Greetings from PLU! Cadets create their very first newsletter. CDT Sarah Barnes, MSIV W

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1 The news from cadets Issue 1 April 2016 Greetings from PLU! Cadets create their very first newsletter CDT Sarah Barnes, MSIV W elcome to the Lute Battalion s first cadet newsletter! We are excited to share our cadets stories with you. My name is Sarah Barnes. I am currently the cadet battalion commander. We keep our cadets busy between classes, labs and leadership development exercises (LDXs); they barely have time to exercise. Good thing physical training (PT) is built in and mandatory. Last semester, our battalion participated in our annual LDX, Operation Lute Forge. Cadets had to work together to navigate an obstacle course, field reaction leadership course (FLRC) and a road march. Some cadets had to face their fear of heights and rappel down a 40- foot tower for the first time. It was a great event. This spring semester we look forward to two more LDXs, Lute Paratus and Lute Telos. Cadets will operate in platoons, using skills they have learned in bi-weekly labs. Cadets show what they have learned during the year in the culminating event, the last lane in Lute Telos. In this newsletter you will learn about our cadets, who they are, what they do and their future plans. This is a special way that we get to share our family with yours. Enjoy! Battalion Commander, CDT Sarah Barnes MSIV Ranger Challenge Cadets share their Ranger Challenge experiences. Page 2 Farewell Lute battalion says farewell to Ms. Apley. Page 4 Alumni Stories of alumni after graduation. Page 6-7 Military Appreciation PLU celebrates Militaray Appreciation Day. Page 8

2 First-year sperspective CDT Luke Gienger, MSI An MS1 is a cadet in his or her first year of military science, most likely a first-year in college, years away from commissioning and becoming an officer. However, after having the title of MS1 for more than half a year, the term comes to mean a lot more. The abbreviation symbolizes the lessons and experiences that will later become career building blocks. Remembering to say Gienger instead of Luke when cadre or upperclassmen ask for a cadet s name or memorizing terrain features are both lessons that quickly become habits. Learning to soak in the cadre s wisdom and using fellow cadets for advice is the number one thing all MS1s should take advantage of. Unlike the average college freshman, as an MS1 you will be forced to master time management and get involved, and you will learn the difference between volunteering and being told. Despite these challenges there is one guarantee, the ROTC family is always there and wants to see cadets grow. First-years shouldn t be afraid to stumble, because they will, and they should make every second count so that when they look back to the start of their career, they know they did more than run security on a tree. CDT Luke Gienger scoops a cup of the grog bowl. RangerChallenge Ranger challenge experiences As a first-year, MSI cadet coming into the PLU Lute Battalion last year, I could easily feel the knowledge and experience gap between my fellow peers and I. We were expected to know nothing, yet pushed to learn quickly. Trying to grasp all the experience I can, I immediately tried out for the ranger challenge team. It was a vigorous, physical and mentally taxing experience, but it opened my eyes to how much I needed to learn. After making the team and enduring early morning trainings, the ranger challenge competition followed. The competition took place at Fort Rilea, Oregon and consisted of long ruck marches (more like ruck runs) between key events such as the one-rope bridge, the hand grenade assault course, obstacle/confidence course, EST 2000, an Army physical fitness test, etc. We placed seventh. Through this experience, however, I was thrown on a fast track and I learned so much in a short amount of time. Coming into this school year as an MSII cadet, I still had a lot to learn, but I was much more experienced and a lot more knowledgeable. The ranger challenge competition was coming sooner than later, and the team needed to train once again. Now that I was a returning member, it was time to apply the knowledge I learned. Through a similar competition including long rucks, knot tying, one-rope bridge, blindfolded weapon assembly, etc. I once again was put on a fast track, and I learned even more in such a short amount of time. We placed third this year. Being on the ranger challenge team has made me a much better cadet, a much better student and a much better leader. There is always more to experience and learn, but we are constantly improving, and we are coming for first place next year! CDT Jesse Scanlan, MSII Lessons from a one-rope bridge My first image of the Ranger Challenge team was the construction and use of the one-rope bridge. At MS1 orientation, we gaggled onto the PLU golf course and witnessed the efficient construction of a one-rope bridge. I was put on the team, and as months passed I eventually took a specific role in constructing the bridges. Each person learned how each knot, each carabiner, each leverage point and each team-member contributed to a tight bridge, which got easier to cross after each run through. We became more confident and practiced in our own particular tasks, and our team times shortened. More importantly, as the bridge got tighter, so did the team or maybe the other way around. Occasionally, a Swiss-seat was tied too slowly, so the line of people crossing was delayed or the nearside tree was tied too low so that each person had a harder time crossing. But the point wasn t that no one ever messed up; the point was to create a team that could function efficiently and effectively even when things went wrong. By the time the Ranger Challenge competition rolled around, the PLU Battalion could boast the lowest one-rope bridge time and a team that brought home a trophy despite unforeseen trials. The RC team taught me that, although it is important to understand each individual piece, it is invaluable to have a team working together to fit all those pieces into a functional machine or a one-rope bridge. CDT Hannah Peterson, MSI 2 April 2016

3 Cadets at CIET execute the leadership and confidence course at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Cadet SummerTraining Cadet Initial Entry Training (CIET) CDT Maridel Agas, MSIII Cadet Initial Entry Training (CIET), previously known as Leaders Training Course (LTC), is for any first-year or sophomore cadets who are seeking to commission and have not gone to basic training. CIET is 29 days and is conducted at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The program is designed to engage cadets in a military environment, focused on teaching basic soldier skills. Cadets who attend CIET are taught leadership, teamwork and problem solving through rigorous and challenging exercises. Attendees also learn to rappel, assemble and disassemble an M16 rifle as well as fire it, and perform several obstacle courses. The course allows cadets to gain confidence and decision-making skills to become a good leader. Drill sergeants who are present at camp spend the first few days teaching Army basics. Then, cadets take on leadership roles among their peers in a tactical environment and have the opportunity going the troops leading procedure to conduct a mission. Drill sergeants, senior officers and newly commissioned second lieutenants coach and assist the cadets throughout the process. They offer daily feedback as well as recommendations to make improvements. Airborne School CDT Alex Moore, MSII What do you have to do to be able to jump out of a plane? Attend airborne school at Fort Benning, Georgia. I attended airborne in summer of When I first arrived, I had some idea what to expect; I spent time on the Internet researching, but experiences may vary. Two weeks of training are required before jump week: ground week and tower week. Cadets learn (after an hour and a half of morning physical training and constant hydration) how to fall on the ground and exit the plane, a C-130. I began by falling just 3 feet high, a so-called Parachute Landing Fall (PLF). My knees and legs weren t as amused by the consistent falling, however, and the first two weeks my legs were constantly sore. After learning how to exit the plane, on 34-foot mock towers, I passed the first two weeks and was permitted to jump. Every day of jump week, our days began at 0200 hours and most of us wouldn t jump until 1000 hours or later. There is nothing like feeling the jet wash of the propeller as you are thrown away from the aircraft. I landed four times in the day and once at night, while lightning was flashing in the distance, lighting up the drop zone. If asked again, I would love to jump again everytime. CDT Moore receives his Airborne badge during summer training April

4 Green to Gold: Enlisted to officer program by CDT Shiva Thapa, MSIII Any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces encourages soldiers to get an education. There are several incentives offered for soldiers to earn their desired degree. One such program in the Army is called Green to Gold. It allows an enlisted soldier the opportunity to earn their college degree and earn a commission as an Army officer. Army Green to Gold program can be divided into three categories: Green to Gold scholarship option, Green to Gold active duty option, and Green to Gold nonscholarship option. In G2G scholarship option, scholarships are awarded for two, three or four years. Soldiers who consider leaving active duty and attend college will be released from active duty and assigned to ROTC BN. These soldiers can receive full tuition, room and board (only at some colleges), book money and a monthly stipend. G2G active duty option allows soldiers with two years of college remaining to complete their degree while still remaining in active duty status. They receive all the benefits as received by active duty personnel. However, they have to use their Continue to page 5 4 April 2016 CDT Dylan Ward, MSIII The PLU Army ROTC family said farewell to one of its own on Jan. 22. Laura Apley, ROTC s human resources tech, accepted a position as human resources liaison with the Bureau of Land Management in the City of Prineville, nestled in the high desert of Central Oregon. The position is a promotion and close to home and family for Apley, who was born and raised in the state. I m finally going home after thirty three years of working for the Army she said. Apley served in multiple capacities during her Army career. She enlisted in 1983 as a military police officer, and served in an MP company in Vicenza, Italy. As her career progressed, Apley moved into the S-1 shop where she enjoyed working in human resources and administration. She served in S-1 for the duration of her active duty career and retired in Her first job with ROTC began at Cal Poly ROTC as the human resources tech there, after which she moved to Joint Base Lewis-McChord as the brigade S-1. Apley came to the PLU ROTC family three years ago, in December PLU has been the best, it really has, and I m not just saying that, Apley said about her time with ROTC. PLU attracts the best cadets, this program is really top shelf. We can all agree that talking to Apley was always a high point in anyone s day. She left one feeling positive as a result of her pleasant smile and genuine attitude. She never had a negative word and dropped whatever she had at hand to assist others. Apley was an invaluable asset, regardless of the organization she was a part of. The PLU corps of cadets wishes her luck in her new adventure, and cannot thank her enough for all she did for each and every one of us.

5 GI Bill to pay for their tuition. G2G non-scholarship program works best for soldiers who consider leaving active duty to attend college. While these soldiers use their GI Bill to pay for their school, they can still receive a monthly stipend. G2G scholarship programs not only allow enlisted personnel to become officers, they also provide opportunities for career enhancement, develop leadership and management skills. Most importantly, they help soldiers gain experiences that will last a lifetime. ROTC CADRE A Farewell to Ms. Apley LTC Erik Dye Professor of Military Science, MSIV Instructor LTC Nicholas Schenk Deputy Professor of Military Science, S3 MAJ Tamara Brathovde-Schwab Assistant Professor of Military Science, MSII Instructor MSG Justin Viene Senior Military Instructor, Assistant Professor of Military Science, MSIII Instructor SFC Glen Kent Assistant Professor of Military Science, MSI Instructor SFC Christopher Hughes Battalion Training NCO Mr. Danl Connelly Recruiting Operations Officer DeAnna Karr Human Resources Technician Mr. James Starks Property Book Officer Shannon Calhoun Senior Administrative Assistant April

6 AlumniStories 2nd LT Raymond E. Velasquez by CDT Adam Potts, MSIII 2nd Lt. Raymond E. Velasquez commissioned from the PLU Army ROTC program in May Velasquez had the opportunity to be apart of the Army s branch detail program. His current branch is infantry, as this branch needs many new lieutenants. His control branch is signal, so in a few years he will become a signal officer. Since commissioning, Velasquez has attended and passed both Infantry BOLC, and the notorious Army Ranger school. IBOLC was a lot of fun, Velasquez said. There was a high emphasis on physical fitness and solving field problems. IBOLC was a professional course and my cadre specifically had a high emphasis on professionalism. The cadre treated LTs like officers unless they didn t act like it. Prior to commissioning, Velasquez knew that he wanted to attend Ranger school. His particular workout routine and disciplined schedule is what helped him prepare for this training. I did Ranger Challenge every year I could to workout with a team and learn how to ruck better, I worked out at the gym, and ran on my own a lot in college, Velasquez said. To pass RAP week the most important thing is that you can easily pass all of the events while tired. The hardest of which is a 12-mile ruck with 35 pounds dry (55 pounds actual) in less than three hours. It doesn t sound hard but you ve been smoked for hours a day for four days and had almost no sleep. For Ranger school longdistance running is the most important thing you can do to physically prepare, in my opinion. Velasquez also had some advice to share with cadets in the program, especially those wishing to branch infantry. Now is the time to get into great shape not during BOLC. For officer-ship in general, I would say that being committed to always bettering yourself is really important. Whether that is in your personal life, or in the army profession, find ways to make yourself better on your own. Another piece of advice is to be prepared for failure. There are going to be times when you are tested and you will face personal failure, but you cannot let your failures cause you to totally fail. You always have to keep your bearing so that you can overcome adversity. Velasquez is currently stationed at Joint-Base Lewis Mc- Chord in Tacoma, Washington. 2nd Lt. Raymond Velasquez recently graduates Ranger School. 6 April 2016

7 My junior officer experience by 2nd LT Jordan Scanlan Since my time with PLU ROTC, a lot has changed within the Army. Uniforms have new camouflage patterns, sideburns are allowed, women have become Rangers, soldiers barracks look like college dorm rooms, women may join the infantry and soldiers can wear black socks for PT, to name a few. A lot of adaptive leadership was required due to all these changes happening just as I joined the Army as a commissioned officer. But in order for me to be an adaptive leader, I had to rely on the training and mentorship provided to me during my time as a PLU ROTC cadet. The skills, experiences and mentorship I received within the Lute Battalion have served me well since I ve joined the fighting force, especially during this time of major changes. As an infantry second lieutenant going through Infantry Basic Officer Leadership Course (IBOLC) I was faced with many tactical, physical and social challenges. Whether it was trying to maneuver a platoon-sized element 8 miles through the woods towards our objective, followed by a vigorous, high-tempo assault on a village, or ruck marching 12 miles every other week with 80 pounds on our back, or simply trying to convince soldiers to do something that they don t want to do, and do it while their wet, cold, and hungry, I always felt confident in my abilities to achieve these tasks due to the leadership skills I got from PLU ROTC. The Lute Battalion provides a unique balance of rigorous military training, and precise academic development like no other. This perfect balance forged by the relationship of the program and the university is what gave me and many others a leg up when entering the Army as a junior leader. When arriving to my first unit within the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) as a part of the Battered Bastards of Bastogne, a storied and historic unit with a legacy like no other, the mantle of responsibility fell upon me right away. Immediately, as a 22-year-old fresh out of college, I was thrown into an organization with an extremely high training tempo and even higher expectations and standards for its leaders. Immediately, the expectation to lead hundreds of men and women both in vigorous tactical challenges, and in detail oriented administrative processes smacked me in face like a bag of bricks. The responsibility is immense and can sometimes feel overwhelming. But there was never any doubt in my mind that I would be able to tackle all of these challenges because PLU ROTC set me up for success as a complex problem solver, with the humble confidence needed to be a leader among heroes. Anyone can go to a less vigorous college and coast through until they earn a degree. There also are those who can coast through less challenging ROTC programs with lower standards and, eventually, they might make it. But it takes a determined individual, motivated from within their core, to attend an extremely vigorous university and try to earn a coveted degree, all while training to be a commissioned officer in the greatest fighting force in history. This is the gauntlet thrown down every year by PLU ROTC, and every year quality leaders are forged and enter our military to serve our country. I am fortunate enough to be one of those individuals, and although the four years I spent training and learning with PLU ROTC were beyond difficult, it is without a doubt the experience that has molded me into the confident and capable leader that I am today. 2nd LT Ashley Allinger by CDT Kayla Dice, MSII 2nd Lt. Ashley Allinger graduated from PLU ROTC in spring Since then she has joined the 652nd RSG Reserve Unit at Fort Harrison in Helena, Montana. She loves her unit and feels very privileged to be with the people that she works with. On her first official drill weekend in July, she had a field exercise during which she had no packing list or gear. Thankfully her commander, who is also a recent ROTC graduate, borrowed some gear for her from his nearby ROTC program. Therefore, once again Allinger got to relive the MSI experience of mismatched gear. No matter the rucksack though, Allinger was able to meet the amazing people in her new unit and enjoy her first weekend of drill. She is a chaplain candidate for her unit and is attending an out-of-state seminary school online through a distributed learning program. She listens to lectures and is provided readings online. She is studying a lot and reminded of the times in college with late nights full of reading. However, she loves what she is learning and plans to attain her Master of Divinity. Allinger moved to Great Falls, Montana after graduation. There, she and her husband bought a house and adopted an Alaskan Malamute named Lelani. Her husband is a second lieutenant in the Air Force and works as a nuclear missile operations officer. Allinger also has a job working as an administrative assistant for a church in Great Falls, where she has been able to see how her learning in seminary coincides with daily life and has given insight on how to apply those principles. After graduating from her seminary program she plans to go into hospital chaplaincy for her civilian career. In the meantime, she loves her job and is always excited to go to work, whether it is working at the church, seminary or as a chaplain candidate. April

8 Military AppreciationBasketball Game CDT Angelo Mejia, MSIII Pacific Lutheran University s women s basketball team stormed the court Jan. 15, defeating Lewis & Clark College Not only was it a special night for the team, but the university as well. That game doubled as a military appreciation event for all service men and women in the PLU community and surrounding areas. Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) students attended to show pride for the military community and their school. Military appreciation events are very significant since they represent our community who honor and appreciate our service to duty, said CDT Lydia Matthews 17, a junior cadet with PLU s ROTC program. It also helps build stronger bonds between the military and the civilian communities around the area. Even though cadets attend the games at different times and for different reasons, the cadets all agreed on one thing: attending PLU events to show pride and gratitude for the ROTC Pacific Lutheran University Phone: Fax: rotc@plu.edu Address: Park Ave S Tacoma, WA program is important. ROTC not only offers students an opportunity to attend college, but they have the opportunity to attend an elite institution because PLU s program is consistently ranked in the top 20 in the country. To see just how important school and military pride is to them, I spoke with a few students about the military appreciation game. (To the right for a few other interview questions) How often do you attend PLU sporting events? If you don t go often or not at all, why did you decide to attend the military appreciation basketball game? I only attend some of the events because of the time and commute issues. I attended the military appreciation basketball game because I highly believe that we, as a nation, owe our military personnel and their families big-time for their sacrifice. If any institution or an organization does anything to appreciate them, I always make that my high priority. -CDT Shiva Thapa Do you think ROTC cadets should be more involved in non-rotc related events / general school events? If so, why? Yes, this gives ROTC cadets an opportunity to meet other students, as well as getting to know the community that supports PLU and ROTC program. -CDT Lydia Matthews Why are military appreciation events so significant? They help build cohesion between cadets and other PLU students. It helps boost the image of ROTC and foster friendship. It s also a good way to recognize the veteran students who attend PLU. -CDT Wyatt Hunt, MSIII