**document to be analyzed for memo**
Professor of Military Science Welcome Letter
Welcome to the Ute Warrior Battalion website and thank-you for your interest in
becoming an officer in the United States Army. An Army career is highly challenging and
rewarding. As an officer, you will lead the world’s finest soldiers in diverse missions across
the globe. ROTC is the Army’s major source for commissioning quality officers. I can assure
you that the University of Utah’s Army ROTC Program will successfully prepare you to meet
the demands of an Army Officer.
The personal goal of my cadre and I is to ensure we give you proper military training
and leadership development. In this light, I would like to address my philosophy in how we
accomplish this in the Ute Warrior Battalion.
First, as a cadet, your most important responsibility is to get a college degree. As
such, I place academics as your number one priority. I can’t commission you unless you have
a degree; and you can’t get a degree unless you pass your courses in your degree field. Strong
academic performance also indicates that you possess traits required of an Army officer such
as discipline, drive, and determination.
Second, it is my intent to make sure we physically prepare each cadet for the rigors of
challenging environments and missions; top physical condition is a prerequisite to meet these
demands. We offer a top-notch physical fitness program and work to inoculate the PT Ethos:
Physical Fitness as a way of life. I also believe we should reward cadets for physical fitness
excellence. Therefore, I do exempt cadets from physical fitness training if they exceed
established standards on the Army Physical Fitness Test.
Third, I want to maximize the leadership development of my cadets. We do this
through a continuous process of counseling, advising, and mentoring. We CAN make you a
leader. We will constantly challenge and motivate you to perform in a superior manner. You
will surprise yourself with your leadership abilities as we immerse you in a whole culture
dedicated to leading.
Fourth, I offer a great deal of flexibility in my program. Each cadet has their own set
of needs, wants, goals, hopes, fears, etc. It is my goal to structure a program that adjusts to
each individual's situation while still maintaining the highest standards of excellence as they
prepare to become an officer.
Fifth, I expect each cadet to maintain the highest degree of proper military bearing.
This includes wearing the Army uniform properly and maintaining a proper haircut. High
uniform standards improve unit discipline. In turn, members of a disciplined unit tend to
show a much greater sense of esprit de corps since they recognize that they are part of a
special organization.
Lastly, it is my belief that a cadet needs a well-rounded college experience. ROTC
classes are important, but they should not be the only facet of your college life. I encourage
my cadets to become active in extracurricular activities across the campus from special
interest clubs to intramural sports. I want each cadet to be a leader, athlete, and scholar. As
such, each cadet must strike a balance between ROTC activities, academics, work, and
family.
My pledge to you is that I will do everything within my abilities to make the above
philosophy a reality for you. I always welcome your comments on the strengths or
weaknesses of this ROTC program. I am always amiable to change in order to make things
better! My best wishes to you as you participate in the University of Utah’s ROTC Program.
Edwin L. Frederick
LTC, USA
Professor of Military Science
Research Memo 1: Text
Course of action
I. In the Beginning…
A. A cadet’s first steps in the University of Utah ROTC program.
1. The welcome letter.
For those who have made the decision to go through the University of Utah ROTC to
get into the Military, or those who are considering joining the Military, or those who just
wish to take a Military Science elective, as a new cadet, they read this welcome letter from
the professor of military science. Its main focus is on leadership, and the future leader the
new cadet should work toward being. It also included six specific expectations the new cadet
should follow through on.
They urge strong academic achievement and compare it to “discipline, drive, and
determination.” They push each cadet to graduate and get a degree. These are qualities that
are highly considered for those who are working to be an Army Officer.
Second, physical fitness is a “prerequisite demand” for the challenging
“environments and missions.” The ROTC’s physical training, or PT, program is centered on
the “PT ethos: Physical Fitness is a way of life.”
Third is another focus on the stretch for outstanding leadership desire and
development that the cadet can achieve through the ROTC program. Words such as ‘leader”,
“superior”, “dedicated”, “challenge”, and “motivation,” are all standard requirements for one
to be a soldier. The army pushes these traits continuously and hopes for their soldiers to
thirst to become someone of this nature. As shown in the welcome letter, it is driven to the
heart of the men and women who wish to serve from the very beginning. It almost suggests
not thinking otherwise, especially when it says, “We CAN make you a leader.” By
foregrounding the word “can”, it extends a connotation that the soldier has to believe that as
well. If there is no other place that the individual can become a leader, they can in the Army.
Are these leadership traits present when I actually go analyze the group? Is leadership really
their main focus?
Questions in GREEN
Memo 2 Notes
Training Meeting: date removed
0730-0830
Key Players: (names removed)
Surroundings:
Posters with the words- courage, integrity, service, respect, honor, duty, loyalty.
Pictures of soldiers, the chain of command beginning with the president, medals, etc.
Before the Meeting:
Casual conversation between 5 cadets acting like 5 college guys. As soon as
Sergeant Major *** walked in, they were all quiet, attentive, not as laid back anymore. They
addressed him by his title, Sergeant Major; sheer respect. At one point, Sergeant Major, *.*.
, said to CDT ***, “When are you going to get your Oporder done?”
Cdt. Curtis: “Uh, I don’t know Sergeant Major.”
S.M.: “Some time in 2007 would be nice.”
Profile: Sergeant Major ***
Commands authority just by walking into the room. You could feel his instant
demand for respect from his cadets – learned behavior? Or He wasn’t even in any type of
uniform; he was in work out clothes. (Around the Military Science building the standard
uniforms are ACU’s or BDU’s: Army Combat Uniform or Battle Dress Uniform.) To S.M.,
business means business or it doesn’t; S.M., at one point addressed the LDS CD issue, joked
with the cadets, and made them laugh. Where is he in the chain of command? Why does he
command such respect just by walking into a room?
This class was all MSIII’s, Military Science III years. There are 18 men and one woman and
I noticed she is married. The men are very nice to her and a lot of them talk to her. I found
out that she was prior service, meaning that she has previously served for the military before
going into the ROTC program.
Sitting in the back of the room just observing, I receive a lot of looks from the cadets. I
figure that they are wondering who I am and what I’m doing there not in uniform. No one
has said a word to me, however, to find out. Not yet.
 Some guy just asked me if I was new in the ROTC or joining. I said no, I was just
observing. He asked why so I told him it was for a class project.
S.M. just reentered the room and harped on *** again for his Oporder assignment. Class is
now starting and it appears that a Cdt. *** is giving the Oporder.
Opens with drawn map on the board.
Situation—
Enemy forces: weather, 10 days out? Wet terrain
Friendly forces: Cadre MS IV cadets.
Mission:
“A co. will conduct a PCI lab and paintball PMI 051230-1400TAPR07 and
060930-1100TAPR07 at the Naval Science Building in order to ensure all cadets have the
necessary equipment for the spring FTX and are trained in the maintenance and care of
paintball equipment. Say again…” The mission statement was repeated twice? Why?
**** needs men from each platoon to do a job for him. He talked to each platoon
leader, 1st and 2nd, and made his assignments. The 2nd platoon leader wasn’t available so he
talked to the platoon sergeant. He went down the chain of command.
The Oporder covered the meeting place, time, signals, time lines, objective of mission,
question and answer period, and then a review period at the very end where he asks the
cadets questions about his own Oporder, like a quiz. This is known as the Back brief.
***** mentioned the word deficiencies? S.L’s?
Cdt. **** finished his Oporder and I was surprised at what happens next. Cdt. *****
went to the front to critique ****’s job on the Oporder. **** is an MSIV. He stated what
was good about it, what was bad about it, what needed improvement. Cdt. **** was very
open to the criticism. What is Cdt. *** importance? Rank?
There is a preferred format of an Oporder – Annex? Whatever that is timeline doesn’t
belong there. Now Major **** is giving his follow up comments.
Warstoppers: Something that causes the operation to fail. For example: Someone forgetting
to fill
the Humvee up with gas.
The “company” is now splitting up into groups, 1st and 2nd platoon. I’ll stay with 1st platoon.
10 people total in 1st. Another Oporder is briefed by Cdt. ****.
He too uses the word deficiencies. Outlines the mission’s phases. Very much like first
Oporder just different content. *** says a lot, “Frago. As you were.” I think this means
something to the point of ignore that, back track and get back on track, forget what I thought
I was going to say, etc.
**** critiqued and **** was VERY defensive. Huge difference between the personalities of
**** and *****.
Swear words were used, not as much as I was expecting but a few even by S.M.!!!
One interesting analysis – The Military Science “professors” sat back and let the cadets teach
each other and teach themselves to become leaders. They are the mediators, but they allow
almost anything to be said as long as it is beneficial to the cadet as a person or is able to teach
them something.
Groups are back together and there is a mention of Yellow Cards? What is that?
Conclusion of meeting: “On your feet!” all stood, salute and respond, “train to lead.”