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Show 10 MONDAY, MARCH ROTC continued from page 9 ment is io years after graduation. Paul Stucki has wanted to be a pilot since childhood. When he earned his pilot slot in the Air Force through the ROTC, "it was like a dream come true," he said. On Thursdays, while other cadets are wearing their battle uniforms, Stucki proudly wears his flight suit. He and nine other fellow seniors in the Air Force ROTC have earned that privilege this year. Stucki grew up in Riric, Idaho, a farming community of 2,000 residents. After serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-da- y Saints, he was ambivalent about pursuing his childhood dream because he didn't know how it would affect his future family life. After getting married and studying architecture at Ricks Junior College, he made up his mind and approached the Kir Force. The recruiter told Stucki that he could either go to the Air Force Academy which he actually couldn't because he was married or join the ROTC. "What's the ROTC?" Stucki asked the recruiter. Stucki then transferred to the University of Utah because it offers both ROTC and architecture programs, the latter of which he studies now only because he needs a degree. "I'll be able to build my own house," Stucki joked. "As a pilot, I won't be designing anything." In a HPER Complex classroom, Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" plays in the background while video clips of fightare er jets, such as the 2 and projected onto the screen. The roomful of cadets howls with enthusiasm. The short film is used to motivate the cadets who arc preparing for field k training camp, an intensive course this summer. One of the cadets getting ready for field camp is Zachary Smith. His squadron is doing physical training today in a nearby field. Activities include "push-upthat kind of thing," said Smith, who is not too wor- ricd about going to field camp because he has been through basic training as an enlisted man. But "some of the other guys are a little nervous, especially those without military experiB-- A-1- 0, five-wee- s, sit-up- THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 5, 2001 s, . ence," he said. Smith says field camp will be similar to basic training. "You go to bed at midnight and wake up at 5 a.m. You're always tired," recalls Smith. "They give you tasks that can't be completed. There's never enough time. They try to make it as difficult for you as possible. (But they don't do it to be mean," he explains. "They want you to think on your feet" When Smith finished his basic training, he was a new man, he believes. "It was one of the best experiences of my life. I felt I became part of something." After Thursday's training exercise, Smith and his squadron were exhausted. At the dismissal ceremony, the commander asked the squadron what they thought of the exercise. Instead of their usual responsiveness and shout of "Outstanding, sir!" the squadron was mum. Other cadets burst into laughter. Across the campus in the Naval Science Building, midshipman Joseph Hardy struggles with the five questions on a quiz about World War I. "What events initiated the war?" and "List new technical advances introduced" were two of the questions his professor for Seapower and Maritime Affairs wrote on the chalkboard. "I missed all of them," the freshman confessed later. "I studied the wrong chapter." As he is adjusting to college life, Hardy is also adjusting to being a midshipman. "There are a lot of little things you don't think about until you have to do them," Hardy said. 'Tomorrow morning we have to train together. Of course, I'd rather sleep." Hardy never considered the military or any other career options for that matter before college. "I was just a stupid kid," he said. When the Navy sent him recruitment literature, he tossed it in the trash. He saw the applications in the garbage a few days later and decided to send them in. When the Navy gave him a scholarship, he thought, "I may as well take it." Because Westminster College, which sends a number of cadets to train at the U, was on Spring Break, the Navy ROTC decided not to enforce the dress code on this particular Thursday. Hardy took advantage of the option and wore a loose sweater and blue jeans. "In classes, professors see you in uniform and they remember who you are. I think they expect you to be smarter," said the mechanical engineering student. "They throw more questions in my direction." Despite all the trials and tribuia- high-scho- ol NteM. mm m& If a m Exercises like those on Thursday prepare cadets for field camp, a grueling tions, Hardy is enjoying the ROTC experience. "The guys are really good. I consider them friends. They help me a lot" The camaraderie has made a big difference in adapting to a big campus, which sometimes can seem cold and impersonaL "In college, they don't care about you. There are a lot of people in ROTC concerned about you " Helping other midshipmen is Shane Jenson's favorite part of being in the ROTC. Jenson served five years in the Marine Corps before joining the ROTC. He enjoys sharing his experience with other midshipmen. Jenson said being a midshipman is a difficult transition for a freshman without military experience. "They need to learn to take care of themselves," said the senior in exercise and sports science. In addition, there is the pressure to perform. "They're being evaluated all the time," he said Eve WMwjR&&iit $ ill - the team takes In training five-wee- The Navy and Marine Corps have a combined program because of trie relatively small number of Marine ROTC candidates, or Marine options. "We take similar classes," Jenson said. The Marines have a tougher training regimen than the Navy, however, said Jenson. "We run three miles instead of instead of one and a half, do pull-up- s said Jenson, who has been push-upsthrough the notoriously grueling Marine boot camp. "If you talk to most people, they didn't join the Marines because of boot camp." The physical training didn't draw Jenson to the Marines, either. After researching all branches of the military, Jenson decided on the Marines after his junior year in high school. "The Marine uniform was more alpha appealing. I liked the dress-blu- e uniform," said Jenson. "The whole mission was more appealing," Jenson left home for the Marines ," wite training course this summer. immediately after high school. "I was in San Diego three days after gradua- k tion," said Jenson, a Minnesota native. "It's really ironic; I joined the Marines to avoid college. Now I'm in college because of the Marines." The Marine Corps released Jenson temporarily from active duty to attend college. The Corps pays for his tuition, books, housing and medical insurance, in addition to his regular salary. As the battalion commander this year, Jenson has doubled his time commitment in the ROTC from six hours per w eek to 12. One of his added duties is organizing the Thursday activities. This week they watched the movie "Breaker Morant" and discussed the ethical issues raised in the film. "Hollywood does good things and bad things for the Marines. They have portrayed us as brutally over see ROTC, page to arev imkiw- :mmMM krfcll sMfism - Strenuous physical training becomes a way of life in the ROTC program The mock ambushes are exercises designed to test members' ability to react to unusual situations. 11 |