The Week of an EMU ROTC Cadet
A Week in the Life of an EMU ROTC Cadet
ROTC is a program created to commission Second Lieutenant Officers into the US Army to serve all over the world. Through Physical Readiness Training (PRT), Leadership Labs, and Military Science and Leadership classes, the Eastern Michigan ROTC program trains students for leadership in every aspect of life.
Monday: I wake up at 6 and get on my bike to head out to Bowen Field House, which is where we do PRT. Our workout starts at 6:30am (0630Hrs). Today's workout was a circuit that included pull-ups, pushups, situps, air squats, and a run. I was worn out by the end!
Tuesday: Just classes unless I want to participate in open workouts at Roosevelt Hall (Room 19) that the Eagle Battalion hosts for students that are not in ROTC as a way of helping improve the overall physical fitness of the University
Wednesday: Wednesday is our second PRT day. We usually have a competition between the companies!
Thursday: is our long day, starting with another PRT day, but afterward was our training meeting as the students run the program with guidance from the instructors (Cadre). Military Science classes start after lunch, which is when cadets learn more about what the Army Leadership is and its various aspects. Today, we learned about the different rank structure of the military and how to progress to greater leadership opportunities. It was an insightful lesson that made me understand more about how each part of the military works together to achieve a common goal. After the lecture, we have Leadership Labs, which are times where we work on military leadership skills such as land navigation (you can't lead if you're lost). Today we practice leading squads through drills that we learned about during lecture with the added challenge of using paintball markers against another squad at Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
Friday: No Classes! A great aspect of being a student at EMU is having a three day weekend EVERY week! Optional PRT is being conducted at the Roosevelt Gym in Room 19 and Ranger Challenge is practicing their skills for the upcoming competition.
All and all, ROTC has been a great opportunity for creating better time management and pushing myself to new limits. I am thankful for the time I have had with Eastern Michigan ROTC, and I am looking forward to the adventures that lie ahead!