Cadets Today, Sky Heroes Tomorrow
by
Mallory Gantenberg
An essay prepared for CIS 110
Prof. William Cooper
University of Kentucky
Fall, 2011
Beep! Beep! Your alarm clock shakes the ground and reminds you it’s 5:30 am.
Reluctantly you slump out of bed and grab your clothes. Ambition. Eyes squinted you pull out
the blue Air Force shorts and a grey Air Force shirt sitting on your bed. Perseverance. Still sore
from yesterday, your body moves like the tin man from The Wizard of Oz. By 6 am, the training
starts and your day officially begins as a University of Kentucky Air Force student. You tell
yourself, you are strong and can do it. Everyday these strong men and women train in both
physical fitness and academic areas. The stresses of an ordinary student are magnified to equal
an ROTC student. Through my observation of the University of Kentucky’s ROTC Air Force
program I learned about the hard work needed, the opportunities offered after college, and the
history of the Air Force.
In order to qualify for the air force program you must meet some very high standards.
Despite the high scores needed, the positives outweigh the negatives. Multiple scholarships are
offered for college tuition, books, and a financial budget for after college. The scholarships vary
in each major. The picture below shows all of the Air Force ROTC cadets.
The Professional Officer Course in the Air Force ROTC is very competitive and has high
standards for graduation. For instance, cadets in the POC not on scholarship must maintain a
GPA between 2.0 on 4.0. Cadets on scholarship in this program have different requirements
based on majors. They must receive a grade higher than a C- in the Aerospace Studies course and
pass all Leadership Labs with nothing less than a C-. The Physical Fitness Test is taken every
fall and spring term while a cadet is enrolled in Air Force ROTC. The minimum score is 75
points.
(This picture was
obtained from the
AFROTC website.)
The physical fitness test is composed of three sections. It begins with push-ups, then crunches,
and lastly is a 1.5 mile run. Listed below are the maximum scores achieved.
Maximum Scores
Event
Age
Up
to
24
Push-ups (1-Min)
25-29
30-34
Up to 24
Crunches (1-Min)
25-29
30-34
Up to 24
1.5-Mile run
25-29
30-34
Male
62
57
52
55
53
51
9:36
9:36
9:48
Female
42
41
40
51
47
42
11:06
11:24
11:54
As well as academic requirements, and physical fitness standards, cadets must also pass a
physical health and medical test. There are certain body requirements regardless of age and sex,
a cadet must meet qualifications for their height and body weight. Once in Air Force ROTC,
cadets must obtain a Class 1 Flight Physical. A pilot’s requirements are: normal color vision,
distant vision: uncorrected 20/70, but corrected to 20/20, near vision: uncorrected 20/30, but
corrected to 20/20, have no history of hay fever, asthma or allergies after age 12, meet Air Force
weight and physical conditioning requirements, and have a standing height of 64 to 77 inches
and a sitting height of 34 to 40 inches.
The AFROTC provides scholarships for many majors. This helps pay for tuition, books,
and a budget after graduation. Cadets have the opportunity to choose basically any major. Some
that qualify as technical majors are: Aeronautical Engineering - 4AYY, Aerospace Engineering 4BYY, Architectural Engineering - 4DYY, Computer Engineering - 4WYY, Computer Science 0CYY, Electrical Engineering - 4IYY, and Physics - 8HYY. There is a multitude of Foreign
Language Majors available. Some of which are Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, French, German,
Japanese, and Italian. Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering are very competitive
majors and very popular for AFROTC cadets.
Before observing the University of Kentucky’s Air Force program I, like many of the
students I found out, was not familiar with this community. From the survey I discovered that
24/41 were not sure about this community and only 14/41 knew a little from family or campus
news. I always respected these students in their uniforms and felt a sense of pride in knowing
they will one day fight for our country. Yet, I was not very informed about them. I perceived
them as a little but mighty community. Sometimes I saw the cadets in their uniforms on
Thursdays, but other than that I did not know very much. My roommate’s best friend is actually
in this program. Therefore, I understood the basis of the community but lacked real concrete
information for them. This is why I decided to observe them. Also, my brother is interested in the
ROTC program, so I found it very valuable to spend time with the community and learn more.
The picture above shows the Air Force fighter jets.
In order to learn what other students knew and thought about the air force program, I
conducted a survey of randomly selected students through the use of Facebook. I learned that
many people including my friends did not know very much about these students. Some believed
the presence of Air Force students was strong and they saw the students in uniform on a regular
basis. On the other hand, the majority passed by walking to classes in a world absent of ROTC
students.
By interviewing a first year UK Air Force ROTC cadet, I learned a lot more about the
community. Every day she experiences the air force and shared her thoughts and feelings about
the community with me. The members of the UK Air Force see themselves as just normal
students but on a slightly different academic track. They still go to classes and choose their own
majors, but they have a few more things on their plate. For instance the workouts of this
community are very extensive. To be a success in this field you must be mentally and physically
strong to conquer anything in your way. They feel very lucky and see great benefits from the
United States for offering a program like this. It has helped many students by granting financial
aid and after graduation, plunging them into their new trained careers as officers as a safety net
for their jobs.
The officer position is very important. An officer leads the flight. An officer may be in
charge of 20 people or so. In the military, it’s a lot of answering to the person above you and big
with chain of command. The highest ranked person will tell the person below him or her
something and they keep passing it down the chain.
When asked what drew you towards the Air Force program, Cadet Semall responded,
“For me, my mom pushed me to do it. Both of my grandfathers were in the military and my
uncle was as well and she wanted me to try it so I did and I absolutely love it! A lot of others in
the program have parents that were in the Air Force and are just following in their steps,” (M.
Semall, personal communication, November 30, 2011).
Everyone in the program loves how close their flight becomes; they are almost like
brothers and sisters. Cadet Semall said some of her favorite things about the Air Force are that
“the guys are almost like brothers to us that would do just about anything for us. I also like that it
keeps me in shape. At times, we play basketball and do fun activities for PT such as a high ropes
course which keeps it fun and not the same repetitive thing all the time,” (M. Semall, personal
communication, November 30, 2011).
Another benefit from the Air Force is the social aspect. The members of this community
are constantly spending time together and get to know each other very quickly. They usually
have flight meetings once a week and are together for PT Mondays, Wednesdays and then 5
hours on Thursdays. Many of them share the same goals and interests which made it easy to
bond quickly. They do team building exercises which encourage them to work together and help
one another. There are 111 cadets in the Wildcat Battalion at UK. There are definitely more men
than women. An average flight usually has 2 girls and 8 boys. However, there are still quite a
few women in the program. Aside from the training, leadership labs, and course work these
students are also allowed to go out with friends and have fun on the weekends. Of course, there
is a great penalty to for getting caught drinking at parties. Therefore these cadets must be careful
and wise about where they choose to go on those weekend nights. This is contradictory to the
public myth that ROTC cadets are not allowed to go out and have fun.
When asked what fears most people have in this program, Cadet Semall confided that she
was scared about “where [her] life is going to go with this program.” (M. Semall, personal
communication, November 30, 2011). Cadet Semall knows she will become an officer in the Air
Force but part of her is worried about not experiencing everything she can in life because it is
almost guaranteed she will be sent overseas at some in her life. She said this type of job will
most likely affect her family dynamics. She said she will have to plan carefully what she will do
when she is married and decides to raise a family.
PT is the required workouts that occur every Monday and Wednesday. It lasts from 6:30
to 7:30 in the morning and then on Thursday there is a special class from 2:30 till 3:20. The
leadership lab follows this from 4-6. After the lab, another session of workouts happens from
6:15-7:15. In total there are three fitness sessions a week. This helps the cadets be in the tip-top
shape they need to be. According to Cadet Semall she said she tries to work out 2 extra days a
week as well.
The uniform of the AFROTC consists of a few different combinations. To PT, they wear
blue Air Force shorts and a grey Air Force shirt. On Thursdays, cadets wear their blues all day
until PT. Blues consists of a light blue short sleeved shirt with navy blue pants, a belt, and black
shined shoes. On each person’s shirt it has their name badge and on the shoulder their soft
rankings. Cadets are also permitted to wear a light weight blue jacket over top of the uniform.
One of the major benefits from the air force program is the guarantee of job placement
after college. Many college students worry about the economy and if they have chosen the
correct major. Luckily, Air Force ROTC students do not have to worry about this. After college
cadets are guaranteed a job. There are all different types of jobs. For example, Cadet Semall is
majoring in the nursing field. Upon graduation, they are granted jobs in their fields and become
officers. This automatically puts them above the rest of the community in the career search
world. It grants peace of mind to the students after their hard work of training and years of high
academics. There are many career fields. They include flight, nontechnical, specialty, technical,
and nursing.
Flight career options are Air Battle Manager (ABM), Combat Systems Officer (CSO),
and Pilot. Nontechnical careers would qualify as Intelligence Officer, Communications and
Information Officer, Planning and Programming Officer, Public Affairs Officer, and Control and
Recovery Officer.
Specialty careers are Band Officer, Chaplain Attorney, and Attorney. Technical careers
would consist of Acquisition Manager, Civil Engineer, Developmental Engineer, Scientist, and
Weather Officer.
Some job opportunities in the nursing field are Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Critical
Care Nurse, Emergency Room Nurse, Medical Surgical Nurse, Mental Health Nurse, Nurse
Anesthetist, Operating Room Nurse, and Women's Healthcare Nurse Practitioner.
The U.S. Air Force ROTC has a long history dating back to 1862 when the Passage of
Morrill Act (Land-Grant Act) created military training programs at certain colleges. This started
the ROTC revolution. The ROTC program was put into place in 1916. It stands for the formal
Reserve Officer Training Corps. The Air Force has specific colors and objects in the seal. The
main colors are gold and ultramarine blue. There are thirteen stars that represent the original
states and the bald eagle is of course the symbol for the freedom of the United States and
signifies the power of the air. The shield also has a nebula line that borders it and is symbolic of
the clouds. Lastly the thunderbolt is meant to display immense power and strength in the air.
The core values that the US Air Force was founded on are Integrity First, Service Before
Self, and Excellence In All We Do. “Integrity First” is described as “Integrity is essential. It is
the inner voice, the source of self-control, the basis for the trust that is imperative in today's
military. Doing the right thing when nobody is looking,” (http://afrotc.com/learn-about/missionand-values/). I found this statement to be very true. On campus, after observing the community I
saw a sense of respect illuminating off of the cadets. They are extremely polite and really seem
to take to heart the importance of being leaders in the community. After my friend Maygen
Semall pointed out some cadets casually I observed that the students did not just act correctly
and nice while in uniform but they even remained reverent and respectful when they were in
their everyday clothes.
Winston Churchill once said “the importance of the United States Air
Force is immense to our nation. These men and women risk their lives
and are the leaders of our nation. Not to have an adequate air force in
the present state of the world is to compromise the foundations of
national freedom and independence,”
(http://www.quotesabouteverything.com/military-quotes/air-forcequotes.html).
After completing the observations for this community, the most important thing I
learned was valuable knowledge of the group. Before I had only witnessed the cadets in their
uniforms sometimes or saw the camouflage backpacks rarely. After learning more, I
discovered all the requirements for acceptance into this program, the great opportunities
available to these cadets after graduation as officers, and the rich history of the air force
including the significance of the different aspects of the seal. This program provides hope for
many and it really is unfortunate how so many other college students, including myself, did not
even consider applying for the ROTC program. There is an array of career choices available
and extensive scholarships. Alarming enough, 37/39 people who were surveyed responded that
they did not even consider applying for the ROTC program. I feel that this is a great
opportunity that has been passed up by so many.
Personally with aspirations to be a news anchor, I honestly do not think I could have
joined the Air Force despite the amazing benefits. But after reviewing the career options
available, many of my friends could have completed their desired degrees through this
program. The community needs to be publicized more. I think they should be honored by the
university. Maybe the Kentucky Kernel could create a news corner section with updates on the
Air Force ROTC community. I learned a lot, and I want to reach out to people about this
community and show the truth behind the Blues.
References
1. About the Air Force: History - airforce.com. (n.d.). United States Air Force - airforce.com.
Retrieved November 29, 2011, from http://airforce.com/learn-about/history/
2. Air Force Quotes. (n.d.). Quotes About Everything. Retrieved December 1, 2011, from
http://www.quotesabouteverything.com/military-quotes/air-force-quotes.html
3.
Category. (n.d.). U.S. Air Force Seal. United States Military Information. Retrieved
December 1, 2011, from http://usmilitary.about.com/od/airforce/l/blafseal.htm
4. (M. Gantenberg, Please Answer really quick!! :) THANKS, November 20, 2011)
5. Hebert, A. J. (n.d.). airforce-magazine.com Homepage. airforce-magazine.com Homepage.
Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www.airforcemagazine.com/Pages/HomePage.aspx
6. Out of Reserve. (n.d.). airforce-magazine.com Homepage. Retrieved December 2, 2011,
from http://www.airforcemagazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/2011/December%202011/1211reserve.aspx
7.
(M. Semall, personal communication, November 30, 2011)
8. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Admissions - Requirements & Standards - Academic Standards.
(n.d.). U.S. Air Force ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 3,
2011, from http://afrotc.com/admissions/requirements-standards/academic/
9. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Admissions - Requirements & Standards - Fitness Standards. (n.d.).
U.S. Air Force ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 1, 2011,
from http://afrotc.com/admissions/requirements-standards/fitness/
10. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Admissions - Requirements & Standards - Medical Requirements.
(n.d.). U.S. Air Force ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 2,
2011, from http://afrotc.com/admissions/requirements-standards/medical/
11. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Admissions - Requirements & Standards - Physical Requirements.
(n.d.). U.S. Air Force ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 2,
2011, from http://afrotc.com/admissions/requirements-standards/physical/
12. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Admissions - Requirements & Standards. (n.d.). U.S. Air Force
ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 3, 2011, from
http://afrotc.com/admissions/requirements-standards/
13. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Learn About AFROTC - Parents & Influencers - Famous Graduates.
(n.d.). U.S. Air Force ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved November 29,
2011, from http://afrotc.com/learn-about/parents-influencers/famous-graduate
14. U.S. Air Force ROTC - Learn About AFROTC - Mission & Values. (n.d.). U.S. Air Force
ROTC - College Scholarships and Careers. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from
http://afrotc.com/learn-about/mission-and-values/