Army ROTC Cadets at Ohio University Learn and Teach

For Ohio University Army ROTC cadets, learning takes place in many locations, from traditional classrooms to Ohio military bases, hospitals, and training facilities, sometimes across national borders.

Experiential learning is a key feature of the Ohio University experience, helping students learn through authentic experiences and prepare them not only for meaningful careers, but for active participation in the community. Army ROTC cadets gain hands-on skills and leadership experience in the classroom through internships and placements and by facilitating programming for young cadets.

On the weekend of October 20-23, 2022, Ohio University Army ROTC cadets will dress up, pack, and head into the woods for field training at the Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center in Ravenna, Ohio. I was. A training ground for the Ohio National Guard.

A portion of the Ohio Bobcat Battalion traveled to field training in two CH-47 Chinook helicopters, followed by the rest of the group by bus.

Bobcat Battalion senior cadets plan and execute field training exercises each fall.

Senior Joey Phipps was the lead planner and director of the fall training exercises. At the beginning of the semester, with the assistance of several other cadets, he began planning fall training exercises, planned training schedules, identified and procured necessary supplies, and conducted training exercises. adjusted the logistics for

As part of the training exercises, OHIO ROTC cadets participated in land navigation proficiency tests and marksmanship proficiency qualifications, planned and executed patrol missions, and tested their proficiency on field leader reaction courses (obstacle courses).

Phipps said Bobcat Battalion cadets will be able to participate in a new U.S. Army Qualification Course (a pop-up shooting range that tests their marksmanship) and a land navigation course where cadets must hone their map-reading skills and find points. He said he was proud of how well he did with the exercises.Use the navigation tools.

“We can go out every week and train like we did in the fall training exercises, but in a three-hour lab right next door,” says Ander T. Wehner. . “It really helps us to be very prepared.”

John Cushman, a first-year business analytics major from Milford, Ohio, said recent field training represented an opportunity for cadets to put into practice everything they learned in military science classes and labs. said.

Flying in a Chinook helicopter was a highlight of the trip for Kushman, as was shadowing the chief cadet during training.

In addition to providing all cadets an opportunity to test their skills, fall training exercises also help prepare junior cadets for the advanced training they will be attending this summer.

Ander T. Wehner, a psychology and East Asian studies major, is one of the third-year students preparing to attend Advanced Camp. Along with other junior cadets, he served as platoon leader, providing direction and guidance to groups of cadets during practice reconnaissance missions.

Wehner came to OHIO from Howell, New Jersey. He chose Ohio University because he liked what he learned about the ROTC program at OHIO. ROTC cadets will benefit from having access to Rydges’ outdoor training facility, he said.

“We can go out every week and train like we did in the fall training exercises, but in a three-hour lab right next door,” says Wehner. “It really helps us to be very prepared.”

Last summer, Wehner traveled to Taiwan as part of the US Army’s Project GO (Global Officer) program, where he was able to continue his Chinese studies and learn about different cultural perspectives.

Wehner participates in a concurrent membership program that provides monthly scholarships in addition to full tuition stipends to cadets enrolled simultaneously in the ROTC and the Army National Guard. His National Guard unit is based in Tiffin, Ohio.

He enjoys the closeness and camaraderie he finds in the Bobcat Battalion.

“We all live together,” said Wenner. “We go to PT (physical training) together every morning. We go to the lab together every Wednesday. , it builds a lot of community between us, and I think that’s one of my favorite things to do.”

From grades 4 through 1, cadets had the opportunity to learn and lead in fall training exercises.

“I was able to follow the lead and really see what was going on behind the scenes in planning and executing the operation,” Cushman said.

ROTC cadets not only gain the skills and experience to prepare for leadership roles, but also apply the skills and lessons learned in the Bobcat Battalion to their academic work.

Phipps says he uses the leadership and collaboration skills he learned as an Army ROTC cadet to facilitate collaboration on group projects in his class.

Phipps’ family, whose father served in the U.S. Army and graduated from Ohio University, has served in the military. Phipps, he said, was always interested in joining the Army. He visited Ohio and when he set foot on College Green he knew Ohio was his place. Phipps, a European Major in Global Studies and president of the OHIO Global Studies Association, will be commissioned as a U.S. Army officer when she graduates this spring.

Cushman also always wanted to join the military. He attended the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) during high school and earned a scholarship through his involvement at that level.Cushman did not drop out of high school and followed the advice of his parents and teachers. , participated in ROTC. He chose Ohio University because of the recommendation of his ROTC alumni in high school and because of the reputation of his ROTC program in his OHIO.

Cushman, along with 10 other cadets, recently represented the Ohio Bobcat Battalion at the annual Bold Warrior Competition in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He says that participating in ROTC has helped him develop his time management skills and assertiveness.