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ROTC THOUGHTS: EACH ISSUE BRINGS A NEW PERSPECTIVE ... "Air-Borne" school provides worthwhile summer experience DEVAN HAMRIC Conlributer Fon Benning GA, "Home of the Infantry", con- dccc rhe most prestigious "Alr-Bome" school in the world. Each week a class of roughly four-hun- dred soldiers graduate with their "jump wings" proudly pinned on their chests. Among these gr.lduares are soldiers in the Army. N~vy,Marines, and Air Force both officers and enlistees, as well as members of our allied armed forces such as Brit- ain, israel, and Hungary. One lasl group, the one that gave rne the opportunity ro eam one of these coveted slots and my wings, is Army ROTC. My personal experlence as Charlie 26,:1 ride that identified as the 26th female cadet in B Com- pany, seems tobe a blur of swear and the fragile balance between hydration and beccmlng a heat casualty. I have never drunk so much warer In my life. Being college students, ROTC cadets usu- ally only aucnd this school during the summer months when temperatures are high. Some morn- ings they fly a red Rag symbolizing "hear cap 5~, meaning dangerous hear, as early as nlne o'clcek. Iwenr during the peak of summer, July, so it was rarely a question of "if" but "when" this precau- tionwould be given. When it is, even the meanest SergeantAirbornecannotmakeyourun.Howev- er.thlsfact and even the small uniform alrerarions such as loosening your sleeves areofhnle comfort when you can fed the sweet running down your faceandbackwhi1esitcingstilJ. "Double rime", which is military jargon for running, is one of the biggest parts of jump school. Unless it's hear cap five, you are expecred to run everywhere you go. Pull-ups are aJ$Q an unavoidable element. Everyone must do ten be- fore they can enter or leave chow {the cafeteria) and the barracks (sleeping quarters). [gained a true understanding of the cadence saying "if you wanna be airborne you gorta be thin~. I lost twelve pounds in three weeks. By sweating profusely, working out, and bcinssQ hot that I could only manage '0 ..a, " few bill,,, of food ..:o<:hm ..al. 1".. ""perience \ gained w.... in..::o\uable. Each week ar airborne was dedicared to a cer- rain level of uaining. Firsr week is called "ground week" because your feet remain on the ground. Devan Hamric is shown during ROTC training. (The Army isn'r prized on its creative tides by any stretch of the means). It is mostly a time Tower week is also self-explanatory. It was through the air, it was like seeing the world ence.Things hurt and nothing was ever sugar ofphysica[ training that is meant tQ weed our at this time that we practiced exiting techniques for the first time. All at once an overwhelming coated with a Sgt. Airborne but it made us those who are physically deficienr as well as teach from a 34-foot tower and lip line .. We took . sensation of personal satisfaction and wonder sfrong. It is the main reason whya person can the basic prindples of landing and the functions landing pr:tctice from JUStjumping off ladders rushed over me. I couldn't find my voice or I successfully and safely parachute from a plan in of equipmem. The first week you mUH pass the and being swung and dropped from a 12 foot would have celebrated. Others hooted and hcl- such a short amount of time. bask Army Physical Plmess Tesr, During the sec- "swing landing trainer" platforms. The beats- lered right up until we heard, "hey, shut the hell I became a paratrooper and a member of ond week, known as "cower week", you were ex- es and whiplash seemed to become increasing- up and focus on landing" from the Sgt. Air- the airborne family. «Airborne, Airborne all pected to successfully complete three four mile Iy worse each day and bliners were inevitable borne below snapping us back to reality. the way, Airborne, Airborne every day. We like runs with the company without "falling OUt" ~hen working with the risers of the chutes, bur Of course, the fim landing was a rude it here, we love it here, we finally found our of formation. Being a cadet, my importance fel! even below that of the lowest enlisted' and It was all worth it when I jumped OUt of the awakening for me. At about fifteen feet off the home. A home, a home, a home away from therefore I ran in the very back. [ was victim to p[an;(for the fir$( time on "jump week". ground I became all toO aware of the speed at home". This is the cadence we were required ~thesJinkyefF"cct".lr'sanawfuloccurrcncewhen was ::~~; :~:b~~1:~v:u~~~:es~;~s~:~~~:~: which I was going to hit the ground and failed to sing every time we moved in formation. We people speed up and slow down. By the time it up al 3am and run a few miles to gel to the air- ~~rir;~::; ~:::e;::~~~~n~~n~~du;p f~:t:~~ went through grueling training together, looked ripples to the back. people have to sprint to fill strip. lr was torture for some to sit for hours next four jumps, which included one aI night our for each other, and managed ro have fun. in the gaps making it four miles of sprints. I did These bonds have left me with brothers and sis- recei..e great encouragemellt with "Come on, lit- ~nng~:~~:~ t~:~c;o~;;;~ ~op~::: ~~:;;: 7;~~and combu equipmenl jumps that had me so tersscallered across rheglobe. Nomallerwhere tie cadet! Don't you quit!". the military takes me, I will always have my air- and cramped. When I found myself floating ~~;:;~n:~:;e~~;~[ !::r al"~:~~~1~:r:]:x;~~7~ borne family. Lighter Side of the Campus Safety Blotter ~~~;~b~I;~numbers Fire extinguishers growing in popularity, despite a lack of fires RESIOENCE HALLS ANW CAMPUS FACILITIES' ACADEMIC KATElYNN MCGINLEY Alcohol-' Web Manoger Health-1 Failure to comply- 1 Since we l:LSt this week - McDaniel, we've gOt to give how many times you've been scxiled _ FORLINES DECKER CENTER checked in With you props: you've really been spread- peemg on your roomma~es property is Alcohol- 2 Health- 1 Theft_ 1 Possession. 1 that merry band ing the talent around. A student was probably not the best way to solve an Suspicious conditions- 1 of freshman picked up for shoplifting in the book· argument. Disorderly conduct_ 1 boys in Rou- store, and listen, textbooks areexpen- •Keep reading The Lighter Side for NORTH VILLAGE PARKING LOTS zer Hall, they sive.Ukc,unfairlyexpcnsive.WetotaJ- more of rhe wacky and ridiculous an- Alcohol· 3 Alcohol_ 1 False info- 1 certalnly seem Iyunderstand that, but, pleas.e-don't tiC$of McDaniel College studenrs. Theft. 1 Public urination_ 1 to be keeping shoplift. You will most likely make Parking Froud- 1 busy. Seven ~t- Kyle Meloush cry and we're pretty sure PAAVE OFF CAMPUS cohol citations, one charge of theft, heisacwallythenicestpersononlhis Alcohol_ 4 Harassment_ 1 Alcohol_, twO sepamte c,l$es of tampering wirh campus. fire extinguisher (guys, we're trying Pennsylvannia Avenue has had a larceny_ 1 Tampering to figure ou~ what you're attempting rough week as weI! - the res norhing with school property_ 1 to do here- beat each other to death like four alcohol citations, a little !:Ir- (Editori NlUt: 7his column", Knlt- Public urination_ 1 with them? Are your PS3s overhear- ccny, the destruction of a fire extin· Iyn MeGink] is dedicared to Jome ()f ,h( ing? Honestly - we're genuinely curi- guisher (SERIOUSLY, WHAT ARE mosl inane '11th to which Campus Saftry WHITEFORD OllS), and one chargc of disrespecting a YOU GUYS DOING WITH THE offiun rapond - or should "sptmd. In- Harossment_ 2 college official. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS?), and a lit- cidnw IlCtuJlUy ()(CUrTI!a, but thr flamn Disorderly conduct_ 1 But,aclU:l.lly, it's not even the Rou- de bit of public urination to get the of t~ culprits lilY /lot inc/utkd I() prolUl Failure to comply_ 1 .• boys that are che stars of rhe blotter weekendsrarrooright.Weclon'tare ,JJt1Jol-So-innocmt) . Sexual assault_ 1