I was
tasked for a deployment.
Then almost daily, I kept
getting tasked with additional duties. On top of my
regular job, I also serve as
the Squadron Anti-Terrorism
and Force Protection Officer,
the Unit Environmental Coordinator, and the Unit Voting Assistance officer. Additional duties are a good way
for young officers to gain
some experience and get
yourself out there.
Like
them or not, you‘ll probably
get some thrown at you, so
like anything, I recommend
trying to get the most out of
them.
For my actual job, I am in
charge of my Civil Engineering Squadron‘s training program. In simple terms, I am
in charge of facilitating and
tracking the training requirements to make sure everyone
in my squadron is current in
training and ready to deploy.
Funny thing, is that it is kind
of similar to running lead lab
in a lot of ways. It has kept
me busy and has really enabled me to get a good idea
of what is going on in my
squadron, which is very
beneficial.
My last words of advice:
enjoy the time you have left
in college and in ROTC.
Enjoy the people you are
with. I really love what I am
doing now, and probably
wouldn‘t trade places with
anyone, but I will always
miss ROTC/MSU.
If any of you have any questions, please email me at
[email protected])
Page 7
Breaking in your Butter Bar — Thoughts from a Spartan Alumnus
2d Lt Kathleen Polesnak
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
During my last two years at
Michigan State, I had a gold
bar displayed on the wall
above the light switch in my
bedroom. The shiny bar was
a reminder of what I was
working toward. It was
given to me by my flight
training officer at Field
Training.
When I first arrived at
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany to work in public affairs, I met a first lieutenant
with Captains rank attached
to his keys. As a cadet, you
should take some time each
day to think about the choice
you are making to become
an officer. You don't necessarily need a butter bar
above your light switch or a
shiny gold key chain, but it
is important that you realize
once those bars are on your
shoulders, you are an officer
24 hours a day, seven days a
week, 365 days a year.
The initial transition from
ROTC cadet to company
grade officer will not always
be smooth. It will require a
lot of time and energy, and
you will make mistakes.
Here are a few dashes of
advice based on my experience as a second lieutenant
who recently made that transition. There are many people who will tell you how to
act, live and do your job.
There will be people who
lead you down enriching
paths and others who won't.
As a young CGO, times of
chaos and confusion are
ahead. During stressful days,
projects and operations, it's
imperative to have a reliable
mentor. This person may be
a senior enlisted Airman or a
field grade officer. Regardless of rank, it should be
someone you can trust who
has you in their best interest.
In my case, my current supervisor has been a great
mentor. It is impossible for a
mentor to be forced upon
you. You must find the right
mentor on your own. I'm
fortunate mine is in the same
office, but yours may be in a
different unit, service or stage of
life.
Lt Polesnak looks inside a Romanian
MIG-21.
than your own. You will have the opportunity to become a subject matter expert on specific Air Force assets and
processes, but as an
officer, you must infil“There will be
trate yourself with a
people who lead
broad brushstroke of
knowledge to best serve
you down
your Airmen and your
enriching paths
commander. Take the
time to get to know how
and others who
other units on your installations function so
won't.”
you can better connect
with them and communicate with one another.
Finally, never forget who you are
serving and what you represent —
your country. Whether you are groggy
because of a 5:30 a.m. physical training session or you are letting loose
after a long day of classes and leadership laboratory, reflect on the responsibility that will soon rest on your
shoulders. Your reminder may not be
a butter bar above a light switch, but it
can be in the actions you take every
day.
Another essential
part of expanding Lt Polesnak facilitating an interview between a
your knowledge as Staff Sergeant and some Romanian reporters.
a lieutenant is you
must understand
the importance of
tasks accomplished
by Airmen in career fields other
February 2010
Page 8
Intel Officer Training.
2d Lt Bob Aalderink
Spring is an exciting time for many of
you, with the countdown to graduation
moving painfully slowly. I remember
my last semester as I tried to figure out
what to expect for my junior career, and
I also remember feeling like I was
'winging it' when I was en route to my
first duty station.
2d Lt Kathleen Cregan and 2d Lt Bob
Aalderink at the 2009 Detachment 380
Commissioning ceremony
I graduated Michigan State and commissioned in the spring of 2008 anticipating to begin pilot training later that
fall. My first task as a newly commissioned lieutenant was to find a minimum wage job at a golf course in my
hometown. Finally, after living in Air
Force limbo for 6 months, I made my
trip out to Vance AFB, OK to start my
‗real Air Force‘ life. I was put on casual status for a few months (answering
phones and organizing books) until
February 09, when I attended IFS—the
first stage of training—in Colorado.
At Creech AFB, Lt. Aalderink will support the mission of new, unmanned
aircraft like this one..
Without belaboring the reasoning, I did
not find excitement or enjoyment in the
prospect of becoming a pilot and decided to dismiss myself from training
the day before my solo. Upon returning
to Vance, I was again put on casual
status (this time working in MPF) until
officially reclassifying into Intelligence. I am currently in my last month
of training for Intel and I will be going
to Creech AFB, NV early to mid March
to support RPAs.
For those of you going pilot, congratulations and good luck; if flying is your
passion and you are willing to put in the
work, there is no reason you will not
find success. That said, the Air Force
tries its best to put you in a job that best
fits. I have met some great people both
in pilot training and in Intel school, and
while flying did not pan out for me, I
have had a very enjoyable time thus far
and have no regrets. The Air Force is
doing great things—a lot more than you
hear about in the daily news—and
whether you are going to be the warfighter, putting warhead on foreheads,
or working in support of the same, you
are going into the Air Force at a very
exciting and critical time. If you are
willing to put in the effort and time,
there is nothing in the Air Force you
cannot do, and no limit to the impact
you can ha ve on th e wor l d.
Page 9
The Challenge of Pilot Training
1st Lt Loren Miller
After commissioning in spring
of 2007, I entered active duty
on 25 June 2007 at Maxwell
AFB for ASBC. I was an Ad
LT at Det 380 on casual status
awaiting UPT at Laughlin
AFB from 10Aug07 to
20Feb08. While at Det 380, I
went TDY to IFS in Pueblo,
CO flying the DA-20 from 5
Nov07-20Dec07. IFS can be
tough, especially for those
with no flying background. It
mimics the first part of UPT Lt Miller next to his T-6 Texan II at Laughlin AFB, TX.
well.
Since winging, not only learning my
job as a pilot, but gaining experience
and proficiency in it, has been the
main goal. My motivation, other
than my wife, is the reward of getting paid to fly a plane. I love that
my office is not always behind a
desk or even on the ground. Flying
just keeps things interesting. Some
days, those days that the pucker factor is higher than others, we just
know we cheated death once again,
and THAT is a lesson you can't
learn from any PowerPoint presentation.
Phase 1 and 2 of UPT was at Laugh- squadron.
lin AFB in the T-6 Texan II from 20
I hope this helps! I still bleed Green and
I went to SERE at Fairchild AFB, WA White, especially during March! I am
Feb08 to 5 Oct08. Great
from 14 Jan10-6 Feb10. It willing to do anything to help out my old
jet! I loved flying
was great training that I hope
th at
plan e
th e “Some days...we
Detachment any chance I can get.
no one will ever have to use.
most.
It was just
I will leave it at that.
such a capable air- just know we
craft. 10 Oct08-17
I asked my wife
Oct 08 was water cheated death
Michelle
for
survival training in once again…”
her
thoughts
of
Pensacola, FL. Phase
Air
Force
life
3 of UPT was at NAS
to this point and
Corpus Christi flying the T44c. I
she
mentioned
that it wasgraduated UPT and earned my
n‘t
until
after
we
moved to
wings on 24 April 2009.
our current operational
squadron at Dyess that she
From 1June2009 to 9December
2009 I was at Little Rock AFB for C noticed that it is more of a
-130 Initial Qual and mission quali- family with the squadron rather than just being a
fications.
short-term visitor like we
were at UPT with the inI am currently at my Operational
structors. We were fortuSquadron, due to deploy to Iraq or
Afghanistan in June. I am at the nate during pilot training
40th Airlift Squadron at Dyess to have a great group of
AFB, TX. As a new Copilot I am guys in my pilot training The C-130 Hercules in flight.
class. We all helped each
currently doing Local Area Orientation ground training and flights. I other cope and make it
am expanding my knowledge base though the toughest year of our
in the Herk and I am hoping to up- lives. After winging, there is a clear
grade to Aircraft Commander before difference in view, beyond the obvious
I leave Dyess. I may also have the wings on your chest, when others in the
opportunity to change over to the J- squadron or on base see you. Wings
were definitely the light at the end of a
model in a year or so, because my
squadron is becoming a J-mod very long and narrow tunnel called
SUPT.
February 2010
Page 10
Commander’s Corner
C/1c Jeremy Blaney
Cadet Blaney will commission
in May 2010, and will attend
pilot training next fall.
I am extremely excited to
serve as the Spring 2010
Cadet Wing Commander.
First, here‘s a little bit about
myself. Before coming to
Detachment 380, I served as
an enlisted troop in the U.S.
Air Force. Several deployments gave me the opportunity to see all corners of the
globe and participate in a
variety of missions. I came
to Det 380 on an enlisted
commissioning scholarship
and am majoring in International Relations. Following
graduation, I will enter pilot
training.
As the Cadet Wing Commander, I have two overarching priorities. My first
priority is training. Fundamentals such as memorizing
warrior knowledge, marching down the bomb run, and
standardizing water bottles
might seem trivial; but in
reality, they‘re emphasized
for a reason. First, perfect-
ing these skills will yield
better performance at Field
Training, which will impact
the likelihood of getting Job
Choice #1 vs. Job Choice
#2. Second, they develop
one‘s ability to pay attention
to detail, think critically and
quickly, and act in a professional manner. When lives
are on the line – as many are
in Haiti – and our Airmen
are called to serve (some of
whom are Det 380 alumni),
we all have a professional
and moral responsibility to
ensure that we are ready.
That preparation starts here.
My second priority is public
affairs. Many cadets live
double lives; in addition to
academic commitments,
they take on incredible res p on s i bi l i t i e s w i t h i n
AFROTC. I want to let you
and the public at-large know
of their incredible achievements while simultaneously
increasing the national prestige of Det 380 as a whole.
For these reasons, we redesigned the Det 380 website,
revamped the Facebook Fan
Page, and established a
Twitter account. I highly
encourage you to visit
www.msu.edu/~airforce. On
the Det 380 website you will
find links to the mediums
that I mentioned above.
The semester that stands
before us is marked with
opportunity, and I know all
cadets will rise to the challenge. Once again, I am
honored to serve such an
outstanding corps.
Let‘s
take it to the next level!
Arnold Air Society: Service, Professionalism, Honor.
C/3c Hannah Pyncheon, C/1c Michael Magner
The Lt. Phillip Louis Bek Squadron
is going to have a busy semester this
spring. Along with doing various
service projects throughout the community and training a candidate class,
the Bek Squadron is looking forward
to the Trot for the Troops 5k run and
the National Conclave in April. Our
Squadron plans on working with
homeless shelters, veterans, and a
new program called the Aerospace
Education Program. Also this semester, the members of our Squadron are
bidding to host the National Headquarters. With this, the Lt. Phillip
Louis Bek Squadron would run the
national level of the Arnold Air Society organization.
As mentioned, our
spring. This Consquadron is holding
clave is where the
the Trot for the
members of the Bek
Troops 5k. The
Squadron will be
race will be held on
running for National
3 April 2010. All
Headquarters. The
proceeds from the
Bek Squadron is
race will go tocompeting with the
wards veterans and
Un i v e r s i t y
of
their
f a m i - Bek Squadron members at the 2009 Area Con- Maryland and Loulies. More informa- clave in downtown Detroit.
isiana Tech Univertion will be ansity, and hope to
nounced in a few weeks, and any support is appreci- put our best effort forward to earn
ated. Mark your calendars, and get ready to run for a this responsibility.
If you are
great cause!
interested in helping out or have
The Arnold Air Society National Conclave will be
held in Seattle, Washington from 1-5 April of this
any questions, please contact me
at [email protected].
Page 11
The Drill Team
C/1c Jeff Movsesian
As you may gather,
AFROTC cadets tend to
wear many hats. From the
Spartan Marching Band to
campus a cappela groups, I
have seen all sorts of involvement over the past four
years. With that, you‘ll see
that the Spartan Warrior is
not my only job this semester. As the Commander of
the Silver Eagles Drill
Team, I‘d like to tell you
about an organization that is
the source of many of my
best college experiences.
The Silver Eagles support
all sorts of events, including
football, hockey and basketball games on campus. We
do wedding sabre arches,
trick performances and flag
posting/retiring for almost
any type of event. In the
past, some unique events
include the Big Ten/ACC
Challenge at Ford Field,
along with a flag presentation at a Band of the Irish
Guard performance.
young JROTC cadets for a
day of drill demonstration,
teaching and mentoring. We
will honor our veterans at the
AAS Trot for the Troops 5k
Run on 3 April, and will be
practicing heavily for our big
trip at the end of the semester. Finally, the team will
travel to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY for a
drill competition on April 24,
2010. Competing against the
likes of the Coast Guard and
Naval Academies, SEDT
took first place overall in
2008 before taking 2009 off
to support a wedding for a
longtime SEDT member.
The Drill Team is old fashioned; rich with tradition and
loaded with camaraderie. Its
mission - To develop a level
of warrior spirit, officership
and professionalism higher
than any other in the United
States Air Force through drill
and ceremonies and professional development exercises. We are a group of 25
individuals who strive to exThis semester, SEDT will be cel in all areas, ROTC and
an opening act for the Spar- otherwise. Above all of the
tan Stampede Rodeo on the activities and opportunities
weekend of February 19-21. discussed above, this is a
A week later, we will host team.
The closeness and
level of performance that
Befuddled by all the acronyms?
is possible is endless with
Here’s a list that may help:
this group. That is why I
am so excited and honored to lead them. AAR: After Action Report
ST RO NG ! P RO UD! AAS: Arnold Air Society
AFSC: Air Force Specialty Code
FREE!
AS: Aerospace Studies
If you have any questions, ASBC: Air and Space Basic Course
CGO: Company Grade Officer
or would like to schedule
COB: Close of Business
our team to perform at an CTA: Cadet Training Assistant
event, please feel free to FLX: Field Leadership Exercise
contact
me
a t FTP: Field Training Preparatory
GMC: General Military Corps
[email protected].
IMT: Initial Military Training
LLAB: Leadership Laboratory
MPF: Military Personnel Flight
NCO: Non-Commissioned Officer
NLT: No Later Than
OTS: Officer Training School
PDT: Professional Development Training
POC: Professional Officer Corps
PT: Physical Training
ROTC: Reserve Officer Training Corps
RPA: Remotely Piloted Aircraft
SEDT: Silver Eagles Drill Team
SERE: Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and
Escape
UPT: Undergraduate Pilot Training