Three Rivers Battalion Army ROTC Fall 2017-2018 Newsletter
CADET SPOTLIGHT Cadet Alexandra Elisio A Co. University of Pittsburgh (MSIII) CDT Elisio has gone above and beyond her peers not only this semester, but last semester as well. In preparation for the Brigade Freedom Fitness Challenge, CDT Elisio formed a Ruck Club preparing each of the 11 finalists for the grueling march. This semester, she captained the University of Pittsburgh and Three Rivers Battalion Ranger Challenge team. Through hard work, dedication, and stamina, the team finished with three, top-10 placements and finished 14 th out of 45 teams from across the Brigade. She always leads from the front in physical fitness as well by consistently maxing her Army PT Test. She has completed the above all while maintaining a good academic rating and working a full time job. A true leader in every sense of the word, and someone her peers willingly follow to the top! Cadet Alexandra Elisio completes the obstacle course at Ranger Challenge in October 2017. Ranger Challenge: Teamwork Wins Championships Article By: Cadet Caleb Magowan B Co. Franciscan University (MSIII) Without teamwork Ranger Challenge would be impossible. At the Ranger Challenge competition at Fort Dix, New Jersey, our Ranger Challenge group displayed great teamwork in all of the events that we executed. Our training truly prepared us to work both as a team and individually on specific tasks such as weapons assembly and executing a one rope bridge. From Ranger Challenge I have grown as a cadet and I have developed better physical endurance and mental perseverance, land navigation skills, and teamwork skills. As we trained for the obstacle course portion oft he competition, we saw that we would accomplish the course the fastest when we work together. At the competition, we knew needed to work as a team especially when faced with an obstacle that could only be completed with two or more people. Going over a tall wall could be done by a tall person. Even though we had many tall people on our team, we also needed to work together to get everyone over the wall. Ranger Challenge was valuable to me because of the amount of skills that I learned and developed. I improved my ability to run with a rucksack, terrain associate and dead reckon, and work as a team. I also learned how to disassemble and reassemble an M-4 rifle, M-9 pistol, and M-249 SAW, move in a crew drill, correctly tie a Swiss seat harness, and make a one rope bridge. Ranger Challenge training has exposed me to many essential Army skills that I did not know and has better prepared me as an Army ROTC cadet. Cadet Caleb Magowan helping a teammate over the wall at the Ranger Challenge competition: October 2017.
Army Ten Miler Article by: Cadet Kate Eastwood University of Pittsburgh (MSII) Running the Army Ten Miler has been the best experience I have been involved in since joining ROTC. I had run plenty of races before while doing cross country in high school, and even won a championship with my team. That did not compare to running the Army Ten Miler. The aspect of the race that stands out the most was the positivity of everyone running the race. Everyone involved with running, organizing, and cheering on the runners were all ecstatic to be a part of the event despite the terrible weather and the difficulty of the course. The positive energy surrounding the event made it an incredibly inspiring race to be a part of and by far the best race I have ever had the honor of running. There are several moments during the race that stick out to me the most. During mile seven, we were running on a long, steady incline. At this point in the race, it was getting harder and harder to push myself and I was hitting a wall. One of the runners that caught my eye was an amputee who had several people around him cheering him on and the whole group was pushing each other. This inspired me to push myself and finish the race as strong as I could. Another moment that sticks out to me was around mile six. In that point in the course, there was a turn around and as a result there were runners Army Ten Miler Team Washington D.C. October 2017 running in opposite directions on both sides of the street. This was the only point in the race where runners can see each other running in opposite directions and as a result, people were cheering each other on and spotting people on their respective teams that were either ahead of or behind them. This was the part of the race that was the most fun because the comradery among all the runners of the race was heightened, and it was incredibly motivating to get a better idea of the enormity of the race and the all of the people that came out to support the Army by running the race. Finishing the Army ten miler gave me a great sense of pride. I was incredibly motivated by the other runners and the bystanders who came out to support everyone. The energy was extremely positive despite the bad weather, and there was a sense of conformity among the runners. As I finished the race, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride to be part of such an inspiring and motivating event. Fall FTX Article by: Cadet Isabelle Marsh A Co. Duquesne University (MSIII) The annual Fall Field Training Exercise (FTX) is a great event that gives every cadet an opportunity to grow as a leader. Cadets this year had the opportunity to practice Marksmanship, the Obstacle Course, setting up an Objective Rally Point (ORP), and leading others through the Field Leadership Reaction Course (FLRC). There are two purposes to have the cadets go through these different events. The first is to give all cadets exposure to events they will see during their time at Advanced Camp. This is a month long summer training event where cadets are evaluated on their ability to perform these skills and their leadership capacities. The second and most important purpose for cadets to go through these different events is to give them the opportunity to grow as a leader each year. ROTC provides an environment (mostly through physical training and application of tactical skills) where cadets are constantly growing as leaders because each year they are expected to take on more responsibility. The FTX allows all cadets from the Battalion s different schools to come, train, and grow together. Each year of the cadet s training has a SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI: We are looking to nominate new alumni into our new Hall of Fame in Bellefield Hall. If you are an alumni of the Three Rivers Battalion and would like to nominate a former cadet who has distinguished themselves in their career, military or civilian, please contact us at: ThreeRiversBattalionCadre@gmail.com
different role during FTX. The fourth year cadets coordinate with cadre to plan the FTX and are in charge of running the different events. The third year cadets act as mentors to the younger cadets, and they have opportunity to lead others through setting up an ORP and accomplishing the mission during FLRC. As the third year cadets practice taking charge and completing these different tasks, the four year cadets evaluate and mentor them. The second year cadets begin taking on leadership and are in charge of relaying information back and forth from the first and third year cadets. They mentor the youngest cadets and teach them the most basic and fundamental concepts within ROTC. The first year cadets are learning how everything works within the Army and the ROTC program. They are learning from the successes and failures of the leadership above them, which is knowledge that they will carry with them when they eventually are in charge of new cadets. exercises that will help make them stronger. I encouraged them that even though something might be challenging at first, that does not mean that it will always be that way. With time, focus, and perseverance, they can accomplish whatever goals they set their mind to. I look forward to seeing those first year cadets climb that rope next year. Not only will they be able to climb it, but they will have the opportunity to teach the next bunch of new first year cadets as well. One event this year that allowed me to see my own progression through this program was completing the Obstacle Course on the last day. While waiting in line for the Tough One, I watched several of the freshmen attempt it for the first time. For some, climbing a rope was something new and they did not yet have the coordination to hook their legs or the upper body strength to pull themselves up. I remembered being in that same position my freshman year, struggling just to grasp the rope and hold on. However, during these past two years in ROTC, I have had opportunities that pushed me to work hard and become a lot stronger. Now, I can climb any rope with complete ease. I used my past experience to teach the younger cadets how to hook their legs properly and techniques to pull themselves up the rope. I also explained different strengthening. CDT Carei coaches CDT Marsh through her first time zeroing and qualifying on range day during the Fall FTX, September 2017 Cadets tackle the Swing and Stop obstacle during the Squad competition at the end of the Fall FTX. A Squad attempts the Commando Crawl obstacle during the Field Leader s Reaction Course (FLRC) during the Fall FTX.
Commanders Corner CDT Grant Traeger A Co Commander The Alpha Company Alpacas, without a doubt, set the standard in the Three Rivers Battalion. The beginning of the Fall semester was a challenging time for all Cadets. There were more MS1 Cadets than ever before. But as future Army Officers, Alpha Company successfully adapted to the new leadership, and as the Company motto states, 'shucked the husk'. This motto seeks to explain that, in order for success to occur, certain actions must be taken beforehand. Alpha Company consistently comes prepared to lab by conducting MS3 Cadet-led classes following PT. Platoons have created mentorship programs which set underclassman Cadets up for success by pairing them with upperclassman Cadets. Companylevel ruck marches have pushed Cadets to their physical and mental limits while promoting esprit de corps. I am confident that this year will provide MS3 Cadets with the tools for success at Advanced Camp, MS2 Cadets with the fundamental competence in small-unit leadership, and MS1 Cadets with confidence in themselves. I have seen incredible growth from Alpha Company during the Fall semester, and look forward to more success in the upcoming months. Shuck the Husk! CDT James Hildebrand B Co Commander Fall 2017 has been an exciting semester for Bravo Company, TRB ROTC. The program in B Co has undergone substantial growth. Attendance at both B Co campuses, Franciscan University of Steubenville (FUS) and Robert Morris University (RMU), has nearly doubled with a record setting class of freshman cadets. Cadets at both FUS and RMU provided a color guard at over 20 sports events at their respective campuses. This semester CDT Magowan became the first B Co cadet to join the Ranger Challenge Team. Senior cadets returned to school fresh from graduating Advanced Camp over the summer. CDT Grabksi also attended Nurse Training & Scholarship Program in Texas. CDT Hildebrand spent two months interning at Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) for the Cyber Defender Program. LLNL is a Department of Energy research lab that specializes in nuclear warhead maintenance and other cutting edge research and development. CDT Hildebrand commented that LLNL represents an incredible dedication to leading the way in innovation in science and technology. This semester B Co MSIVs all received active duty slots. CDT Sean Cushman C Co Commander This year Cal U rejoined Washington and Jefferson to make up Charlie Company. The first challenge was to rebuild the relationships between both schools. With the two schools being 20 minutes away this has always been a divider, and this year we have made it a priority to become a more unified company. We have conducted multiple company level PT sessions including the first Halloween Run in Charlie Company. We have maintained a large group of dedicated cadets who work hard every day, not only to better themselves but also to better the community. Another priority for Charlie Company was to be at the forefront of our campuses to help end sexual assault. As future Army Officers we pushed our cadets to tackle this problem head on, so both schools reached out on campus and educated their peers on the problems of sexual harassment and assault as part of our SHARP week outreach. Together the cadets received more than 150 pledges from students who will strive to end sexual harassment and assault in their lives. At Cal U we have also been busy moving into our new offices that the university has given us and are egger to keep increasing the size of our company.
Alumni Spotlight 2LT Joseph McClain 2LT Joseph McClain graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in May of 2016 with an engineering degree and was commissioned into Active Duty as an Infantry Officer. Following graduation, he took a spot at Three Rivers Battalion as a gold bar recruiter. He then went on to complete IBOLC where he was ranked top among his peers. Following IBOLC he went to ranger school and successfully completed the course in the allotted 62 days, and awarded Ranger of the Cycle. Here are a few words from a recent and successful graduate from Three Rivers Battalion. Currently, I am stationed at Ft. Drum, New York and hold the position of Platoon Leader for 2nd Platoon, B Co, 2-22 IN. As a new Platoon Leader, I have limited experience except for the training received in IBOLC, Ranger school, Airborne school, and from my first live fire with my Platoon. So far, Ranger school has proven to be the most valuable experience as a new Platoon Leader. Ranger school prepared me tactically and mentally to endure the learning curve I experienced within the first couple months as a Platoon Leader. As expected, my Commander and Platoon Sergeant immediately conducted a tab check when I arrived as the new Platoon Leader and I was "set for success" as a new leader. Realistically, the Ranger tab only proved to be a good first impression and I knew I had to prove myself during training to truly earn he respect of my new soldiers. Luckily, Ranger school prepared me more than I thought to conduct myself professionally and with poise during my first live fire with my Platoon, leading to success in completing the mission and with my first real After Action Review (AAR). Overall, Ranger school forced me to learn my limits as an individual and taught me that teamwork along with a level head leads to success. Looking back, Three Rivers Battalion helped me to test and hone my leadership style along with instilling me with the discipline to push myself beyond what I believed I was capable of. I was fortunate to have several exceptional mentors (shout to SFC Henderson and MSG Hancock) that challenged me on a regular basis both technically and tactically. Heading into to IBOLC and eventually Ranger, I was successful by leaning on the lessons learned at TRB and taking the time to learn from my failures and successes throughout training. If any current Cadets would like to reach out to me and ask questions, they can contact me by email at josephdmcclain@gmail.com. Fall Semester Commissionee: Three Rivers Battalion is proud to recognize its newest 2 nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army: Cadet Carei will be commissioning on the 16 th of December as a Distinguished Military Graduate, placing her in the top 20% of the commissioning class. She has been assigned to the 2/112 th Stryker Brigade as an Infantry Platoon Leader. She will be attending IBOLC in the spring and hopes to attend Ranger School shortly after her completion of IBOLC. 2LT Caileigh Carei Infantry, PA ARNG Bachelor of Arts in Political Science University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
Spring Semester Schedule 17-18 JAN Army Physical Fitness Test 3 FEB Bay Planning/PLT Fundamentals Lab 12 FEB Combat Water Survival Test 24 FEB Land Navigation Lab 24 MAR PLT Tactics Lab 05-08 APR FTX at Camp Ravenna, Ohio 13-14 APR Gettysburg MSIV Staff Ride 11-12 APR Army Physical Fitness Test 20 APR Military Ball 12 MAY Commissioning CONTACT US: on the web: www.rotc.pitt.edu on Facebook: www.facebook.com/3riversbn/ Dining In: A Tradition of Leadership Article by c/oic of dining in Justin Lee With the fall semester of 2017 coming to a close, we ended the year with our traditional Dining In this past Friday, December 1 st. There were more than two hundred attendees consisting of cadets, cadre members, and other special guests including our speaker, Command Sergeant Major Linwood Bailey, who provided priceless wisdom on leadership and a crucial perspective of a noncommissioned officer to cadets that would soon be Army officers. The night also consisted of delicious food, entertaining skits from our various schools and classes, and some chaotic but goodhearted banter with our points of order and infamous grog bowl. Ultimately, the event is meant to be a celebration of completing another academic semester and all the various accomplishments of our cadets, filled with comradery and esprit de corps. But what do those two phrases really mean? It means that there is a bond between people who have spent a lot of time together and share a feeling of pride, fellowship and loyalty. As a MSIV and senior, I can say that being an ROTC cadet has truly been a difficult journey with trying to juggle so many different priorities and responsibilities as a young college student. But the beauty of the organization is that you are not alone: there are other people to your left and right that are facing similar but also vastly different challenges. But despite your majors, hometowns, upbringings, future goals, and other potential differences, the one thing that brings you together is a passion to serve our country and become leaders. These people really do become family as you struggle, suffer, grow, achieve, and celebrate with each other. So as we conclude this semester, I hope to remind every cadet to be proud of their accomplishments, but also take the time to learn from their mistakes and establish goals to further challenge and better themselves and their fellow cadets for the next semester. Arsenal of Democracy! by mail: Three Rivers Battalion Army ROTC Room 409, Bellefield Hall 315 S. Bellefield Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15260 or by phone: (412) 624-6197 MSIV s Cadets Cooper, Wacker, Harrison, Carl, Russell, Gallagher, and Hill