ROTC Blues

[Hobbs]

Okay, I consider them SC's because, technically I serve them etc, but if a mod thinks otherwise, go ahead and move it where it would be more appropriate.


First Complaint
So, onto the first level of suckiness. My group, LRS (Logisitics and Readiness Sq) passed out blues uniforms 2 weeks ago. In that time, we've repeatedly asked for those without uniform items to let us know and to come in and see us. Albeit, not everyone had belts because we ran out, but we got a shipment in and have been passing them out like crazy.

Now, two weeks later, we still see a lot of flights with cadets not in uniform (until you have all your items, you're not allowed to wear it, obviously). When we ask what the problem is, we're informed that they have the wrong sizes.

Really? I mean, really? In two weeks they didn't bother to try any of it on? So now that we think everyone has all their stuff, we're told they don't?

And these cadets have obviously never heard of alterations. More than several exchanging pants have complained about the length being too long. Get it altered! Get a sewing machine/kit and do it yourself if you're cheap! OF course, don't make it look like crap or else I'll tear into you, but geez!


My Second Complaint
Today, 18 September 2009, is the Air Force Birthday, huuuuuuuuuua!

Yesterday we had a big celebration with cake. I volunteered to help out one of my fellow officers (Cadet S) by watching the cake/assembly area before the other cadets got there. Now, Cadet S's flight was put in charge of the cake stuff once everyone was ready, so they came out before hand to get prepared. In idle conversation, this ensues.

me: duh
C1: Cadet 1
C2-3: C1's flightmates

me: So cadet, when is the Air Force birthday? (I did this idly, I thought it'd be a give away)
C1: Um, sir, I'm not sure...I'm still a new cadet.
me: What? [turns to others] Do y'all know the Air Force birthday?
C2-3: [various degrees of no]
me: [turning to Cadet S] Cadet S, your flight tells me they don't know the Air Force birthday.
Cadet S: What? Delta flight, when's the Air Force Birthday?
Flight: Sept. 18, 1947.
me:

[LillFilly]

I thought the ROTC was birthed from the Army and that CAP was birthed from the Air Force. Though come to think of it I've seen AF National Guard working with the ROTC.

In my squadron the cadets had to put their patches on their uniforms themselves, but never seemed to have a problem with alterations; I guess they got lucky with the lengths!

[Stormraven]

I was in AFROTC in High School. Okay, Jr. ROTC, but it was still AF.

[Hobbs]

Yeah, this isn't JAFROTC; this is college-level AFROTC. The difference? Once we graduate, we commission as 2nd Lieutenants. There's a lot of differences. One being, we don't use patches, because the active Air Force doesn't use patches on their uniforms.

ROTC is for every branch of service. Technically there's USMC ROTC, but it's semi-combined with Navy, if I remember correctly. My Detachment does work with our CAP, however.

[chainedbarista]

these future officers can't even figure out what alterations are for? the military has gone down the shitter.

[Hobbs]

these future officers can't even figure out what alterations are for? the military has gone down the shitter.

Hey, these cadets are mine and my fellow POC's responsibility. By the time they commission, they will be squared away.

[Nurian]

That's not limited to you fly-boys. I had a fun time in ROTC helping the ones who thought they were soldiers learn what they should already know.

CS: Cadet Sergeant (like the pun? )
ME: A Cadet Private
RM: Range Master

CS: Damn rifles jammed (on the M-16 range)
ME: Cadet, use SPORTS (acronym for properly clearing a misfeed)
CS: Huh?
ME: They just went over it before we started firing.
CS: Uh....(raises hand. The Range Master comes over). My rifle's jammed.
RM: And you didn't pay attention to what I said? (Looks at me) What's the proper way to clear your rifle if it jams?
ME: Sergeant, slap the magazine, pull the charging handle, observe the round leaving the port, release the charging handle, tap the forward assist, shoot your rifle. SPORTS, Sergeant!
RM: Damn straight. Good to know one of you has brains. (He pulls the rifle out of the CS's hands, performs the procedure and hands it back). There.

Of course, I cheated. I went to Basic. The CS only had a year of ROTC. But they teach it freshman year!

[Hobbs]

Yea, we were taught SPORTS. I wish our M-16 familiarization had been longer...lol

[LillFilly]

I believe that if our cadets reached a certain rank and level of testing, if they enlisted, they got an extra stripe or 2 depending on their rank. I had a couple of cadets in my squadron that became Cadet Colonels in about a year and half; twin boys, those guys were motivated! Eventually they became co-cadet leaders of the squadron. They were training their 9YO brother so when he turned 12 he could join; he already had his uniform and everything!

The sad thing was, these kids knew so much, but when it came time to apply their skills to search and rescue, the police and guard leading the searches never wanted to listen. 2 of our cadets were sure they'd pin-pointed where a plane had gone down, but the 'adults' just ignored them and said 'we already looked there.' No, they had not, not that particular side of the hill that, when you mapped it out, was the obvious place for the plane to have gone down. The cadets went right to the search and rescue pilots and told them where to look. Guess where they found the plane? The cadets got a dressing-down from the police for going over their heads, and guess who was never mentioned in the paper? Personally, our squadron congratulated them! Sometimes, you just have to shut up and listen!

[Stormraven]

That was the option for JAFROTC. Make it through the full course, and you started (out of Basic) as an A1C (E3). I only ran ROTC for half a semester. I moved, and the High School I'd been in was the only one in the area that had the program.

[Hobbs]

On the opposite end of that, Lill, I have seen that (often, not always) JROTC cadets who come in are the hardest. They have all this stuff they learned in high school that we have to unlearn them, and they are stubborn to boot.

[LillFilly]

Ooo, ours would have been a challenge though; we had them from 12 to 18 then as long as they wanted to stay. Mwahahahaa!

[Jack Doe]

If we graduate, we commission as 2nd Lieutenants.

FTFY.

On the opposite end of that, Lill, I have seen that (often, not always) JROTC cadets who come in are the hardest. They have all this stuff they learned in high school that we have to unlearn them, and they are stubborn to boot.

Do Jesus, that's the truth. "But my high school instructor said..." "But my ASI said..." "But that's how we learned it in JROTC..." "That's not how I was shown..." The proper response to all of those comments is "Shut the hell up. You will do it how I tell you to do it!"

(Jack, BOTs class 03-02 graduate. If you ain't Prior, you ain't jack!)

[AccountingDrone]

And these cadets have obviously never heard of alterations. More than several exchanging pants have complained about the length being too long. Get it altered! Get a sewing machine/kit and do it yourself if you're cheap! OF course, don't make it look like crap or else I'll tear into you, but geez!

I used to make decent spare cash - one of my boyfriends was in HM14, and I would go to the pad and sew on patches and make quick alterations by hand before major inspections ... and again, after I married mrDrone I would head down to the sub, and hang on the pier sewing patches and doing quicky alterations.

[you would not believe the number of pants I hemmed that were stapled into the right length ... or duct taped ]

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I was in AFROTC in High School. Okay, Jr. ROTC, but it was still AF.

Me too. Way back in the mid 80's for about a year and a half (dropped the class right after I'd went back to repeat the 11th grade and swapped it for Drafting, but I digress.)

Loved the instructors (sadly, one of them passed away earlier this summer) but some of the cadets I encountered left a lot to be desired.