Andrea Diaz
Staff Writer
The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) will make you work hard, but they will also help you play hard.
It all began in 1951 at ISU and has seen much success over the years, as well as being the start of many students’ own success stories.
There is a four year program and a two year program that students can participate in. One of those students is Cadet Hadlee Anderson. She is the Administrative Officer and the Signal Officer of the ROTC program.
According to the Cadet Leadership page on the ISU ROTC website, some of the things she does for the program include human resource concerns, providing administrative support and advertising the program. She is majoring in nursing and working towards a minor in military science.
“I was born and raised in Pocatello, so it has been nice to be close to home and so close to family. Plus, ISU has a remarkable nursing program,” Anderson said.
She is a junior in the ROTC program and the advice she has for incoming trainees is to embrace the training.
Anderson said that training is something that will help anyone part of the program. The training teaches important life skills that can be used in future careers. An experience that stood out to her was when she travelled to Morocco and trained with the Royal Moroccan Army.
“I was able to spend a month abroad learning and experiencing their culture. This was an experience of a lifetime,” said Anderson.
Sergeant First Class Ian Parker, who has been an instructor for the program since September of last year, was part of a two month long training event in Fort Knox, Kentucky. The training event brought many cadets together and simulated an intense situation to test the skills that the cadets learned through ROTC training.
“Being able to be a part of this solidified in my mind that this program is preparing these future Army leaders to face the trials and tribulations that exist for all American Soldiers,” said Parker.
The ROTC is a program at ISU that trains various men and women how to be a part of the United States Army through programs, trainings, and classes. The ROTC program is one that has many benefits for students. There are lessons to learn and carry on through life that open up many opportunities for students.
Cadets have gone on and into careers that have served themselves and their country well. These include infantry, aviation, army nurses and military intelligence.
Two notable individuals in the ISU program are Major General Robert Molinelli and Major General Antonio Taguba. Major General Molinelli became a highly decorated Vietnam veteran and Major General Taguba investigated the accusations of prisoner abuse and executions at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
“Being apart of the ROTC is such a great opportunity with so many benefits, so remember how beneficial this training will be to your future career,” said Anderson
If you are a student looking into becoming a part of the United States Army and want to learn life-long skills, then the ISU ROTC program is one worth joining.
