Stand Up, Hook Up, Shuffle to the Door Airborne School Cadet Raphael Moyer, MIT 2010

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1 THE REVERE RECORDER Stand Up, Hook Up, Shuffle to the Door Airborne School Cadet Raphael Moyer, MIT 2010 Faallll 2008 Airborne School, taught by the Army s 1 st Battalion, 507 th Parachute Infantry Regiment, is a three week long course to teach soldiers to exit an aircraft while in flight. On the afternoon of 20 August, several cadets from the Paul Revere Battalion arrived at Fort Benning, Georgia, to begin training. Five long days of in-processing and acclimating to the Georgia heat later, we were ready to start the first phase: Ground Week. The first day commenced bright and early at 0430 with a Physical Fitness Test. The rest of Ground Week focused on learning both the mass exit technique and the parachute landing fall, or PLF. The mass exit technique allows 30 paratroopers to exit an aircraft in one pass over a drop zone. During Ground Week we learned the mass exit s basics on a plane mock-up raised six inches off of the ground: you hand off your static line to the safety, pivot in the door, and jump vigorously out of the aircraft, counting to four to ensure that your chute deploys. We also learned the PLF, which is a method of falling that ensures a safe landing. This was practiced through the use of the lateral drift apparatus, a zip line device that drops you from a height of three feet. During Ground Week, each day started at 0500 with a daily morning PT session to get the blood flowing, and ended at around After completing Ground Week, Paul Revere cadets were greeted by a four-day weekend that was much appreciated, and let us recover from the bumps and bruises we had encountered in our first days of training. We passed the time through multiple visits to the local library, movie theatre and convenience store. During Tower Week, we were able to put what we had learned during Ground Week to the test from much greater heights. The centerpiece of Tower Week was repeated jumps from the 34-foot tower,

2 which allowed us to practice and perfect our exit technique, and to learn how to jump while loaded with the equipment that a paratrooper would normally wear into battle. We also learned the techniques needed to control our parachutes and avoid any obstacles that might befall us. The training was difficult, but Paul Revere cadets remained undeterred by the heat and constant double time in boots and helmets. Finally, after another anxious weekend of waiting, we were ready for the main event: Jump Week. Bright and early on Monday morning, the company formed up and ran to the airfield. We went to the harness shed, collected our chutes, and began the long process of checks and double checks to make sure our chutes were on properly. Finally, after hours of waiting, we heard the C-130 cargo aircraft arrive. Before we knew it, our sticks of 15 paratroopers were ushered into the plane. We took off, and soon heard the commands: 10 Minutes! Get Ready! Outboard Personnel Stand Up! Inboard Personnel Stand Up! Hook Up! Check Static Lines! Check Equipment! Standby! And then the moment we had all been waiting for GO! The line starts shuffling forward, and before we knew it we were in the door, pivoting, and then jumping at 1200 feet into the warm Georgia breeze. Immediately after exit, the prop blast hits and sends you flying to the rear of the plane. Before you know it, you ve counted to four and your chute opens, and you re hanging suspended above the earth. 45 second later, and, with a thud, you ve hit the ground and rolled in a PLF. After this, you double time back to the collection point, get on a bus, and head straight back to the hangar for another jump. Four jumps later, two with combat load and one at night, we stood on the Airborne graduation field proudly receiving our Airborne wings. Several family members came to honor our accomplishments, and before we knew it we were on a plane back to Boston, proud paratroopers. AIRBORNE! 2

3 Nurse Summer Training Program Cadet Amanda Bisacre, Endicott 2009 Paradise, exciting and enlightening. These words do not usually come to mind when someone says Army Training. For me, however, my Army ROTC Nurse Summer Training Program was all these things and more. My name is Amanda Bisacre, and I am in my fourth year of Army ROTC in the Paul Revere Battalion. As a result, I have already experienced many educational and life-changing events that are continuously shaping who I am. As a nursing student in ROTC, I had the opportunity to be stationed in an Army hospital for a month out of my junior year summer to train with the best of the best Army nurses. The Army sent me to Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu Hawaii for this rigorous training. Yes, a paid month on the island of Oahu, learning more than my peers could imagine is what the Army requested of me. After about twelve hours of flying I met my Point of Contact (POC) and the four other nurse cadets assigned to Tripler. Our POC began with a tour of the island, thinly disguised as a cultural education reconnaissance in order for it to seem like a vital part of the training. Once in the hospital I was assigned to the labor and delivery unit responsible for the majority of the pacific region. Throughout the month I inserted countless IV s and catheters, distributed medications, and experienced nearly 15 births. A typical nursing student in the civilian world would not be allowed to do these tasks; this training gave me an extreme advantage. I was also able to differentiate between two types of nurses. The first are very good nurses that joined the Army for the scholarships, high pay, and benefits. The second are the type of nurses I strive to be someday, who joined in order to save the lives of those individuals that maintain the lifestyle and freedom of the American public, soldiers. By the end of the month I also completed a group project with the oncology ward, gave an individual presentation on assisted deliveries, single-handedly planned and organized our graduation ceremony, received a letter of appreciation form Colonel Jeffrey Berenberg, and spent an alternate experience day in the NICU. Additionally, my performance was evaluated; being rated number one in my group and having exceeded expectations made me truly proud of my accomplishments. This evaluation will be extremely influential as I move forward in my career. 3

4 Some of you may have noticed that 120 hours in one month is not an overload of work. Rather, I had a substantial amount of time off that was equally rewarding. I enjoyed all of the things that most people do while visiting a tropical heaven: the beach, pineapple picking, kayaking, hiking volcanoes, attending a luau, seeing the wildlife, and visiting many breathtaking sites. Aside from the ordinary activities, I also went cliff jumping, snorkeling with giant sea turtles, shark diving, and skydiving. Between the military discounts, free food, lodging, and transportation, everything was easily affordable. In the end, I gained experience, life long friends, and a great tan. CTLT Fort Bragg, North Carolina Cadet Stephen Petraeus, MIT 2009 Like many cadets, I came into the summer of my Junior year still a bit unsure of what I wanted to do in the Army. I knew that I was interested in the Infantry, but the question still lingered in my mind: what is it really like? I expected to find some answers when I arrived at Ft. Bragg, NC, for my Cadet Troop Leadership Training (CTLT) slot, but I couldn t have imagined what would await me over the next month. In terms of training, there are few exercises more intense for a unit than a JRTC rotation at Ft. Polk. This was to be the capstone of the battalion s training prior to its upcoming November deployment to Iraq. For me, this meant that rather than showing up to work at 6 and leaving at 5 in the afternoon, I would be living my CTLT 24/7 every day. I touched down at Ft. Bragg on July 23 rd, and met up with my sponsor, 1LT Chris Hadley. He was the platoon leader of 1 st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1 st BN, 505 th Parachute Infantry Regiment the unit that I d be attached to for the duration of my CTLT. During CTLT, cadets are matched with sponsor, who take them under their wing and help them throughout their time at the unit. 1LT Hadley took me around post as we drew the gear I would need for the next month and prepared to leave for the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Ft. Polk, LA we would leave the day after I arrived. 4

5 While at JRTC, units undergo Situational Training Exercises, much like we do at our field training exercises, except much longer and more complex. In addition, there is a 5 day period of force-on-force operations, in which the entire unit is immersed in a fictional Iraqi province. patience of the Paratroopers of whom I was in command. Their example continues to inspire me, and I left determined to internalize the lessons they shared. I knew my learning curve would be steep, but soon after I arrived at Polk, I learned something that I hadn t expected: the 2 nd platoon leader would be leaving early before the force-on-force part of the exercise, and I would be stepping in as acting platoon leader. Few moments have been as daunting as was standing before my new platoon and introducing myself as their new leader! During my time as a platoon leader, I learned a lot, and realized how little I really did know. I was in charge of a night ambush, fumbling with night vision goggles that I had only been taught how to use the week before. I learned how to use an interpreter as I sat down for meetings with the mayor of the city; my interpreter would coach me after each meeting, telling me how to approach such situations better. Most of all, though, I was able to lead Paratroopers, and see just how competent and tough they were. I was impressed at every juncture by the depth of knowledge, professionalism, and My specific CTLT experience was a matter of being at the right place at the right time, but CTLT can be valuable no matter what the situation. Simply being around Soldiers and learning what it s truly like to work with and lead them is valuable in and of itself. I would recommend the CTLT program to any cadet, regardless of branch, post, or unit. 5

6 Leadership Development and Assessment Course Cadet Daniel Howard, Endicott 2009 The purpose of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is to train and prepare college students to commission as an Officer in the United States Army. Each summer, nearly five thousand ROTC cadets from across the nation gather at Fort Lewis, Washington to participate in the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), known as Warrior Forge. These college students trade in their flip flops for combat boots, sunscreen for camouflage, and that beach trip for a simulated deployment, while participating in a thirty-three day evaluation period with an Infantry combat focus. The purpose of LDAC is to evaluate the leadership potential of these cadets while developing their individual soldier skills. These individual skills include the Army Physical Fitness Test, day and night Land Navigation, Basic Rifle Marksmanship, Hand Grenade Training, Rappelling, First Aid Training, and Water Confidence Training. Each of these skills is taught, rehearsed and then tested in practical application. During this period each cadet is also evaluated in a minimum of two leadership positions ranging from Squad Leader, in charge of twelve cadets, to Company Commander, in charge of approximately two hundred cadets. This portion of training is designed to build the individual soldier in order to strengthen the team in preparation for the culminating event of Warrior Forge an eleven day simulated deployment. This virtual deployment is designed to test each cadet s leadership ability further by introducing the stresses of a simulated combat environment. This environment requires cadets to operate as members of a team that has been tasked with stopping a mock insurgency in the notional country of Palomas. 6

7 During these eleven days cadets are required to successfully implement the individual skills learned during the previous nineteen days. Each team must adapt to various challenges presented in the form of missions including: attacks, ambushes, raids, public affairs, meeting with civilians, rescuing friendly forces, and Forward Operating Base (FOB) procedures. During this period, cadets must give up the comforts of the barracks and spend the entire time in the woods. Yes, that means there are no showers or bathrooms. This lack of basic amenities forces cadets to learn to overcome the additional challenge of being in an uncomfortable environment. Despite the pressure of evaluation and the lack of comfort, LDAC is also a time to meet peers from around the nation and build friendships that will last a lifetime. Since all rising seniors are required to attend LDAC, it is the first opportunity for cadets to meet those with whom they will serve in the years to come. Building these friendships helps make the overall experience a positive one. Successful completion of LDAC marks the final requirement of the cadet s ROTC career. The cadet s performance during this period helps in determining the national ranking of each cadet. This national ranking is used to determine the Branch (job) that each cadet will be placed and where they will first be stationed as a commissioned officer upon graduation from college. This training also serves as a transition period. LDAC graduates must return to their respective ROTC units and take on the responsibility of planning and executing the year s activities while training and developing the underclassman for their success at the Warrior Forge in the future. Ranger Challenge 2008 Cadet Brandon Lew, MIT 2011 On the weekend of October 17 th -19 th, twelve members of the Paul Revere Ranger Challenge team traveled to Fort Devens, MA to compete in the annual brigade competition. The team started training one month earlier, under team captain CDT Guerra. Six days a week, cadets came to MIT early in the morning for physical training, land navigation 7 training, grenade tossing, practice assembling and disassembling the M16. On those three days in late October, the team put their training to the test. After a good night s sleep (and some doughnuts from Cadets Burns and Ocasio), the actual competition started before dawn on Saturday

8 morning at the grenade assault course. After a couple hours of waiting, the assault pairs waded through the course. Unfortunately, a few lucky shots by the snipers negated our good throws. The next event was weapons proficiency. New this year were vocalized weapons clearing and functions check drills, in which each step had to be performed and stated in unison. All team members completed the task expeditiously. After weapons proficiency was day land navigation. Here, the team split into two groups and spent forty-five minutes running through Ft. Devens, looking for orienteering points. The two groups managed to grab most of the shortand medium-distance points, but failed to capitalize on the long-distance ones. Following day land navigation was the obstacle course. The Ranger Challenge team ran through the course at a blistering pace, losing no one to the feared ditch. Next, the cadets tackled the mystery event a Field Leader s Reaction Course. The team managed to methodically complete the mission, moving an ammo box up onto a pair of pylons and through a metal tube, where it was required. After a lunch break, our Ranger Challenge team moved onto Basic Rifle Marksmanship. Shooting at Alternate Course C targets, our team scored above qualification standards. The team then went to the written land navigation test, where CDT McKee dazzled the event supervisor with his calculator program for many questions. After finishing the test and grabbing some dinner, the team concluded the day with night land navigation on Lawson Army Airfield. Sunday morning, the team stretched out and performed the APFT in the chilly Massachusetts air. After a complete tabulation of results, the Ranger Challenge team finished 14 th out of 21 teams. Looking forward to next year, each member left the competition with ideas and ways to improve our performance. Congratulations to all the members of the Paul Revere Ranger Challenge team! Our lone MS IV, CDT Wellman, the MS IIIs, CDTs Guerra, team captain, Kmiecik, and Duncan, the MS IIs, CDTs Bailey, Higgins, Lew, Mangan, and McKee, and the sole MS I, CDT Milley. Cadet Battalion Commander Cadet Greg Wellman, MIT 2009 The Paul Revere Battalion is stronger than ever. It has truly been growing with quality, adding over 30 new cadets this semester. Our new cadets have already begun to prove themselves, with a very strong showing at their first Army Physical Fitness Test. Furthermore, an unprecedented number of new cadets trained and competed with our Ranger Challenge team. These cadets received additional training with the M-16A2 weapon system, land navigation, individual movement tactics, physical training and troop leading procedures. Attesting to the battalion's strength, the MSIV's have enjoyed a number of successes this summer and semester. Approximately half of the class received an evaluation of excellent at LDAC one of the strongest showings in the country. Equally impressive, six Paul Revere seniors will graduate and commission as Distinguished Military Graduates in the Spring. The rest of the battalion kept busy this summer: eight cadets attended 8 Airborne School at Ft. Benning, GA and three attended Air Assault School (including an Honor Graduate) at Ft. Campbell, KY. The battalion has had a successful semester in terms of training, highlighted by the Field Training Exercise at Ft. Devens. Our cadets toughed out rain and cold weather to complete valuable training, including land navigation and troop leading procedures. The MSIII's took charge and led their classmates in negotiating both the Obstacle Course and Field Leadership Reaction Course. For many cadets, this was a first glimpse of military training. As always, the cadets of the Paul Revere Battalion continue to strive for excellence militarily, academically, and athletically. As the year progresses I expect more good new to come. Chomp Chomp Hooah!

9 Update from the Commander LTC Timothy Hall Family and friends of the Paul Revere Battalion, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is LTC Tim Hall, and I am the new Professor of Military Science here at MIT. I arrived at the Paul Revere Battalion in June of I am happy to be with the battalion, and pleased to serve with and develop our nation s future officers. As I write this, I am coming to the end of my first semester with the Paul Revere Battalion, and I am truly impressed with our cadets and cadre alike. We have one of the best battalions in Cadet Command, and I am honored to be a part of it. First, I would like to highlight the accomplishments of our cadets during summer training. Paul Revere Battalion cadets did a fantastic job at summer training this year. At the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC), 50% of our seniors achieved a rating of Excellent, the highest rating cadets can achieve. This is an impressive accomplishment in light of the fact that the Army wide average for over 5000 cadets was 23%, and the 2nd ROTC Brigade average was 24%. Additionally, 25% of our cadets received the Recondo Award, an honor that is only given to the most proficient cadets. Again, our seniors nearly doubled the brigade average for this honor. As seen by the numbers, our cadets consistently exceed standards and quality benchmarks. Throughout this past summer, we had a total of 17 internships and training opportunities for cadets ranging from the Nurse Summer Training Program, to Cadet Troop Leader Training, to military schools such as Airborne and Air Assault Courses. I would like to congratulate all cadets on completing their summer training in an exemplary manner. We have also had a successful Fall semester of training since school started in September. We completed a large number of events that significantly impacted our ability to train and retain cadets in the program. We conducted a new Cadet Orientation at Camp Curtis Guild (Reading, MA), a battalion field training exercise (FTX) at Fort Devens, MA, and a battalion dining-in at MIT s 9 Faculty Club. Our cadets also participated in the Ranger Challenge competition at Fort Devens and the Joint-Service Field Day at MIT. We have also supported our schools with numerous color guards, Veterans Day ceremonies, and a number of activity fairs. I would like to congratulate all of our seniors on another accomplishment this Fall their branch selections. Our cadets were selected for the following branches: Cadet Thomas Barron, Infantry; Cadet Daniel Bilotti, Judge Advocate Generals Corps; Cadet Amanda Bisacre, Army Nurse Corps; Cadet Roxanne Bras, Corps of Engineers; Cadet Clarke Burns, Armor; Cadet Eric Catalanotti, Infantry; Cadet Vincent Chiappini, Judge Advocate Generals Corps; Cadet Andrei Doohovskoy, Infantry; Cadet Daniel Howard, Infantry; Cadet Vikram Mittal, Corps of Engineers; Cadet Stephen Petraeus, Infantry; Cadet Brian Thompson, Military Police Corps; and Cadet Gregory Wellman, Aviation. Finally, the cadre as a whole has undergone a number of transitions; without this dedicated team we would not be able to have the success we enjoy. We have a fantastic team of officers, NCOs, and civilians whom I would like to recognize and introduce: MSG Carlos Santiago, Senior Military Instructor; Major Deidre Perrin, Scholarship and Enrollment Officer; CPT Nick Griffiths, Executive Officer; CPT Mark Chaney, Training Officer; SFC Kaz Karwowski, Training NCO; Mr. Norm Michaud, Human Resources Technician; Mr. Mike Thomas, Supply Technician; Mrs. Lisa Morin, Administrative Assistant; CPTs Rob McMahon, Luke Devlin, and Dave Gowel Adjunct Faculty. These people are responsible for all the work that goes into ensuring our cadets are best prepared for commissioning. No Fear! Paul Revere!

10 Words from Paul Revere Alumni 2LT Brian Harutunian, Endicott 2008 In high school, I wanted to enlist in the military. At that time, some very intelligent people sat me down and told me that to better myself and others, I should go to college and become a military officer. When I started looking at colleges, I knew that my college of choice had to have a football team, a criminal justice program, and of course an ROTC program. Endicott was a great fit for me. I was able to earn a degree, play football, and earn a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Endicott also had additional perks: a very generous female to male ratio, three private beaches, a great location twenty miles from Boston (title town), and of course, in my opinion, the most diverse Army ROTC battalion in the country. There are seven schools within the Paul Revere Battalion. They range from a prestigious Ivy League (Harvard), to the exclusive MIT, Tufts, and Wellesley, to a small private college (Endicott), a Christian college (Gordon), and a large, public university (Salem State). Much like the Army, the Paul Revere comprises a set of individuals with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences, who all still bring something valuable to the team for the same fight. Being able to go to Endicott College allowed me to become a better Army Officer. When put into leadership positions, I learned leadership first hand by controlling seven different schools within a fifty mile radius from each other. I was able to develop myself into what I wanted, how I wanted. I had the pleasure of meeting many different people with a wide variety of experiences opinions with regard to the military, and I was able to learn and better myself from each person I met at Endicott-- whether student, Professor or faculty. There was outstanding support from Endicott for the ROTC program, from President Wylie right down to the individual students who accepted the Cadets with ease and excitement. I have heard stories of other universities in America where there is no support and even protests against the students who participate within their school s Army ROTC programs; I have never felt or experienced anything but positive feelings from the community at Endicott College. There was also great support from each student. Going to a small institution allowed me to get what I needed to prepare myself for my future after Endicott College. I was able to participate with three internships with various Massachusetts law enforcement departments. There is a pride that is felt from the student community about Endicott and most students are very adequate with changes and meeting new people. Endicott College allowed me to have experiences that I will keep with me forever, I was also was able to develop my interpersonal skills and that allows me to be just a better person. I can say with great pleasure that Endicott College most definitely made me a more educated, well-rounded individual, and a better leader. 10

11 Please Note: due to increasing production and postage costs, we will be sending future issues of the Paul Revere Recorder via . If you would like to continue receiving the Recorder, please send your address to Mrs. Morin at If you do not have an address, but would like to continue receiving the Recorder via mail, please contact her at MIT Army ROTC, 201 Vassar Street, W59-192, Cambridge, MA or , and we will be happy to mail you a copy. Thanks for your support of our program! Alumni: Want to share your story? To share your post Paul Revere experiences, contact Mrs. Morin at ljmorin@mit.edu. Our best wishes go out to all Paul Revere Alumni who are currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Remember when... 11

12 NO FEAR, PAUL REVERE! From the Past... Army ROTC Cadets in Class. Recognize anyone? MIT Army ROTC 201 Vassar Street, W Cambridge, MA