at Brown that would account for the uniform. They’re absolutely right – Brown has no official affiliation with anything even remotely military, and certainly not ROTC. Even so, that doesn’t prohibit any Brown student from participating in military training. I am back at Providence College at 0230 for my ROTC class – Military Science 102. The instructors for military science courses are all soldiers with previous military experience. My class is taught by Major Bento, who can give me a soldier’s account of what Kosovo was like – a unique perspective from the ground, not from newspapers or textbooks, from which most Browncourses draw their primary resources. Despite Brown’s excellent academic program, I doubt most classes can offer a resource like Major Bento. The other members of the ROTC cadre have just as much first-hand knowledge to share: Iraq during Desert Storm, Germany at the end of the Cold War, South Korea along the De-militarized Zone, and even Vietnam when it was considered ‘hot’. These instructors lead us through studies of military history, tactics, communications, military writing styles, operations management, and land navigation – a plethora of topics that are not covered by any single class listed in BOCA. At 1600, the fun part of ROTC begins– Leadership Labs. This portion of ROTC gives cadets a chance to sample a bit of everything that the military has to offer. I’ve found each session to be very memorable, as every session is meant to be unique. One week we might have Combat Water Survival, during another we might have Rifle Bayonet Training, and yet another could be Drill and Ceremony. The labs are crafted and overseen by MS4’s – senior cadets who are mere months away from being commissioned. They’re pseudo-officers, who MS1’s like myself are required to address as “sir” or “ma’am,” and who are responsible for leading the battalion, organizing training exercises, and essentially managing the entire ROTC program. It’s hard to believe that these MS4’s were once green cadets like myself; despite their age, they hold such authority and can claim such
extensive experience. . Their experiences range from jumping from a plane thousands of feet above ground at Airborne School to struggling to survive in arctic conditions at Mountain Warfare School. I doubt that any college graduate who immediately enters a civilian career could claim to have done such things. It’s a shame that ROTC is not supported or advertised by Brown University. The program offers so much. Certainly, its availability would only serve to enhance the liberal education experience (frankly, I get enough of my education from books and lectures – the change of pace that ROTC offers is rather pleasant). I’ve participated in PT, military science classes and leadership labs, and weekend STX’s (Situational Training Exercises) and FTX’s (Field Training Exercises). I have been taught how to handle an M-16 correctly and safely, how to assemble and disassemble it. I have been coached to navigating confidently through heavily wooded areas and treacherous terrain, a task which now seems as simple as navigating from the OMAC to the Ratty (quite a remarkable development for someone who has spent most of his life in suburbs and cities). I have become more efficient in tasks ranging from packing a rucksack for an exercise to managing large groups of people – skills which may easily transfer to other aspects of my life. I have been trained to be a better team player through obstacle courses emphasizing effective command and cooperation – elements vital to success in the military and the civilian sector. I’ve learned a lot from the ROTC experience, and feel that my fellow Brunonians would benefit from it as well. That’s why the Brown cadets are currently campaigning for change at Brown. We’re hoping to convince Brown’s administration to offer more support to ROTC in order to increase awareness of the program’s presence at the school, and in order to bring down the obstacles that Brown cadets currently face, such as a lack of funding and lack of course credit for military science classes. If we are successful, then perhaps more students from Brown may gain from the ROTC experience, just as I have.
KWAN LIN ‘07 is more entertaining than a Happy Tree Friend. 45