Friday, March 29, 2024

New cadets and parents introduced to ROTC program

August 31, 2015
<p>Business freshman Bradley Grost, left, and Mark Grost, center, listen to advertising senior Cadet Forrest Stone speak about ROTC on Aug. 29, 2015, inside Demonstration Hall. "ROTC is time consuming," Stone said. "It's definitely tough, but you're also learning how to be a leader and that really transitions from ROTC into your schoolwork and other clubs and activities." Joshua Abraham/The State News</p>

Business freshman Bradley Grost, left, and Mark Grost, center, listen to advertising senior Cadet Forrest Stone speak about ROTC on Aug. 29, 2015, inside Demonstration Hall. "ROTC is time consuming," Stone said. "It's definitely tough, but you're also learning how to be a leader and that really transitions from ROTC into your schoolwork and other clubs and activities." Joshua Abraham/The State News

Photo by Joshua Abraham | The State News

James Madison freshman Matt Maldonado has a history of family members who were involved in the military.

Because of this it’s no surprise he decided to join the ROTC program, which held its parent orientation program on Saturday at Demonstration Hall.

The event provided the new cadets and their families with the opportunity to learn about the ROTC program at Michigan State.

“I joined the ROTC program because both my father and my brother were in the military,” Maldonado said. “I believe that this was the best mix to achieve both a military career and to gain an education.”

While some of the cadets joined out of family legacy and loyalty to the United States military, others joined for an opportunity to prepare themselves for a successful future.

Civil engineering freshman Andrew Ellsworth is another new cadet who said he joined because the ROTC could provide job insurance after graduation.

While the new cadets have their own reasons and joining the ROTC, their parents have a lot to think about it as well. Joining the military can be a touchy subject for many families and parents might have different expectations for what being in the ROTC will do for their child.

Kristy Stevenson, mother of mechanical engineering freshman and new ROTC cadet Conner Stevenson, said she is excited about her son joining the ROTC and believes this year will be an amazing experience for him.

“I’m very proud of my son for joining the ROTC,” Kristy Stevenson said. “My brother was in the ROTC at Central Michigan during his time there, and (mine and) my husband’s father were in the military.”

While both the new cadets and their parents have their own expectations for this year, the returning ROTC members and ROTC staff see the orientation as a great opportunity for the cadets to learn what they’re in for this year.

History senior Connor McLeod is one of the older student members of the ROTC, and believes that the orientation is an important step in showing the new cadets what the program is all about.

“This event is called the Battalion Social,” McLeod said. “The event gives our new cadets a chance to interact with other cadets and instructors, to better integrate themselves into the Spartan Battalion.”

Assistant Professor of Military Science Emmett Richardson is one of the head leaders of the ROTC program and views orientation as a chance for the new cadets to get acquainted with the ROTC program as a whole.

“Orientation is to welcome the incoming freshman,” Richardson said. “The military is based on family support, so we need to show the families right off the bat that we all support each other, and that their support is important for the kids to be successful in the program.”

Discussion

Share and discuss “New cadets and parents introduced to ROTC program ” on social media.