The North East Pennsylvania Battalion sponsor a tour of the historic
battlefield of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Senior cadets participate in
the event and have a good time, on top of learning a little bit about military
history. History is most often taught from a textbook, but there is no
substitute for the hands-on approach. Pictured here are the participating
cadets and cadre members (click on photo to enlarge).
Adventure
Training
The Military Science Department provides many types of
adventure training opportunities. On campus, many of the routine training
activities are unique and exciting. The physical fitness training includes
modern fitness routines, survival swimming, and high intensity workouts.
The normal military activities during the school year
include rifle marksmanship, orienteering, basic first aid and rappelling.
Students can also participate in the Ranger Club, orienteering, skiing,
rappelling, and white water rafting. Students who join the program as
Sophomores can volunteer for a five week leadership training course at Fort
Knox Kentucky where they learn the basics of the military and participate in
confidence and leadership improvement training.
All contracted students are required between the junior
and senior year to travel to FT Lewis Washington, and train for five weeks. The
students practice principles of leadership in a multitude of controlled
situations. They live like soldiers in both garrison and field environments and
participate in Leadership Reaction Courses, Field Tactical Skills Exercises,
Confidence Courses and strenuous physical fitness activities. They also observe
Army fire power demonstrations, Army specialty demonstrations and Active Army
Units. They return tested and confident in their potential to become real
leaders. (Top of Page)
A cadet jumping at Airborne School, Summer 2004
Army Schools
(Airborne, Air Assault and more)
Cadets also have opportunities between semesters to
participate in Army Schools with real soldiers. This includes Airborne
(parachute school) at Fort Benning Georgia, Air Assault (Helicopter
Operations), at Fort Campbell Kentucky, Winter Warfare (Survival, and Mountain
Operations) in Alaska and Vermont, Survival Training at the Air Force Academy
in Colorado, and Cadet Exchange program with West Point and with the British
Army in England. Nurses attend the Nurse Summer Training Program between their
junior and senior year and spend three weeks in clinical training at an army
hospital in stateside and overseas locations, including Hawaii and
Germany. All of these activities are free for ROTC Cadets, and some
schools offer daily stipends to cadets. (Top of
Page)
Nursing Cadets at the Lincoln Memorial
Army
Internships
Students can also volunteer to participate in an intern
program. They spend up to four weeks in a real army unit at worldwide locations
and understudy an Army Lieutenant. They are given real leadership
responsibility and participate in that units training. This program provides
valuable insight to the duties they will experience after graduation and
commissioning. All of these activities are free for ROTC Cadets, and some
offer daily stipends to cadets. (Top of Page)
Ranger Challenge Team
Ranger
Club
The Ranger Club is an official University Organization
that complies with university guidelines as a club and receives University
Funding. It is very closely tied to the Military Science Department. Most
of the Ranger Club Members are also ROTC Cadets and the activities are very
similar to Military Science Training. The Ranger Club provides a team
that competes in the Intercollegiate Ranger Challenge Competition each year.
The team travels to a near by military instillation in October and competes in
Physical Fitness, endurance, and skill based events such as the One Rope
Bridge, Weapons Assembly, Orienteering, Marksmanship and the 10KM
Roadmarch. In October 2005 the University of Scranton team placed seventh
among 19 teams in the Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey
area. (Top of Page)
Colorguard with University President Father
Pilarz.
Color
Guard
The Military Science Department recruits and trains cadet
volunteers for Color Guard Responsibilities. A color guard consists of three to
five cadets depending on the type of ceremony. Its function is to provide
proper ceremonial honors to the National Colors (The US Flag) during official
university ceremonies. The Color Guard is also available upon request to
support area organizations such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the City of
Scranton.
The students involved in Color Guard Activities are
trained and become highly skilled in marching and high precision movements
involving several people with flags and rifles. The activity also presents
addition opportunity for leadership development.
The Color Guard members receive extra uniforms and special
tailoring as well as detailed quality training from highly professional career
senior non-commissioned officers. (Top of Page)
Cadets Participate in the Run for the Cure.
Community Service
An important part of US Citizenship and Military Service
is the concept of service to fellow man. The ROTC program stresses this
concept. During each semester, there are many opportunities for cadets to
volunteer their service to others. Recurring activities include the
Ronald McDonald House Run, The Walk for the Disabled, and
the Run for the Cure (Breast Cancer). There are many other
activities that the cadets support. (Top of Page)
Social
Activities
The main purpose of ROTC is to prepare college students
for the challenges they will face as Commissioned Officers. Leadership
and tactical proficiency are the most important, however there are other
dimensions of professional life that are also important. Military
officers must understand "Protocol Issues" and must be able to
function properly at "Social Activities". Students learn how to
interact respectfully with others and the historic traditions of the U.S.
Army. During the Spring Semester we have a Military Awards Ceremony that
honors the cadets and their achievements. As always, the Cadet Chain of
Command runs all aspects of the ceremonies under the supervision of the
Military Cadre. (Top of Page)
