Green Mountain Battalion at University Of Vermont Spring 12 Newsletter

Transcription

1 Green Mountain Battalion at University Of Vermont Spring 12 Newsletter Cadet Battalion Commander s Greeting Hello all, and welcome to the Green Mountain Battalion Spring 2012 Newsletter. As always, a very special thank you for your support, for the undying dedication of our alumni, and warmest regards to our Cadre, all allowing our program to function as well as it does. All of our Cadets had great fall semesters, winter breaks, and spring breaks. Many were privileged to participate in training and fun events all over the world, and are looking to do so again this summer. As the school year winds down, the Green Mountain Battalion has its largest training event yet, the Joint Field Training Exercise with the University of New Hampshire, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Canisius College. This is a culminating event for the Cadets as it allows them to utilize everything they have learned this past year in a diverse environment, challenging them both physically and mentally. The Cadets have worked hard year round, dedicating countless hours each week to bettering themselves as future leaders. To follow our training events and social occasions more closely you can follow our Facebook group, "UVM Army ROTC" as well as UVM ROTC's Cadet News Section. c/bc Brian Hamel GMB Spring 12 pg. 1

2 Photos From The Spring GMB Color Guard Team supports Frozen Fenway hockey game Vermont Army National Guard Medic Combat Life Saving class Cadets participating in Physical Training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday sessions Dining-In Ceremony On the third of February, 2012, the Green Mountain Battalion rekindled a historic military tradition that has its roots in the 18th century British Army. Dining-In, as it is called, is an evening-long event that centers around unit cohesion and taking ceremonial drinks from a grog bowl. The event took place in a banquet room at the Hilton Hotel in Burlington, VT and included Green Mountain ROTC cadets and cadre as well as a few guests of honor, including the night's guest speaker, MAJ Jason Pelletier. The purpose of the night was to start a new tradition within the battalion by awakening a traditional ceremony designed to promote and strengthen the Green Mountain Battalion family. At the outset, the function was similar to most battalion formal functions with an hour of socialization as attendees arrived, a receiving line, the posting of the colors, a benediction and some introductory remarks by the cadre battalion commander, LTC Michael Palaza. From that point forward, the night was dominated by the traditions of Dining-In which proved to be entertaining and at times bazaar. First came the making of the grog. A line of MSIVs stood at the center of the banquet hall facing the commander's table with a large silver bowl ten yards ahead of them atop a serving table. Each cadet stepped forward, spoke shortly about the traditions and pieces of history that together represent the Green Mountain Battalion, and then contributed one ingredient into the grog bowl for symbolism. Full bottles of various lubricants, cranberry and apple juice, water, salt, ketchup, atomic fire balls, and what appeared to be salad dressing and some sweaty (?) tennis balls all mingled together to create a brown murky stew known as The Grog. Other, more questionable ingredients were later contributed by LTC Palaza that did nothing to improve the beverage's desirability. Almost as soon as it became clear that you didn't want to drink from the punch bowl, the cadets began devising ways in which they could get others to drink from it; namely, the cadre at the commander's table. In addition to featuring the delicious brown murk, Dining-In traditionally has a detailed list of infractions (Dining In story continued on page 5) GMB Spring 12 pg. 2

3 Fort Drum Trip This semester, Cadets had the opportunity to visit and tour Fort Drum, an active duty base in upstate New York. This experience was valuable for cadets to understand everyday life as a Platoon Leader. It gave them insight on how best to prepare themselves for life after ROTC, and help decide what branch to choose. From eating in the dining facilities, to sleeping in the barracks, to shopping at the PX, Cadets were engrossed in the real active duty army, many for the first time. The first morning, Cadets attended Physical Training, PT, with a platoon. We were integrated into squads, letting us observe and fully participate in the work out. Each squad in the platoon had a litter and raced up and down a hill, taking turns carrying different Soldiers. Intermittently, there were upper body exercises, resulting in a full body workout as well as a team building exercise. This gave cadets an understanding of the relationships within a platoon and stressed the importance of PT. It allowed Cadets to assess their current fitness level and encouraged them to develop themselves for the day they show up at their unit and are expected to lead from the front. After PT, Cadets informally sat down with the platoon leadership (Platoon Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and Squad Leaders) and picked their brains on what they looked for in a new lieutenant. The leadership was open and informative, giving Cadets great advice on how to best prepare themselves while still in ROTC. Another great plus was when Cadets observed how the Platoon Leader and Platoon Sergeant interacted, a vital relationship that must be great in order for the platoon to operate effectively. Then, a handful of facilities were toured to give cadets an idea of the training resources that are available to them. These included the aviation hanger, medical clinic, IED lanes, and various simulators for vehicle roll overs and such. At each facility, we were graciously received by the officer in charge and given informative briefings. The tempo of the schedule gave a similar feel to that of everyday life on an active duty base. It gave Cadets a valuable understanding of what life will be like, how best to prepare, and what branch to choose upon commissioning. The relationships built during this trip will make this successful trip an annually scheduled event. More Spring Photos Junior Cadets Brief Operations Orders to their peers and seniors to receive feedback on their techniques LTC Palaza pouring some mysterious ingredients into the Grog Bowl Cadets submit and receive Blue and Yellow report cards for feedback on their two week leadership rotations GMB Spring 12 pg. 3

4 Cadet Julian Summa Attends Basic and AIT As 4:30 a.m. rolled around, the words Everybody up! had become my alarm clock. As soon as I heard those words, it was a frantic dash to get ready for morning physical training, followed by a day of skills training, corrective physical training, and three chow times. My name is Julian Summa and I am a current student and Cadet at the University of Vermont. I am going into my junior year of studying Community and International Development. I recently returned from taking a semester off to become a Cavalry Scout in the United States Army. The four months of training was broken down into two main sections, Basic Training and Advance Individual Training. The Basic Training portion consisted of Soldierization, basic army tactics, marksmanship, emergency medical training, and land navigation. These were all crucial fundamentals that would be later extrapolated into more complex training exercises. During the AIT portion we were trained on the job of a Cavalry Scout, ranging from foot patrolling to driving the M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Transitioning straight from college where most learning is done through books and discussion, it was refreshing to be able to learn by doing. The skills and people I met at training will have a lasting impact on how I conduct myself at school or in the professional world for the rest of my life. Now that I am back at school, I am a fulltime student, ROTC cadet, and a member of a Vermont National Guard unit. I chose to do the SMP option because of the experience I will gain through both ROTC and my National Guard Unit. ROTC gives me the knowledge and confidence to become a leader; but, as an SMP, the combination of witnessing officers in the field allows me to get the full experience. For example, on my most recent drill weekend we focused on winter survival and warfare in the mountains of Vermont. It was a great opportunity to witness the job an officer has in the field. Our officers were constantly checking in on every one of their soldiers while continuing to plan and execute the mission. Over the next two years I will continuously learn from my officers and fellow soldiers at my unit. The reason I joined the Army and ROTC was mainly due to what I have learned at the time I have been at the University of Vermont. While studying community and international development, it became clear to me that physical security for communities is the primary start to the rebuilding process. There have been too many projects that have failed due to violent acts directed towards the organization trying to help. Combining the skill set I will learn in the Army with my education will set me on the right path to a career in providing security for development organizations and humanitarian efforts across the globe. Cadet Creed I am an Army Cadet. Soon I will take an oath and become an Army Officer committed to defending the values which make this nation great. Honor is my touchstone. I understand mission first and people always. I am the past the spirit of those warriors who have made the final sacrifice. I am the present the scholar and apprentice soldier enhancing my skills in the science of warfare and the art of leadership. But above all, I am the future the future warrior leader of the United States Army. May God give me the compassion and judgment to lead and the gallantry in battle to win. I will do my duty. GMB Spring 12 pg. 4

5 Dining In (Continued) forbidden during the ceremony known as Violations of the Mess. The rules of the mess state that any attendee can charge any other attendee with having committed a violation and the accused is allowed a rebuttal. If the accused is found guilty (as determined by the President of the Mess) he or she is obligated to drink from a Grog Bowl. If the President of the Mess deems the accused not guilty or the charge too petty, the accuser is obliged to take a drink. Soon after the floor was opened for accusations, the banquet hall became a circus of charges, counter charges and trips to the Grog Bowl for cadets and cadre alike. Revenge was had and personal vendettas revealed by the entire battalion. Our Dining-In featured 18 of these Violations. They ranged from the sensible # 10: Commencing a course before the president of the mess, to the suggestive, almost encouraging # 13: Impugning the reputation, competence, or intelligence of a staff or headquarters, to the bazaar # 16: Inverted cummerbund. During the course of the night, each of the Violations was made use of for better or worse. Oftentimes both the accuser and the accused were obliged to imbibe the Grog as the charges became too convoluted for the President of the Mess to justly choose between the two. Remarkably, no attendees of the Dining-In were poisoned by the toxic brews. All who drank were only strengthened by the brown murk and in turn provided a new strength for the battalion as a whole. By the night's end, amends had been made between even those who levied and received the most punishing accusations. We reunited under the banner of the Green Mountain Battalion happy to have participated in this historic tradition and excited to continue it next year. Cadets place flags in the main UVM green for Veterans Day Cadets litter carrying Soldiers up the hill. Spring Photos Cadet Rachael Bassett is awarded a 3 year ROTC scholarship based on her hard work and effort this year At Fort Drum, Cadets are briefed on training resources that will be available to them as Platoon Leaders Cadets doing PT with Fort Drum Engineering Platoon GMB Spring 12 pg. 5

6 2012 Tough Mudder On May 6, 2012, nineteen members of the Green Mountain Battalion participated in the annual Tough Mudder event at Mount Snow, Vermont. The event consisted of a 12- mile obstacle course that had participants running up and down Mount Snow; a 3600 ft elevation gain. The obstacles ranged from swimming through frigid ice water and crawling in underground tunnels to running through electrical wires. The course was designed by the British Special Air Service (their Special Forces) and tests your all-around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie. To date, Tough Mudder has already challenged half a million inspiring participants worldwide and raised more than $3 million dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project. For the seniors, this was the last event prior to their commissioning. Cadets Brian Hamel, Dallas Apotheker, Ryan Finnerty, Melinda Fortin and Jill Bardon represented the commissioning class. Cadets Jeffrey Edmonds, Julian Summa, Nicholas Selig, John Helm, Justin Adams, Robert Matzelle, Lindsey Moore, Leigh McNeil, and Rachael Bassett represented the underclassmen. Five Cadre members also participated this year; namely, Major Matthew Amsdell, Major Robert Monette, Lieutenant Brad Patnaude, Master Sergeant Travis Crow and Sergeant First Class Joshua Casto. Throughout this adrenaline-enriched event, the Cadets represented the Green Mountain Battalion by either spray-painting our logo on their bare backs, or on a T-shirt. The first group of participants completed the course in less than 2 hours and 30 minutes which was one of the best team times that weekend. Furthermore, it was fast enough for the participants to qualify for the 2012 World s Toughest Mudder, held annually in New Jersey. Overall, the event was a great way to end the 2012 spring semester; the Battalion was represented well, the Cadets further developed their camaraderie, and an overall sense of accomplishment was achieved. GMB Spring 12 pg. 6

7 2012 Commissioning Green Mountain Battalion s Newest Second Lieutenants! Brian Hamel Kevin Farrell Ryan Finnerty Torrey Crossman Matthew Tierney Jin Dorso Dallas Apotheker Diego Russell Kristy Coty Emily Nunez Melinda Fortin Matthew Dubie Robert Rouillard Jill Bardon Richard Smith William Abbey Elizabeth Army Sarah Hahn Jessica Stein (Infantry, AC) (Infantry, AC) (Engineering, AC) (Engineering, AC) (Engineering, AC) (Ordnance [EOD], AC) (Ordnance, AC) (Ordnance, AC) (Ordnance, AR) (Military Intelligence, AC) (Military Intelligence, AC) (Aviation, VTARNG) (Aviation, MEARNG) (Medical Service, VTARNG) (Armor, VTARNG) (Signal Corps, VTARNG) (Nursing, AC) (Adjutant General, AR) (Adjutant General, VTARNG) AC Active Component AR Army Reserve ARNG Army National Guard GMB Spring 12 pg. 7

8 Spring Photos Color Guard at the Awards Banquet Cadet Sergeant Major Closing As a Purple Knight I am apprehensive saying Go Cats, but I am contractually allowed to close with well wishes to the Green Mountain Battalion and all of those who support us! c/csm Crossman Volunteers from the Vermont National Guard jam out for the Green Mountain Battalion family at the Awards Banquet Cadet Battalion Commander Brian Hamel receives award from Mr. Charles Zabriskie, UVM ROTC, class of 1953 Once again, I would like to thank all of the alumni, cadre, and families for all of their steadfast support of the Green Mountain Battalion. The various training opportunities and cultural trips provide these men and women with vital skillsets, and more importantly, it serves to build the unique camaraderie that is found in so few places. In the coming weeks, the seniors will gain an Officer s Commission to their respective branch while the juniors make their final preparations for the Leader Development and Assessment Course this summer. Our freshman and sophomores will be attending specialty schools and are looking forward to increased leadership roles next year. The path of the student warrior is not facile, but these Cadets exemplify the Latin motto, Per ardua ad alta meaning Through difficulties to the heights. MSG Crow loving life at the Awards ceremony Cadets in front of Dick s Country Store & Music Oasis, a pit stop on the way to Fort Drum. Groceries, Gasoline, Guns, and Guitars, the four main essentials Contact Us goldbar@uvm.edu Web: edu/~goldbar/ Facebook: UVM Army ROTC Address : 601 Main St. Burlington, VT GMB Spring 12 pg. 8